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Page 8 - The Michigan Daily - Monday, September 29, 1986
Books


Mark Twain
At His Best
EDITED BY
CHAR LE S NE IDER
Doubleday
$17.95
Charles Neider is touted on the
back cover as a "widely respected
Twain authority," and Mark
Twain at His Bestis the fifth book
on this famous American author

that he has edited. However,
practice hasn't made Neider
perfect.
The 54-page-long introduction
(about ten percent of the book's
total length) rambles on about
Twain's life as a literary giant.
For example, Neider gushes about
the ex-journalist's preparations to
enter into the American literary
scene in the following manner:
"He was ready to blow upon the
embers of his destiny and to light
a great conflagration in the

Read and Use
Daily Class if leds

literary skies of his native land."
Ouch.
If you can make it through this
introduction without bleeding
from the ears and still have
enough strength left to attack the
actual contents, you'll find that
Neider knows his material, even
if he can't introduce it well. The
best Neider can do for A Day at
Niagara is to write that it is
"wonderful satire, fresh, gutsy,
zesty, and very funny." Neider
seems to have developed a chronic
case of adjectivitis.
The c olitents of the volume are
selections of stories, sketches,
travel books, novels, essays,
letters, speeches and auto-
biography. They give a general
overview of Twain's diversity in
material and style, and are
designed "not only for old and
faithful readers of Mark
Twain... but also for the
generations of readers who will
want to explore and discover him
on their own." The collection is
comprehensive, but unless you're
already a fan of Twain's work,
you'd be much better off reading
T.S. Eliot's introduction to

Huckleberry Finn, which is about
one-fifth the length and ten times
more comprehensible.
Twain's novels lose much of
their impact in this anthology.
Neider includes chapters from
The Innocents Abroad, Roughing
It, A Tramp Abroad, Life on the
Mississippi, Adventures of Huck -
leberry Finn and A Connecticut
Yankee in King Arthur's Court.,
which can hardly make sense out
of context. In Adventures of
Huckleberry Finn , the chapter
'Trash' is chosen presumably
because Huck decides to humble
himself to Jim, a cathartic move
for the main character in which
he rejects the social mores of the
times. This small but crucial
detail is never mentioned.
Mark Twain at His Bestis like
a B-Movie version of a Norton
Anthology. One may learn a lot
about Twain's travels from
Neider's dreadful introduction,
but don't expect anything more
than what's printed on the
cover-this is strictly an assorted
box of chocolates: "a literary
sampler."
-Rebecca E. Cox

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CAMPAIGf '986
MICHIGAN DEMOCRATIC PARTY
GOVERNOR BLANCHARD
AND THE Democratic Team
Need YOU!
Q phone calling
Q literature distribution
Q dorm/precinct captains
call: 747-8212 TO VOLUNTEER
or stop by
211 N. Main Democratic Headquarters
Paid for by the Michigan Democratic State Central Committee
606 Townsend 0 Lansing, MI 48933

Doily Photo by JOHN MUNSON
Nearer:
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The Calendar,
of The University of Michigan

