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(04/29/03 4:34am)
Attention aspiring artists: you MUST buy a copy of this book. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. "Bullsh*t or Fertilizer," a portable pep talk written by Pierre Bennu, a self-described artist, painter, teacher, deejay, and filmmaker, is an amazingly succinct and well-written guide for self-supporting artists to get out there and make a name for themselves. Though some of the advice is evident, many times we need others to point out the obvious. "Bullsh*t" provides the reader with practical, step by step ways to get out there, do their craft, and make a living doing it. It doesn't matter what you do; Bennu just wants you to go out there and do it.\n"Bullsh*t or Fertilizer" begins with the leap: the point in your life when you decide to be an artist. I strongly agree with Bennu's sentiment that you are what you do. Unless you have a product from your craft, whatever it may be, you are your day job. Go out there and do what you love; plenty of people can and do every day. Bennu says the reader should not be afraid of failure. Even if people are unwilling to accept your art, whatever it may be, you had the courage to put it out there. Bennu's advice: "Buy a Superman T-shirt. Rock it."\nThus begins the second main point of "Bullsh*t:" you have to be confident in yourself and the work you produce. Nobody will buy what you make and sell if you don't believe in it yourself. Bennu believes the first step in changing the outcome of your work is changing your vocabulary. No longer should you say "I'm going to do something." Instead, Bennu says you should just do it. Instead of saying you're broke, say your funds are currently tied up in other investments. It's simply a different way of stating the same thing, but the difference is in the outlook. \n"Bullsh*t or Fertilizer" also provides the starving artist with some common sense. The book preaches that you should take care of yourself, live for yourself, and be happy with yourself. Bennu suggests avoiding fast food, and he has a humorous measure of fitness; if you can't get up and dance, you should have a burger without cheese. \nI found "Bullsh*t or Fertilizer" to be a common-sense guide to making it in this world. Though geared towards artists, it certainly can apply for business people, manual laborers, and everybody else who has a job and needs to make a living. Bennu preaches happiness: happiness with your life, what you make, and how you see yourself. "Bullsh*t" gives you all the common sense advice; we all know what Bennu is saying to us, but sometimes we need to be reminded. This book would make a great gift for a graduating senior, or anyone else, who is a little unsure of their role in the real world. "Bullsh*t" may give them the impetus to go out and rock their Superman T-shirts.
(04/22/03 4:50am)
One True Conflict," the first novel by IU graduate Austin Driscall, is a dismal attempt to draw more international intrigue into the Middle Eastern conflict. I ordinarily read new authors with an open mind. However, after about 50 pages of this disastrous excuse for a novel, I could hardly force myself to finish it. Not only does the plot borrow liberally from the skillfully executed Tom Clancy novel "Executive Orders," but it is also rife with blatant grammatical and structural errors. An apparent lack of research went into the military intrigue of the book, and the unrealistic characterization made the characters static and unsympathetic. If this hasn't turned you off to "One True Conflict," read on; I'm sure you won't dare to pick up this catastrophe of a book afterwards. \nThis disaster begins by introducing the readers to four college roommates. All are exaggerated, cartoon-like characters with no ability to draw the reader's rapport or sympathy. There's Jack Teller, the remote genius, Linny Thompson, the arrogant scientist, Butch Campbell, the patriotic military man, and Frank Osborne, the dumb jock turned reporter. All are combative with one another; it is difficult to believe that they shared a house in college, let alone maintained close ties after graduation. \nAs the world took the characters along different paths, it brings them back together after Jack makes a horrifying discovery: the atmosphere will become unbreathable if there are any nuclear detonations.\nThis is a problem for the United States, whose entire missile defense system is based on hyper-accurate nuclear weapons designed by Linny. Butch is in charge of a large portion of the military, and Frank is a journalist who discovered parts of an international plot to destroy Israel.\nI know, I know. A little far-fetched to begin with, but it gets even worse. The book reveals an international plot for the demise of Israel ten years in the making. An American who feels wronged by the U.S., a Russian mobster, a Chinese general, and a Syrian government official have been plotting for years in to destroy Israel and bring the United States to its knees. The four roommates discover the plot and try to prevent global destruction and world war. They are successful after a trying few months of intrigue, and the United States emerges as a stronger and more powerful nation.\nThis book proved to be a painful exercise. Not only did poor characterization and editing take away from what could have been a serviceable story, it is a story that has been done before. Not only has the story been done before, but it has been done before much better. \n"One True Conflict" is a book that plays shamelessly on the fears Americans have concerning Arab nations, as well as reinforcing negative stereotypes about Russians and Chinese. It is unfair to classify all Russians as corrupt mobsters and Chinese military men as warmongers who are willing to be at the beck and call of money. I strongly advise everybody to avoid "One True Conflict" at all costs. There is no reason to punish yourself by reading this book.
