ARTS The Michigan Daily - Monday, September 13, 2004 - 11A TURNING A PAGE POLITICS DOMINATE SUMMER READING T his summer, politics and homeland secu- rity commandeered the book scene. From presidential memoirs to damaging expo- ses about powerful political figures, the past few months have been full of pure American discourse. Both journalists and political ana- lysts have been true capitalists by cashing in on the upcoming presidential election. Numerous books have been published about the Bush fam- ily, Kerry's records and the failures of the cur- rent administration, before and after Sept. 11. As a result, the political climate this summer got hotter as the mercury rose, and it shows no signs of cooling off as the election approaches. Mean- while, fiction seemed stymied with the critical acclaim and press coverage of these so-called political books. Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim By David Sedaris Little, Brown A refreshing addition to the short story fic- tion list, David Sedaris published a fine volume about coping with family life. Unfortunately, this one is probably better known for the naked Barbie on the jacket rather than the compelling narratives bound within. Short stories are often pushed aside by the average reader in search of the novel, which is the literary form most people gravitate toward. "Dress Your Family" reminds readers not to underestimate a good compila- tion of shorts. My Life By Bill Clinton Knopf By far the most anticipated book of the sum- mer, this presidential memoir has made a splash with critics and readers alike. Many have made the comparison that Bill Clinton's book is just like the man himself: flawed but ultimately endearing. The book is an insightful commen- tary on who the former President really is, and how he has dealt with his somewhat tarnished past. This exhaustive memoir covers his life, from growing up in Hope, Ark., to meeting his wife Hillary to his infamous scandals. He com- ments on the major conflicts of his eight-year term, including his interpretations of the Soma- Freeeeeedommmmm! Visually rich 'Hero' a Chinese classic By Zac Peskowltz Daily Arts Writer Cour tesy yloKo p They also got high. lia crisis and Kenneth Starr investigation. The 9/11 Commission Report: Final Report of the National Commission on Terror- ist Attacks Upon the United States By The National Commission on Terrorist Attacks W.W. Norton & Company Arguably one of the most important documents the U.S. government has published in recent his- tory, this is already in the homes of many con- cerned or curious citizens. The volume will surely become part of our shared national heritage, espe- cially with the addition of a hardcover edition coming soon. The report is written by an inde- pendent bipartisan commission. Though it fails to name who is to blame for the catastrophe now known simply as 9/11, it does, specify that major changes must be made in intelligence gathering and anti-terrorism departments. Most notably, the commission calls for the creation of a single National Security Director and a National Coun- ter Terrorism Center. Unfit for Command: Swift Boat Veter- ans Speak Out Against John Kerry By John E. O'Neill and Jerome R. Corsi Regnery This book hit stores with a definite agenda to discredit presidential candidate John Kerry's deco- rated Vietnam War record. Author and Navy vet- eran John O'Neill interviewed men from the war who insist that Kerry behaved recklessly in the field and is undeserving of the Purple Hearts he peti- tioned for and received. This is not the first time the two have clashed in front of an audience; O'Neill and Kerry faced off before in 1971 on "The Dick Cavett Show," where O'Neill refuted charges of rampant war crimes in Vietnam. This book will either garner support for telling the whole story about Kerry's war record, or be outright dismissed as fallacious and unreliable. Despite personal feel- ings on the volume or its agenda, as number one on the New York Times' nonfiction list, it will have an impact on Americans. The Da Vinci Code By Dan Brown Doubleday Despite being published more than a year ago, Dan Brown's book remains on the top of bestseller lists. Across the nation, it seems everywhere you turned this summer someone was still reading "The Da Vinci Code." What continues to fuel its book sales? It is a murder mystery combining suspense with con- spiracy theories that make people think a bit differ- ently. The author is also inadvertently responsible for the publication of numerous books supporting or refuting the theories it puts forward in "The Da Vinci Code." What made Brown truly shine this summer is that he also has another and still older book, "Angels and Demons," in the top five of the New York Times's best-selling fiction list. Few authors enjoy as much success; it has certainly been a hot summer for Brown and his readers. - Compiled by Melissa Runstrom "Hero," the highest-grossing film in the history of Chinese cinema now making its much-anticipated release in the United States, is a simple story of love, vengeance and country. The film expends little effort creating an elabo- rate narrative or complex scenery, rely- ing instead on a timeless fable and natural settings to awe its audience. The kingdoms of ancient China are at war and Hero At Quality 16 Miramax special effects, "Hero" is an exercise in restraint. Director Zhang Yimou lets simple but stunning images stand in for bombast: a girl's tear, the dis- cipline of a squadron of soldiers or a sword falling into the dust. The cast gives dignified performanc- es that breathe life into the script and the entrancing score of Tan Dun and the plaintive violin of Itzhak Perlman are a fitting complement to the sober images that fill the screen. Zhang has a penchant for monochromatic scenes and they create a totemic backdrop to the swordplay and romance at the film's core. The most impressive sequences of "Hero" are the battle scenes where the army of Qin shows its martial prowess to great effect. They are shot in a deso- late lunar landscape that showcases the gravity of the soldiers' task and the solemnity with which they approach it. There are plenty of traditional martial arts tete a tetes that are impressive in their own right, but they cannot match the sight of the Qin army in its imperial splendor. Toward the beginning of "Hero," the king of Qin tells Nameless "I have since had this great hall emptied so there is nowhere to hide." This is a fitting tribute to a film that is at its best when it sheds the trappings of resplendent ceremony and embraces austerity. Nameless (Jet Li, "Romeo Must Die") is brought before the king of Qin to be rewarded handsomely for defeating three fearsome assassins. The pro- tagonist, a humble prefect, relates the unlikely tales of how he vanquished these formidable enemies. The film proceeds through a series of tellings and retellings while remaining firmly rooted in the cavernous hall where Nameless supplicates himself before the king. While takes on the martial arts like "The Matrix" and "Kill Bill" fran- chises attempt to overpower the audi- ence with frenetic beats and explosive Nf you missed our last mass meeting, wefre haw~ig another one. Tuesday, 7pm 420 Maynard St. W'llbring the noise if you big hefnk. Fg TODAY HOW YOU CAN LEAD T LEARN E MOVEMENT TO END EDUCATIONAL INEQUITY. Monday, September 13, 7-9 pm * Michigan League, Hussey Room .A. a a } '~Stuidents I - Tims LssLikyTO GraduateFr A :o~gCTa Ilighl1come eer c --,Ot ' A OUR GENERATION MUST TAKE ON THIS ISSUE.