The calendar combines meeting, lecture
workshop and conference announcements
with other events happening each week on
campus. It is based on The University
Record calendar, and is open to all Uni-
versity sponsored groups and organizations
recognized by the Michigan Student As-
sembly. Items must be submitted in writing
by 5 p.m. the Tuesday before publication.
Address all information to: University
Record, 412 Maynard St. Asterisk (*) de-
notes events to which admission is charged.
MONDAY
September 29
*Cont -Med Educ/Cardiol/Orthopedic Surg/Postgrad
Med & Hith Prof Ed2-day course, "Caring for the
Recreational & Elite Runner in the Office Practice,'
Towsley Ctr, Med Sch. 763-1400.
Sch Ed-Conf, "Tension & Dynamism: The Education
of a Teacher," 8 pm, Rackham Amph. Recp fol-
lows, Mich League. 763-4288.
N E & N Afr Stds Ctr-Brown bag, A Sullivan, "Israel
& the Palestinians: An Update," noon, Lane Hall
Commons Rm.
A-Squares-Sq dance lessons, 7-8:30 pm, Mich League,
basement. 665-5794.
Stds in Religion-Lec, G Gutierrez, "Reflections on
Liberation Theology, "8-10 pm, MLB 3. 764-4475.
Soc Work-Pub Sem Ser-Soc Res on Appl Issues of
Aging, lec, disc, coffee, 3 Tropmen, "Public policy
Opinion & the Elderly, " 1:10-3 pm, 219 Soc Work
Ctr Bldg, 1015E. Huron.
Tae Kwon Do Club-Practice, beginners welcome, 7
pm, CCRB Martial Arts Rm. 665-7399.
CEW-Women Stdt Network, lec, M Jackson, "Jour-
ney through Education, " noon-1:30 pm, CEW, 350
S Thayer. 763-7080.
CRLT-Workshop, K. Zinn, "The Use of Personal
Computers as Aids to Instruction," 7-9 pm, 225
Angell. 764-0505.
Guild House Writers Series-Readings by J Johnson &
S Legget, 8 pm, 802 Monroe. 662-5189.
Computing Ctr-Courses, "Visual (Full-Screen) Edit-
ing (Zenith Z'150)," 3-5 pm; "Monday Language
Sems (C)," 7-9 pm, 1013-NUBS. 747-2424.
Career Phig & Plcmt-Lec, E Groeller, "Organizing
Your Federal Job Search: 10 Steps to Locating a
Government Job," 3:30-5 pm, CP&P Conf Rm,
SAB; Resume Disc, "Marketing Your Liberal Arts
Degree, " 4:10 pm; Library tour, 4:10 pm, 3200
SAB. 764-7460.
Intl Ctr-Study Abroad 101, Pt I: J Dickson, "Over-
seas Study: The Options, "noon, MLB Lec Rm 1.
747-2299.
*Women's Okinawan Karate & Self-Defense Club-
Class, 7:15 pm, IM Sports Bldg Martial Arts Rm.
763-3562.

*U-M-Flint-Crisis Intervention Workshop, "How to
Be Helpful in Others' Personal Crises," 9 am-3:30
pm, Mich Rms C & D. 762-3200.
*HRD-Workshop, "Telephone Communications," 1-
4:30 pm, HRD Ctr, 1111 Kipke Dr. 764-7410.
Computing Ctr-Course, "Using Patterns with the
MTS File Editor," 7-9 pm, 1013 NUBS. 747-2424.
Career Ping & Plcmt-Resume Disc, "Defining a Ca-
reer Objective," 4:10-5 pm; Lee, "Preparing for
Law School," 4:10-5 pm, CP&P, 3200 SAB. Mass
mtg/info session, on-campus recruitment prog, 4:10
-5:30 pm, MLB 3.
Stdt United Jewish Appeal-Mass mtg, 7 pm, Hillel
Fdn, 1429 Hill St. 663-3336.
Intl Ctr-Study Abroad 101, Pt II, M Crichton, "For-
eign Study with U-M, " noon, MLB Lee Rm 1.
Speaker, A Sullivan, "Israel & the Palestinians: An
Update, "noon, (*lunch avail), Intl Ctr. 747-2299.
Mus Art-Art Break, Oriental screens, 12:10 pm.
*Cardiology-8th Ann Run for Fun thru Arb, 4:30 pm.
763-1400.
Christians in Action-Video, "Charles Colson: Born
Again, "8:30 pm, Kuenzel Rm, Mich Union.
Ctr Chinese Stds-Brown bag, H Mills, "View from the.
Inside, "noon, Lane Hall Commons Rm.
Sch Music-Univ Symph Orch, All Tschaikovsky Prog,
8 pm, Hill.
Psychobiol Colloq-Lec, D Buss, "Evolution & Mate
Selection (Human),." 12:30 pm, 4054 Kresge Hear-
ing Res Inst.
*CEW-Job Hunt Club, noon-1:30 pm, CEW, 350 S
Thayer. 763-7080.
WEDNESDAY
October 1
AIESEC-Intl Bus Club, gen mtg, 5:15 pm, K1310
Kresge.
Bioengr-Sem, J Faulkner, "Power Output of Trans-
planted Muscles," 4 pm (coffee 3:30 pm), 1017
Dow, N Campus.
Communication-Journalists-in-Residence Prog brown
bag, S Arcones, "The Philippine News Media Dur-
ing the February Revolution-and After, " noon-1
pm, Marsh Sem Rm, 2035 Frieze.
Counseling Svcs-Dissertation Support Group, mtg,
8:30-10 am, 3100 Mich Union. 764-8312.
Prog in Ed & Psych-CRLS-Lec, H Cooper, "Teach-
er-Expectancy Research: A Review with Implica-
tions for Classroom Instructions," 4 pm, Tribute
Rm, 1322 SEB.
*Ext Svc, Conf & Inst-50th Ann Mtg, Amer Assoc
Petroleum Geologists, reg begins 5 pm, Mich League
2nd Fl Concourse. 764-5304.
Comm on Ethics, Humanism & Medicine-Brown bag,
S Cole, "Disability & Sexuality, " noon, So Lee
Hall, Med Sci II.
Computing Ctr-Course, "Survey of Text Processing
on MTS," 3-5 pm, 1013 NUBS. 747-2424.
Career Ping & Plcmt-Lecs, "The Medical School
Personal Essay," 4:10 pm, CP&P, 3200 SAB; "In-
terviewing," 6pm, MLB Lec Rm 2. 764-7460.
Intl Ctr-Study Abroad 101, Pt III, E Nowak, "U-M
Financial Aid for Study Abroad," noon, MLB Lee