(04/15/03 4:31am)
Gentlemen, you may stop reading this now. I don't want to waste any of your time, and I honestly would be shocked to see a man read "The Boy Next Door," a delightfully campy trip through the mind of a single gossip columnist and her quest to find love in the big city with, you guessed it, the boy next door. A book written by a woman for women, it is an extraordinary example of Meggin Cabot's ability to write a novel in an unusual format and still keep the reader wildly entertained. "The Boy Next Door" is Cabot's first attempt at an adult novel; she is best known for writing the "Princess Diaries" series under the nom de plum Meg Cabot.\n"The Boy Next Door" introduces the reader to Melissa Fuller, a gossip columnist for The New York Journal, via an e-mail about her apparent problem with arriving to work on time. However, in a series of e-mails to her boss and coworkers, she reveals that her elderly neighbor Mrs. Friedlander was attacked during the night and is now in a coma. Melissa, being the Midwestern transplant and quite neighborly, volunteered to walk the animal-loving Mrs. Friedlander's Great Dane until her only living relative, her nephew Max, can come to her aid.\nEnter the problem. Max, being the selfish boor he's reputed to be, decides to put his friend John Trent (of the Park Avenue Trents) up to the task of caring for the animals, while he's too busy with a supermodel in Key West to be bothered with caring for his wealthy aunt, but still doesn't want to be written out of her will. John, playing his part, moves into Mrs. Friedlander's apartment and immediately is taken with Mel. \nWith her friends and family opining at every available juncture, the plot thickens to reveal a sinister plot and some unsightly details about Max. But revealing the ending would spoil the surprise ending.\nWhat made this book so charming was the format; the entire narrative is written in e-mails back and forth between the characters. It took the tired plot of girl meets boy in big city and breathed new life into it. The e-mails allowed enough characterization, but left a little mystery. The conversational tone of the e-mails allowed for a voyeuristic look into Melissa Fuller's world, from her broken dates to breaking hearts. The plot turned quickly this way and that, making for an enrapturing read that is easily read in one sitting. \nBy no means a substantial book, "The Boy Next Door" is a bit of delightful fluff that should be taken as such. I highly recommend the book for anyone who has a few hours to kill and a few laughs to spare.
(04/14/03 4:15am)
"Into the Wild," a stunning nonfiction work by renowned outdoors writer Jon Krakauer, is an engrossing chronicle of the last days of Christopher McCandless. McCandless was a recent college graduate when he decided to donate his savings to charity, renounce worldly possessions and delve into the wilderness, first in California, then Alaska. \nWhat was supposed to be a harmless road trip and Jack London fantasy turned into the demise of a promising young man and a mystery of the highest order. Krakauer expertly weaves an engrossing tale of an idealistic young man and the unforgiving reality of the Alaskan wilds; once you open "Into the Wild" you will not be able to put it down until the final sentence.\nKrakauer documents the last years of McCandless's life wandering through the American West. He draws a portrait of a stubborn, idealistic young man who was determined to shed his old identity and become a wild man, one with nature. McCandless, who grew up in the affluent suburbs of Washington, D.C., was always a high achiever and attended Emory University. When his parents suggested he use his $25,000 savings to attend law school he scoffed at them; he then donated the entire sum to charity. Abandoning all of his possessions and burning the remainder of his cash and identification, McCandless left civilization, trying to free himself of the requirements thrust upon him by society.\nMcCandless survived all of his forays into the wild until his fateful decision to live in the Alaskan back country for four months with minimal supplies. Krakauer draws the portrait of a young man with enough knowledge to survive in the bush, but lacking the respect necessary. When nature's fickle heart turned against McCandless he was doomed because he didn't take the necessary precautions. In the grips of starvation, McCandless never knew that he was within five miles of three cabins, and there was a way to cross the river blocking him from civilization.