Page 8- The Michigan Daily - Weekend etc. - February 11, 1993 by Joshua Keidan Daniel J. Boorstin's latest work is nothing if not ambitious. "The Cre- ators," a companion to his highly-ac- claimed "The Discoverers," takes as its subject the history of art from the dawn of civilization until the recent past. The Creators Daniel J Boorstin Random House Subtitled "A History of Heroes of the Imagination," this text bursts at the seams with the effort of fitting in every- thing, and I do mean everything - architecture, dance, music, painting, sculpture and writing - focusing on but not limited to the Western incarna- tions of these arts. But wait, there's more. Boorstin begins the novel by cataloguing the world's major religions, looking at their creation-myths in order to understand Dating? Forget about it why the ideaof creative arts tookrootin some areas but not others, and why the arts developed differently around the world. Boorstin's technique differs from that of the typical historian. He con- cerns himself with analysis rather than research, and his book is designed with accessibility rather than scholarship in mind. Instead of finding footnotes within "The Creators," the reader will encounter an astounding mixture of relevant ideas and enticing trivia. For example, in his chapter on the French philosopherJean Jacques Rousseau and the rise of the confessional work, along with looking at important or well-known passages from the "Confessions," Boorstin cannot resist bringing in the following quote, which refers to Rousseau's patroness, Mme. de Vercellis: "Finally, when she could no longer talk and was already in her death agony, she broke wind loudly. 'Good,' she said, turning over, 'a woman who can fart is not dead.' These were the last words she spoke." Ofcourse, itwouldbe impossible for Boorstin to do justice to every aspect of his subject, the creator in historywithin the book's 747 pages, and there are moments when you feel one subject or another is only being paid lip-service. Yet for any who feel a given subject has been glossed over, the reference notes Boorstin provides are presented so as to be less bibliographic and more gener- ally informative and helpful, for the reader seeking in-depth information. To pick through "The Creators" in search of what has been left out, then, seems unfair, for the amount which Boorstin manages to include is truly remarkable. In the course of this book the reader encounters subjects ranging fromBrunelleschi toDostoyevsky, from Stonehenge to Stravinsky, each placed within their cultural and historical con- text, and all tied together by the power- ful cohesive force of Boorstin's prose. 7X$4f%96(2 "RECORDS -LV62 , N N ./ 1140 South University (Above Good-fme Charie 's) Ann Arbor, MI 48104 Ph: 663-5800 Hours: Mon.-Thurs 9 . matlo5p.m. Fri: Sal. a.m.-1 1 g.m. Sun. 11 a.m. Ip.m DATING Continued from page 1 article. My friend had been on a date. My theory was no longer valid. I was all set to click on the erase and delete this story from the memory bank when she blurts out, "I'm really glad I hung out with him tonight, maybe I'll get a group of friends together and invite him to hang out with us Saturday?" Nice try! I quickly moved the mouse and clicked on save. She was using that word again, replacing "dating" with "hanging out." Was she kidding? It was a date! Yet she definitely assured me it was not. Also, why did she have to get a group of people together in order to invite him to 'hang out? Whatever happened to two peopleequals one date?I thoughtmaybe we were having a language barrier, so I took a new approach. "Do you like him," I asked. "Definitely," she replied. "Are you going to continue to (try- ing not to insult or offend, I used a new term) 'hang out' with him?" "For sure!" "Okay, so are you seeing him?" Alook ofpanic struckher face. What Broadcasting Saffire-The Uppity Blues Women Alligator Records The mere existence of Saffire-The Uppity Blues Women,- two older women singing the blues from a female perspective- is worth at least a second look. The result is, well, a little disap- pointing. The musical talents of Ann Rabson and Gaye Adegbalola are good enough. Ann won't be confused with Dr. John, but her piano licks are comfortable and easy to listen to. Gaye, who does most of the singing on Broadcasting, is the highlight of the album. Both her and Rabson, who also sings, belt out lyrics and prove them deserving of a name like "The Uppity Blues Women." It is in the lyrics themselves that the album falls apart. Ann and Gaye sacri- fice musicality and coherence for at- tempted lyrical cuteness. Many songs have trite lyrics and dumb titles (The Chorus of "Dump That Chump" con- had I said to cause such a reaction? She denied such a charge and made me promise never to imply to anyone that she was seeing him. The possibilities of what would happen if this term was