Russ & E Europ Stds-Brown bag, J Krejci, "Ethnicity,
Religion & Civilization, " noon, Lane Hall Com-
mons Rm.
Stilyagi Air Corps, SciFic Club-Mtg, 8:30 pm, Mich
League Conf Rms. 994-8419.
Taw Kwon Do Club-See Sept. 29.
Rec Sport-Men's Undergrad Volleyball Club (1st yr
grads welcome), mass mtg, 7 pm, 1250 CCRB. 761-
8467.
Student Woodshop-Safety class, Sess I, 3-5 on, SAB.
763-4025.
*CEWStep Before the Job Search workshop starts
(4 wkly sessions), 7-9:30 pm, CEW, 350 S Thayer.
763-7080.
Sch Bus, Engr, IST-Lec, J Boyd, "The Role of Tech-
nology in International Competition," 4:15 pm,
Chrysler Aud, N Campus.
THURSDAY
October 2
Investment Club-Lec, T Leith, "Wall Street-The Real
World." 4:15 pm, Mich Rm Assembly Hall Bldg,
Bus Ad; recp follows, Exec Lounge.
CRLT-Workshop, R Kozma, "Preparing and Using
Microcomputer-Based Tutorials, "7-9 pm, 3001 Sch
Ed. 764-0505.
*Cinema Guild-McCabe'& Mrs Miller, 7 & 9:15 pm,
Aud A, Angell.
*Cont Med Ed-Confs, "Current Controversies with
New Directions in Nutrition for Diabetes"; "Hemo-
dynamic Monitoring Seminar," Towsley Ctr, Med
Sch. 763-1400.
Prog in Ed & Psych-Colloq, H Cooper, "Moving
Beyond Meta-analysis: Knowledge Synthesis Activi-
ties in Educating & Psychology, "4pm, Tribute Rm,
1322 SEB.
Engl-Colloq in Crit Theory, T Siebers, "The Ethical
Unconscious: from Freud to Lacan," 8 pm, Rack-
ham E Conf Rm.
*Ext Svcs, Conf & Inst-50th Ann Mtg, Amer Assoc
Petroleum Geologists. See Oct. 1. Reg begins 8 am,
Rackham lobby.
Computing Ctr-Course, "Using Patterns with the
MTS File Editor" (2nd session), 7-9 pm, 1013 NUBS.
747-2424.
Career Ping & Plcmt-Work sessions, "Introductory
Practice Interviewing," 3:15-5 pm; "Creating a Re-
sume," 4:10-5 pm; Library tour, 4:10 pm, CP&P,
3200 SAB; Lec, "The Job Search, " 4:10-5:30 pm,
429 Mason. 764-7460.
His House Christian Fellowship-Fellowship & Bible
study, 7:30-9 pm, 925 E Ann. 665-0775, 663-0483.
Intl Ctr-Study Abroad 101, Pt IV, D Holladay,
"Credit Transfer for Non-U-M Study A broad Pro-
grams, "noon, MLB Lec Rm 1.747-2299.
Japanese Stds-Brown bag, M Osawa, "Occupational
Transformations: Japan & the US, " noon, Lane
Hall Commons Rm.
*Women's Okinawan Karate & Self-Defense Club-
Class, 7:15 pm, IM Sports Bldg Martial Arts Rm.
763-3562.
*Mich League Intl Night-Belgium & Netherlands, The
League Buffet, 4:30-7:30 pm.
Mich Union Arts Prog-Arts at Mid-Day, T Wyman,
piano, Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier & other works,
12:15 pm, Pendleton Rm.
Mus Art-Art Break, Oriental screens, 12:10 pm, Mus
Art.
Mus Art/Art Hist/Sch ArtLec, P Berry, "Lipstick on
the Rim: Reflections on the Aesthetics of Japanese
Ceramics," 7 pm, Art & Arch Aud. Opening re-
cep for exhibits, "Japanese Ceramics from U-M
Mus Art Collection "& "Alternatives '86 (Photogra-