\nKrakauer investigated the death of McCandless more carefully than the government because he felt akin to the boy. When he was a youth, Krakauer tried to climb a massive mountain without proper equipment, nearly paying with his life. Krakauer draws a parallel between himself and McCandless; the only difference between them is that Krakauer survived his follies. He discovered that McCandless was done in by eating the seeds of a plant. The plant, while edible, had toxic seeds that caused the poisoning and starvation of McCandless.\nI thoroughly enjoyed "Into the Wild." It is a gripping and cautionary tale about the capriciousness of Mother Nature. One mistake in the wilds is the difference between life and death, and Krakauer expertly shows how McCandless toed that line his entire life. "Into the Wild" is a marvelous, engrossing read that is easily read in one sitting; the pages turn themselves. For anybody interested in reading a great nonfiction work, I highly recommend "Into the Wild"
(04/03/03 5:39am)
After reading "The Darwin Awards II," I am convinced that Darwin's theory of evolution is entirely correct, and it is actively in effect for the human race as well as the animal kingdom. This book is a collection of the most hapless, reckless and just plain dumb members of the human race. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the concept of the Darwin Awards, it is a dubious honor for the person who has removed himself from the gene pool in a clueless or hapless manner; by removing himself he has ensured the long term survival of the human race.\nBy no means are the Darwin Awards intended to make fun of people whose luck has just run out. It's not to make fun of people who were involved in an unforeseeable accident. Key term: unforeseeable. It is not unexpected that grievous bodily harm will occur when you attach a Jet Assisted Take-Off unit rocket to the top of your car and go speeding through the desert. The Darwin Awards reward the clueless among us and show common sense is anything but common.\nTo qualify for the Darwin, a candidate must fill certain criteria. The candidate must no longer be in the gene pool; elimination can be accomplished with death or sterilization. The event must be a verifiable event, and the person in question must be able to make sound decisions. Finally, the victim must cause his own demise.\nUnfortunately for the human species, there seems to be no shortage of people who can fulfill the requirements. From the person who drowned while practicing walking on water to the owner of an equipment safety training facility who did not surviving the making of his own video, there are people who act so stupidly they accidently cause their own deaths.\nThere were some stories so ridiculous in this collection that I could not believe them. \nHow many experienced construction workers would cut out the floor they are standing on and fall eight stories to their deaths? \nWhat trombone player would put a lit firecracker in his instrument while playing? \nSome seem to be asking for their death and dismemberment through their incredibly stupid actions. \nAs a side note, one of the stories in the book has a special place in my heart. In "Fast Food Fatality," two night managers of a Burger King arranged a fake robbery/arson that went awry when the intended fire never erupted. One of the culprits was loosely bound in the freezer, and the fire would summon the fire department to rescue her, leaving her and her accomplice to spend the money without suspicion. However, the fire never erupted, and the loosely bound manager waited in the freezer until she died; she was bound so loosely she could have escaped at anytime.\nWhat makes this award stand out in my mind is that I remember reading this story in my local newspaper two summers ago. The women, who committed this miscalculated caper in Valparasio, Ind., were ridiculed by the press for their ridiculous plan and lack of common sense. \nI highly recommend "The Darwin Awards II" for any reader who can appreciate the humor of it. People who are overly sensitive or offended when ill is spoken of the dead should avoid this book; all it does is ridicule the hapless actions that resulted in the deaths of their perpetrators. It is harsh and unforgiving of stupidity, but so is evolution. Though the people honored in the book have passed on, they unwittingly made life a little safer for the rest of us.
