Page 8- The Michigan Daily - Tuesday, March 9, 1993 Ambitious Delany balks at critics by Darcy Lockman Science fiction author Samuel Delany quotes the eighteenth century Goethe in saying, "A man knows no more at 50 than he knows at 20. He just knows different things." At 50 himself, Delany, who has written more than a dozen science fiction novels ("We never call it sci fi.") and critical essays, is in just the position to affirm this. Having published his first novel, "The Jewels of Aptor," at the age of 20, Delany looks back on it with fondness, but is not quite sure as to how he's changed as an author. "I like to think I've become a more ambitious writer, that today I'm tackling more compli- cated material. I like to think I have a clearer feel for what the novel, particu- larly the science fiction novel, is and can be, and that I can experiment in it more readily and easily," he said. None who know Delany's work would even think about arguing with thatstatement. Onhis less controversial side, Delany, who himself grew up in Harlem, is known for dealing with is- sues of race relations and burned out inner cities in his science fiction. He sees the break down of oppressive sys- tems as the only solution to the prob- lems in these arenas. "Bluntly, the problems will improve when whites stop oppressing blacks. (Whites) think if they're not running in gangs through the night in bed sheets to set up flaming crosses in someone's yard, then they're not oppressing any- one. But that's not how it works," he said, "If you want to understand how oppression works, as a white person, just for a start pick five times during your day, look around and notice the number of brown and black faces and the number of white faces around you. Each time you do, and the number of black faces is less than 20% total, say to yourself the following: at this moment, I am actively involved in oppressing black people, because I am functioning as a part of a complex social system that excludes almost all but whites from this particular social space. If (these oppressive systems) are ever to be dismantled peacefully, and no, I'm not sure that they can be, white people will have to understand how they work. We already know." Perhaps atypical for a science fic- tion writer, Delany also deals with is- sues of gender and homosexuality in his novels. In 1984, Delany wrote "The Tale of Plagues and Carnivals," a sci- ence fiction book and the first novel in the country about AIDS. Since that time, he has been around the country speaking on and writing articles about the deadly disease. And here's where the controversy comes in. Not satisfied with the types of stud- ies being done on the transmission of AIDS, Delany's talks and articles cen- ter around the work he thinks is needed. "(Because of the lack of certain types of studies) nocurrentinformation about sexual transmission of AIDS to women isn't fundamentally in the realm we would have to call superstition. Now superstitions often turn out to have a basis in fact. But often they don't. And until the studies are done and their resultsmade widely known, the women of the world must operate and organize their sexual lives wholly around super- stition. There is today nothing else," he said. Furthermore, Delany, who is regu- larly accused of social irresponsibility for both his behavior (HI V-negative, he has no qualms in stating "Between 1981 and the present I have had many sexual encounters - oral, receptive, unprotected - with between 50 and several hundred men each year, the vast majority of whom I didn't know personally.") andhis writing about stud- ies that report zero percent HIV con- Toys (Music from the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) Various Artists Geffen The list of contributing artists to "Toys," the soundtrack, reads much like the cast list of "Toys," the motion pic- ture. However, where Robin Williams, Joan Cusack and LL Cool J can't quite pulloff the respectable attempt of writer / director / producer Barry Levinson, the magic of the soundtrack nearly sal- vages it. The bulk of the pieces are written by Hans Zimmer and Trevor Horn, and are enormously meritorious unto them- selves. However, the primary memora- bility of the music is a result of the performers themselves. "The Closing Of TheYar,"the film's enchanting main theme, features Wendy and Lisa. Enya contributes "Ebudae," a rhythmic chant that, in her trademark style, floats into a mesmerizing fairy tale of sound. Other appearances in- clude Thomas Dolby, Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Seal and Grace Jones, to name a few. The bulk of the tracks are a fusion of classical music with new age. The reminiscenttonesofyouthful innocence are encapsulated by the performances versions among men who restrict their sexual activity to oral sex, is unsatisfied with the information disseminated to the public about AIDS. He said, "What is repeatedly claimed in (educational texts aboutAIDS) is that "sex" is what transmits the AIDS virus. Now if the gay male community has learned anything over the last