associated with her and this guy haunted her for the rest of the night. People might think that she actually thought he liked her, she explained. She lost me for aminute with this comment. Didn't she wanthim tolikeher? Then ithitme! She was playing games! We are ageneration of game players. It's a childish game - this game of ours. It is a game full of deception and manipulation. Sometimes it gets pretty interesting. You see, there is this card and if you happen to pick it, you must: Take a walk of shame! Go directly home! Do not pass populated sites! Do not stop to chat with friends! The walk of shame is, perhaps, the most ridicu- lous part of "hanging out." Maybe it wouldn't be so shameful to be walking home at 10 a.m. on a Sunday in his sweat pants, cowboy boots, a jean shirt and a baseball hat, if you were actually dating the person from whose house you havejust left. Instead, itis ahumili- ating experience because while wear- ing this attire, you keep a straight face and claim that, "you arejust friends who like to hang out!" These are the problems that we en- counter with the term dating, but there is also a definite lack of the actual act of dating. When was the last time you were courted? No, I am not talking about gallant Knights and Victorian heroines. But wouldn'tit be nice to have someone actually trying to get to know you? It seems as if the "dating process" is back- wards here. You go to a party, hook up and then maybe (a huge maybe) the guy calls you and asks you out (remember, that's to hang out). Wouldn't it be cool, and perhaps more logical to have some- one call you and ask you out first? Then after you establish a mutual attraction, you could naturally allow the relation- ship to progress. For some reason, this just doesn't seem to be the case. True, there are some guys who do follow this pattern, but girls are so skeptical of their motives based on previous experiences, that the problem of game playing inevi- tably arises. It is a vicious cycle that few seem to travel through smoothly. And there are very few winners in this end- less game. So, no mom, I'm not dating. I'mjust playing it cool and hanging out! r TICKEV CtNTEK VITA ENS RITE MUSIC ON SALE! / . OFF ANY REGULAR PRICED / \ FULL-LENGTH CD OR / \ CASSETTE IN STOCK! Expires BEST PRICES IN TOWN! 1 sists of a small choir chanting, "Dump that chump! Dump that chump!" to twelve bar blues.) Their lyrical failures could be overlooked if they didn't con- volute and disturb the melodies them- selves. ("I wear Queen of Shebah per- fume, I got Cleopatra's eyes/Nefrititis' hairdo and I'm Queen Latifah wise.") The fact that Saffire-The Uppity Blues Women are out making albums instead of sweatin' to the oldies almost makes their albums worth a listen. The singing of AnnandGaye createdenough bright spots to offer hope. However, on "Broadacasting," there are too many failed attempts at wit on "Broadcast- ing" to make it listenable. -David Pava Cecilia Bartoli Se tu m'ami (If You Love Me) London Records In English, the title of this album (also the title of one of the 21 tracks) of Italian love songs of the 17th and 18th centuries does sound sort of like some- thing you might expect from say, Julio Iglesias. But what the disc delivers are perfectly elegant performances by mezzo-soprano Cecilia Bartoli and pia- nist Gyorgy Fischer. Bartoli's voice is that rare and excit- ing mixture of voluptuousness and flu- idity -like velvet and satin. Paisiello's "Il mio ben quando verrt" ("When my beloved comes") is the perfect show- case for her voice. Her full, mellow tone can best be savored in slower pieces like Giordani's "Caro mio ben" ("My dear love") and the Caldara song "Selve amiche" ("Friendly woods").Occasion- ally,her attempts at soft dynamics result in breathiness, but not often enough to be truly annoying. Early-music purists shouldn'tbe put off by the use of piano instead of a period instrument, such as a harpsi- chord. Fischer's playing is clean and quite sensitive to Baroque sensibilities. Both musicians exhibit the rhythmic precision early music demands, but without sacrificing expressive freedom. Don't mistake the precision and el- egance of this collection to mean dry or boring, however; Scarlatti's fiery "Spesso vibra per suo gioco" ("Some- times, forhis amusement") comes across with all (if not more) of the passion and immediacy of its modern counterparts. - Michelle Weger L -b- ii LAYER OF TOPPING! LAYER OF CHEESE! a.1, 1 LAYER OF TOPPI NG! LAYER OF CHEESE! ~..N 2MEDIUM LAYERSf O1F YOU R C HOIC E SLAYERS of ( 4GCHEESE T-SHIRT PRINTERY " AZ's MULTI-COLOR PRINTING CHAMPS! " STAFF ARTIST SUPPORT. " 2-DAY RUSH SERVICE AVAILABLE. " U-M P.O. #'s ACCEPTED. " LOCATED ACROSS THE BRIDGE FROM GANDY DANCER. 5% DISCOUNT 994-1367 * MINIMUM ORDEI WITH THIS AD 1002 PONTIAC TRAIL ANN ARBOR 12 SHIRTS R l I. 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