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U-M: The Best and Worst of Times____
I
Best Book
sI
With hundreds of new books released each day, it's nearly impossible to
peruse the vast literary market for a comprehensive "best" selection.
What's a book reviewer to do without a staff of hundreds? But here it is, for
what it's worth: a small but noteworthy selection of some of the most in-
teresting and evocative books of the past year (1984-85). Ignoring market
status (we'll leave that to you-know-what Sunday b.s. list), this list is com-
piled with an eye peeled for politically stimulating works, new authors, first
novels, and quality literature that forfeits the dubious honor of placing on
the glittery best-seller list.
characteristic light humor. Chaim
Potok's Davita's Harp is not the
author's most'outstanding but is
nonetheless very good ; like Potok's
previous work's, this one portrays a
character's struggles with religion
(this time, a girl's) and her
disturbing family history. In addition:
Jayne Anne Phillips' Machine Dreams,
Don Delillo's White Noise, Todd McEwen's
Fisher's Hornpipe, and Janice Kincaid's
Annie John.
Best Poetry
The year's crop of poetry yielded two
wonderful collections: S. Ben Tov's
During Ceasefire (strongly political
and feminist, a first work), and Molly
Peacock's Raw Heaven (raw indeed in
its psycho
fessional im
However,
poetry to
sberg's Col
great poeti
century Wh
literary tbe
the century
good colle
Collected P
Warren's C
Shultz's Dee
Best Books
book edito
fers Sue
Mary Berl
and Ron Sc
Best Non-fiction
Atop the eighties surge of literature
on Vietnam, a notable book on Viet-
nam veterans has emerged: Bloods
(An Oral History of the Vietnam War by
Black Veterans), by Wallace Terry.
Bloods portrays a handful of black
veterans-infantry, officers, supply
workers-from a variety of backgroun-
ds, most often big city ghettoes or deep
rural South. The book drives home the
idea of a white man's war fought by
lower classes, and of a military
disproportionately represented by
minorities; in all, driving, powerful
reading.
Also of note: Joe Klein's Payback,
similarly following the stories of five
veterans; Charlie Clements' Witness to
War, the story of an American doctor
serving behind rebel lines in El
Salvador;
The True Confessions of an Albino
Terrorist, by Breyten Breytenbach,
telling the seven-year ordeal of an im-
prisoned writer in South Africa;
Wyman's The Abandonment of the
Jews, documenting America's
negligent role in the Jewish Holocaust.
Even more: Studs Terkel's "The Good
War", an eye-opening oral history of
World War II; Waiting: The Whites of
South Africa, by Vincent Crapanzano, a
fascinating exploration of the op-
pressors of apartheid; From Time Im-
memorial, by Joan Peters, a con-
troversial expose of Palestinian
history; and The Invisible Children, by
Gitta Sereny, documenting child
prostitution in Europe and America.
Best Fiction
My personal favorite was Bright
Lights, Big City, by Jay McInerney. A
fun, fast-paced work that plunges into
hedonistic New York night, this book is
as heady and speedy as a snort of the
white stuff, and it sets McInerney as
one of the most promising young
writers in years to come.
Also among the best is Milan Kun-
dera's The Unbearable Lightness of
Being, a very enjoyable read in which
the author blends spheres of communist
politics, fantasy, sexual passion, Niet-
zchian metaphysics, all with his
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Look familiar?: Before the bars close it's known at Taco Bell
(Continued from Page 13)
Best Place To Go
When You're Drunk
Taco Bell
You awaken on a Saturday morning
with both beer and burritos (buh-ree-
toes) on your breath. The tastes bring
back memories of the night before.
They closed the bar, and the munchies
struck; Taco Bell was the only remedy.
After all, what else is cheap, convenien-
tly located and open at 2:30 a.m.?
Worst Walk Between Classes
B-school to Frieze
It's long. It's cold (in the winter). It's
a general pain-in-the-neck. It's the wor-
st walk - the trek from the Business
School to Frieze or vice versa. Until the
sidewalk is paved from North to central
campus, this walk will continue to cap-
ture the worst walk around.
bi
-
1- --
Come to Kerrtwn for all the good things in life - Good food, fine
furniture, crafts, knitting and weaving supplies, gifts, cookware,
toys, clothing, jewelry, soaps, candles, paper goods, pottery, fresh
pasta and futons.
Kerrytown has everything you want, seven days a week. We're
open until 8 on Friday, noon to 5 Sunday and 10-6, M-Thurs., 9-5 Sa'-
urday. Parking is abundant in our lot or next door in the Farmers
Market. And we're jus t a short walk from main campus.
Kerrytown Shops
35 shops and restaurants in a village setting
N. Fourth and Fifth Avenues, Ann Arbor 662-4221
-V
Kerrytown
COME TAKE A
WALK OR BIKE RIDE!
IRKI
For The Best In
Updated Traditional
Clothing .. .
Everything For The Man
APPAREL FOR WOMEN
306 - 310 S. STATE ST., ANN ARBOR
-......s..r-
._
-N
SEAFOOD MARKET
Come in and check out
the greatest selection of
fine fresh & frozen
SEAFOOD!
including
Sashimi Items & the best variety of smoked fish
in town!
Open M-F 8-6, Sat. 7-5
407 N. Fifth Ave. KERRYTOWN 662-5118
SIGN UP NOW FOR MAY CLASSES!
OVERLOA
The University Cella
the BESToverall buyba
in town.
We pay 50% or more of current list pri
rent editions reported for usage in futui
If your book has been dropped from i
class, we will offer you a top wholesa
Trade books, (those small, prepriced, 1
books of mass market variety), generall
to 33% of the original cover pri
Old editions have no value, so don't si
books for too long!
Our buyback people are committed to I
excellent prices, and honest explanatic
your student bookstore.
Open weeknights until 8pm April 29th throe
University c
341 East Liberty. The Official Bookstore of the Univ
I'VE N
A Revt
THAT SONG BEFORE
he Music of Jule Styne
din.17-21,1985
I fr the Performing Arts
YARNS FOR
WEAVINCG,
KNITTING,1
CROCHETING,
& RUGMAKING.
BASK ETRY
SUPPLIES
Wild Weft-
407 N. 5th Ave. (Kerrytown)
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48104
Telephone: 31 3 / 761-2466
WEAVING
& SPINNING
EQUIPMENT.
CLASSES.
DYES.
BOOKS.
Power Cent
Tickets at $5 and $3 avail
PTP Box Office, Michigar
Call 764-0450.
at the
caue.
/THE,
SERIES
14 Weekend/Friday, April 19, 1985.
. . . . m .Weekend/Eria