Ten stories from the best short-story writer in America. From the comic "Aren't You Happy For Me?" to the haunting "Police Dreams," Bausch's fiction comes from places we're all familiar with--our homes, our families, the daily complications of making our way in the world. Do not miss "What Feels Like the World" and "Letter to the Lady of the House."
Okay, here's the deal: Choderlos De Laclos wrote the book. Roger Vadim wrote and directed the movie. Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers did the soundtrack. Art and the boys also appear briefly in the film as, what else, the house band in Hell. Highlights include "Miguel's Party" and "No Hay Problema."
Today's Nugget is more a heads-up than an endorsement. Blue is a glossy "lifestyle" rag dedicated to "adventure travel, cultural exploration and action sports." The content is a little flimsy, with several full-page layouts dedicated to what are essentially factoids. On the other hand, the design, illustration, and photography are compelling, if not more than a bit reminiscent of Wired. For now, the verdict on Blue is a toss-up--we'll let the upcoming website be the tie-breaker.
They say this is the greatest novel written in the 20th century. And, as it turns out, they're right. If you have trouble following this story of a single day in Dublin, then get your hands on some crib notes and plunge on in. Sure, there are several layers of meaning, but even the top-most layer is astonishingly powerful.
From Sub Pop comes this double-CD reissue of the Scuds' first two albums, Pine Box and Dance the Night Away. If you are unfamiliar with the quartet's low-key, acoustic (dare we say "country") style of music, then pick up the set and get ready to be converted into a fan. Highlights include "(She Took His) Picture" and Cher's classic "Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves."
Emerging every couple of weeks out of the woods of Wisconsin is The Onion, the funniest site on the Net. With sidesplitting news parodies such as "Terrorist Bombing Damages Bob Dole's Outer Hull," this satirical site is the breeding ground for more "You Gotta Read This" email than any other comedy outlet. It belongs on everyone's bookmark list.
Sometimes philosophical, sometimes visceral, Gustafsson's stories are always deeply engaging. There is a magical quality to pieces like "Greatness Strikes Where It Pleases," which follows the life of a man who never fully joins society. Other highlights include "The Four Railroads of Iserlohn" and "Out of the Pain."
Jon Stewart was too intelligent for MTV, too hyper for syndication, but now he may have finally found his niche. When Tom Snyder takes a break from his hour-long talk show, Jon keeps his chair warm. Stew brings a hilarious brand of self-deprecation, coupled with a genuine irreverence towards guests, callers, competitors, and the world at large. But perhaps the best thing Stewart offers late night is a stark contrast to Snyder's usual somniferous self-aggrandizement.
This is the album that put glam rock on the map. And until Smashing Pumpkins showed up, T. Rex was the only location worth visiting in that neighborhood. With songs like "Bang a Gong (Get it On)" and "Jeepster," this disc has a couple of big hits, but it's the uniform brilliance of tracks like "The Motivator" and "Mambo Sun" that elevates Electric Warrior to classic status.
Let's face it, some computer games are getting a little too fancy for their own good. Last time I checked Gamespot, there was a 20-megabyte demo of the latest basketball sim. 20 megs! Well, if you can remember when a 20-meg hard drive was cutting edge, you probably also recall a little thing called the Atari 2600. And now, with the help of an Atari emulator like Stella, you can experience the powerful rush of deja vu that comes from playing old classics like Combat, Air/Sea Battle, and Breakout. Download time for these games? About 3 seconds...