baker's dozen years, it's that, in terms of AIDS, "sex" doesn't exist. What exists are specific, bodily sexual acts, some of which transmit the virus and some of which don't. But it is foggy, general- ized, unspecific concepts like "sex" that are the very locus of the problem, and are precisely what educational efforts must fight against.". Delany, while not one to back down in the face of social criticism, does submit to reading the critical interpreta- tions of his work. He said, "I'm curious to see what people are saying aboutme. Almost all those books (written on my work) impute ideas to me personally that I don't hold, never have held, and would quietly laugh at anyone silly enough to believe. You'll find critics, often who've never met me and cer- tainly who've neveraskedme, claiming that I don't think of myself as a black writer or that I don't think scientific truth is important in science fiction. But then, probably what writers are for is for people to project themselves into the writer's work to see what the combina- tion ofcritic and textproduce. Butsome- times, when critics call that combina- tion 'Samuel R. Delany' well yes, I balk." Huh, who would have thought that Samuel Delany would balk so easily? Both his literary and social critics would definitely be surprised. SAMUEL DELANY will readfrom his work today at Rackham at 4:00. Admission is free. Jewel Bret Lott Pocket Books by Marc Olender "Jewel," Bret Lott's fourth novel, is the story of a southern woman deter- mined to raise her Down's Syndrome child in mid-20th century Mississippi. Her struggle puts her at odds with her family, her husband, and God. Jewel, a character based on Lott's real-life grandmother, is a survivor. "I'd taken care of myself most all my days," she reflects, remembering the death of her parents. They die when she is eleven, and Jewel is sent to live with her grand- mother, Missy Cook. Cook tries to force Jewel to become a "woman of taste," forcing the first test of wills in the novel. Jewel breaks free of her grandmother, marries her hus- band, Leston, and settles down into a calm domestic life in Purvis, Missis- sippi. Their life is shattered upon the birth of Jewel's sixth child, Brenda Kay, who is severely retarded. Jewel is determined to provide her child with the care she needs. The family, already poor, strains to provide Brenda Kay with medicine, and their finances fall apart. The stress mountswhen Jewel reads that Los Angeles has a school suited to Brenda Kay's needs. She sees Califor- nia as the ultimate destination for their family. A struggle emerges with Leston, whose roots are in Mississippi. He sees amove as a loss of control of his family and wife. Leston gives in to Jewel's will, and the family moves to California. Ihey find a land completely foreign to them, and struggle to get "their foot in the door." Jewel finds help for Brenda Kay at The Exceptional Children's Founda- tion. She decides theirs is the perfect life. Leston forces his family to move back to Mississippi, which he sees as a place to retire to. Jewel's focus is only on Brenda Kay and Leston's is on re- claiming the stable life he once knew. The Tamily caught in-between is left behind, and Jewel and Leston spar for the last time. The problem with the novel is not the story. Jewel's story makes for a dramatic narrative. Her sacrifice of fam- ily for her afflicted child is wonderfully presented. Her children marry and di- vorce with Jewel hardly aware of what's going on. A tragic accident occurs with Brenda Kay, and Jewel lashes out at a loyal friend, pushing her out of her life. The problem occurs when Lott tries to cover Jewel's eighty years by folding flashback over flashback. Add to this lengthy sentences and 358 pages, and you get what critics term "an epic." The epic scope here is not one of breadth, but the battle Jewel fights for her daughter. Her ultimate failure and success are supposed to eclipse the big drama of their small-town lives. The novel does not reach these aspi- rations. Lott whittled the 600-page manuscript down to fit this book, and lost a sense of rhythm along the way. Some pages drag, others rush past. One chapter is even reduced to a list of events that have transpired. Lott cannot spare room to spread them out. Lott does a decent job thinking Jewel's thoughts. The problem comes with Jewel's tongue, which should be a feisty Southern drawl. Lott's first-per- son narrative is well-guided in what she thinks, but her voice comes out drag- ging its heels. Descriptions are spread out and slow the actions they build up to. The flowery language ruins some of the more tender scenes of the novel. Lott is an excellent writer, but he is more at home with the shorter, more direct language of the North. "The Man who Owned Vermont," his first novel, succeeded on the honesty and openness of the characters. "Jewel" suffers for Southern politeness, something which, although very real, does not belong in a novel which is long enough without it. 9 ,belany, a better author than AIDS expert, reads today. STUDY IN ISRAEL Zoe Olefsky, Midwest