FRIDAY
October 3
Astron-Visitor's Nights, D Richstone, "Are There
Supermassive Black Holes in Nearby Galaxies?"
8:30 pm, Aud B,, Angell.
*AAFCCry the Beloved Country, 7 pm; Lost in the
Stars, 9 pm, MLB 4.
Women's Field Hockey-vs Ohio State, 4 pm, Var-
sity Field behind Fisher Stad.
Clements Lib-Lec, D Vaisey, "The Bodleian Library
of Oxford, "4 pm, recep follows.
*Cont Med Ed-See Oct 2.
Guild House-Forum (*lunch avail), A Coleman, "A
Visit to Chile in the Fall of '86," noon,. 802 Mon-
roe. 662-5189.
U-M-DBN-Film, Zulu, 7:30 pm, 138 CAB.
Computing Ctr-Courses, "Getting Started with the
Michigan Terminal System" (2nd session), 8 am-
noon, 1013 NUBS; "Basic Concepts of Local Area
Networks," 8:30 am-12:30 pm, 4003 SEB. 747-
2424.
International Students Fellowship-Mtg, 7 pm. For
ride, call 994-4669.
Japanese Stds-Film, The End of Summer, 7 pm, Aud
A Angell.
Korean Christian Fellowship-Bible study mtg, 9 pm,
Campus Chapel.
Biol Sci-Sem, Mol Evol & Pop Biol, B Levin, "Con-
ditions for the Maintenance of Transposons & Plas-
mids in Bacterial Populations, " 4 pm, 3011 Nat Sci.
*Rec Sports-Cricket club practice, 5 pm, Mitchell
Field. 763-8216.
Linquistics-Colloq, A, Bell, "Responding to Your
Audience, " 11 am-noon, 3050 Frieze.
*Univ Musical Soc-Concert, Woody Herman & His
Thundering Herd, 8 pm, Power Ctr.
*Musical Theater Prog, Sch Music- "Doonesbury:
A Musical Comedy, " 8 pm, Trueblood Theater,
Frieze Bldg.
Stds in Religion-Lec, A Plantinga, "The Rationality
of Belief in God, "8 pm, MLB Lec Rm 1.
S & SE Asian Stds Ctr-Brown bag, M Steedly, "Inno-
cence as Authority: Shifting Gender Roles in Karo-
nese Curing Practices, "noon, Lane Hall Commons
Rm.
Tae Kwon Do Club-Practice, beginners welcome, 5
pm, CCRB Small Gym. 665-7399.
SATURDAY.
October 4
*AAFC-Rasputin, 7& 9:10pm, AudA, Angell.
*Cinema Guild-Last Tango in Paris, 7 & 9:20 pm,
MLB 3.
*Eclipse Jazz-Concert, Spyro Gyra, 8 pm, Power Ctr.
763-TKTS.
*Fitness Res Ctr--Aerobic Exercise Instructors Work-
shop, 8:45 am-4 pm, CCRB. 763-2462.
*Rec Sports-Cricket club practice, 4 pm, Mitchell
Field. 763-8216.
*Musical Theater Prog, Sch Music-See Oct 3.
SUNDAY
October 5
*AAFC-The Wild One, 7 pm; the Wild Angels, 8:30
pm, Nat Sci Aud.
Women's Field Hockey-vs Northwestern, 10 am,
Varsity Field behind Fisher Stad.
*Cinema Guild-Cesar, 7 pm; Lac Aux Dames, 9:15
pm, MLB 4.
*Ext Svcs, Conf & Inst-1986 Reg for Intl Symp on
Info Theory (IEEE), Mich League, 5 pm. 764-5304.
His House Christian Fellowship-Dinner & fellowship
mtg, 6-8 pm, 925 E Ann. 665-0775, 663-0483.
Campus Chapel-Guest preacher, N Wolterstorff, 10

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