Representative of the HEBREW UNIVERSITY OF JERUSALEM will answer your questions on: DATE: TIME: PLACE: Wednesday, March 10 11:00 - 5:00 Hillel, 1429 Hill St. For individual appointments or more information call: Hillel, 769-0500 or Zoe Olefsky, (312) 236-6395 by the International Children's Choir and St. Paul's School Choir. The result is a truly celestial embodiment of won- der. -Kim Yaged The Story Grace in Gravity Elektra/Green Linnet Records The Simon and Garfunkel of the nineties are here. Jonatha Brooke and Jennifer Kimball handle their subject matter with all the dignity that their album title implies, with vocal harmo- nies reminiscient of Kate Bush and Sinead O' Connor. They easily shift gears between light-heartedjibes at their dogs ("Dog Dreams," inspired by a Far Side cartoon) and more serious topics ("Just One Word," a song about sexual abuse). This eclecticism is one of their strongest points. Yet they never allow their messages, heavy or light, to inter- fere with the music itself. Grace in Gravity is one of the best debut albums I've ever heard. "Dog Dreams" has some of the funniest pop lyrics ("We're gonnafind us some great smelling bitches / See if they meant what they said from the end of the leash"). And the a cappella "Over Oceans" had me hypnotized for over a week with its siren-like chorus. Like m THE HEBREW UNIVERSITY OF JERUSALEM Simon and Garfunkel, The Story con- struct their music around Jonatha's gui- tar playing and singing and Jennifer's vocals. They also weave intricate, some- times dissonant harmonies that are more complex than anything on both the pop and folk scenes. The Story have both the beauty and the talent to be the crossover sensation that folk artists have been watiting for. With the right publicity and maybe a snazzy video (a la Tori Amos), The Story could hit the big time in a big way. -David Pa va Barbecue Bob Chocolate to the Bone Yazoo Records Born two years after the turn of the century in the two-creek town of Wal- nut Grove, Nowheresville Georgia, Robert Hicks whittled a wholly unique, raucously percussive approach to the blues. Following his brother/12-string teacher to the nearest fledging metropo- lis, Bobhonedhis skill inAtlanta, where his finger-lickin' employment in a chicken shack provided the inspiration for his well- known pseudonym "Bar- becue." Barbecue's coy bottleneck guitar slides, driving rhythmic syncopation, and growling yet fluid vocals spawned a stomping dance music (imagine an acoustic "Rump Shaker"). But if that were all that distinguished Barbecue, he would be worthy of only passing noto- riety. The sauce of Bob's style is his uncommon variety, made moreremark- able by his affinity for a single key. This collection uncovers Barbecue Bob's inspired 12-string strumming by tracking the disparate directions of his pieces. Although he embraces the com- mon blues themes of ribaldry and la- ment, Barbecue incorporates religious tunes into his repertoire, recounts the devastation of the 1927 Mississippi flood, laces his narratives with sarcasm, and bursts into fits of laughter. As if that weren't enough to fill this CD, Choco- late to the Bone also features trio frolics by Bob andhisfellow Georgians, Curley Weaver and Buddy Moss. Also, Bob's naughtying of the nursery rhyme "The Spider and the Fly" foreshadows mas- ter pianist Fats Waller's similarly in- spired 1939 mess-around with the Grimm Brothers' tale. Because of its seeming political pas- sivity and lack of empowering themes, the blues has been cast in the shadow of rap's heated critiques of racism. Yet in the song "Chocolate to the Bone," Bob steps forward to voice his own criticism of social mores by responding to Lillian Ginn's pop hit "Brownskin Blues." Barbecue's verse, "So glad I'm brown- skinned/ Chocolate to the bone" asserts his strong will during a time when light- complexioned Black people were con- sidered the standard of African-Ameri- can beauty. But the end of the 1920's crushed Hicks' will, with the double travesty of his mother's and wife's deaths. Finding his only consolation in bottle bottoms, Bob's health failed him in 1931, due to a booze-fed flu. Bob's brother and fel- low bluesman Charlie never recovered from the shock of his death. Just as Bob followed Charlie to Atlanta, Charlie followed his brother by drowning his despair in alcohol and finally dying in prison. Unfortunately, Bob never had a chance to bring his slapping bass lines andpunctuatedriffs into the second half of this century. -Chris Wyrod 0 A . T . TE .N. T .I.O. N UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENTS 1 I 1 AND STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS i 6 Advertising your notice or event in The Michigan Daily can be easy when you have the following information: DEADLINES: AM[HORIZATION: Advertising deadlines are 3 business days in advance at 2:30 p.m. Ads with special requirements should be brought in earlier. The deadline for ads requiring proofreading prior to publication, is 5 business days prior to publication. 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