(03/13/03 5:10am)
Spring break is finally upon the students at IU -- one week without classes, homework and the stress that accompanies college life. Perhaps the greatest aspect of spring break is the large amount of time for leisure reading -- no need to prioritize between class work and reading for pleasure. \nI put together a list of books that I believe anyone can enjoy during his or her spare time while on spring break. They can be read on a plane, train or automobile. They can be read in a bus, on the beach or while recovering from the night before; all are quick reads and books you won't regret picking up. So while you're packing your sunscreen and bathing suit, pack a book or two to take with you. Trust me, you won't regret it.\n'THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER'\nOne of the greatest military fiction writers of the second half of the 20th century is Tom Clancy, a former insurance adjuster who has written a slew of bestsellers. It all started with his first novel, "The Hunt for Red October." The book became a runaway bestseller, hit movie and started the Jack Ryan series for Clancy. Clancy, who has no formal military training, has met with the president to discuss naval strategy because of the accurate descriptions of submarine tactics.\n"The Hunt for Red October" opens with the newest Russian missile submarine leaving port. The captain, Marko Ramius, is long known as a maverick within the Soviet navy. Shortly after leaving port, Ramius murders the political flunky appointed to oversee the actions of the crew. After covering up the death, Ramius announces false orders to the crew: Red October is to lay off the coast of New York City conducting missile drills. Little does the crew know that Ramius and his officers intend to defect to the United States, turning over the newest Soviet technology in the process.\nEnter the hero: Jack Ryan. The star CIA analyst catches wind of Ramius' plan. The challenge is convincing the Joint Chiefs of Staff that his scenario is the correct one. The United States has been told by the Russians that the Red October is set to fire its missiles on the U.S. mainland. Ryan is convinced that the Soviets are using the U.S. Navy to hunt down their renegade sub so they can destroy it, avoiding an intelligence bonanza for the CIA. \nDespite a couple of close calls, including a decoy sub destruction, a false nuclear accident, evacuating the Red October's crew and avoiding an attack by a Russian submarine, Ramius and his fellow officers make it safely to the United States. Ryan is given the highest award in the CIA for the amazing intelligence coup he helped orchestrate.\n"The Hunt for Red October" is a taut and thrilling military tale. While laden with military jargon, it is an extremely interesting read. I found it difficult to put it down once I picked it up; the pages practically turn themselves. The story is full of intrigue, subterfuge and pure adrenaline. "The Hunt for Red October" is a great read for a long road trip or an airplane ride; the fast-paced story is a great way to kill a few hours at a time.\n'THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS'\nHannibal Lecter. The name itself draws up lurid images and tableaus of the blockbuster movie, "The Silence of the Lambs." The novel of the same name, written by Thomas Harris, is hardly done justice by the cinematic interpretation. Any true fan of the movie is bound for a surprise upon reading this murderous thriller. \nClarice Starling, an FBI trainee, is given the opportunity to work with the FBI's falling star, Jack Crawford, on the notorious "Buffalo Bill" serial killer. The brute she is hunting is a man who kills large women and flays them, removing various parts of their skin. She begins interviewing Hannibal Lecter, a convicted cannibal, in hopes of gaining understanding of the mind of a serial killer.\nWhat begins instead is an intricate dance between Clarice and Dr. Lecter. The two trade information while the life of a young woman hangs in the balance, every day bringing her nearer to an unspeakable death. With a few wrong turns and a couple of right ones, Clarice ends up in the home of the killer, Buffalo Bill. Using her training and the information from Dr. Lecter, she is able to save the young woman and gain the acceptance of the FBI. Once Lecter has assisted Clarice, he decides he's had enough, escapes from prison and flees the country.\n"The Silence of the Lambs" is a prime example of why a book should be read when there is a movie adaptation. While played excellently by Anthony Hopkins, Hannibal Lecter is not portrayed as well as he could be. While reading the book, I gained sympathy for the cannibal. I really was rooting for Dr. Lecter in his escape attempts. The ability for Harris to make such an utterly despicable character sympathetic is a tribute to his prowess as a fiction writer. \n"The Silence of the Lambs" is a page turner, with each word drawing you in further. The story expertly weaves the history of Lecter with the current crimes of Buffalo Bill, making Lecter's involvement in the case seem natural. I recommend "The Silence of the Lambs" as a beach read. The engrossing topic will help make the tanning time pass that much faster; it's also a great conversation starter.\n'TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD'\nHarper Lee's debut novel "To Kill a Mockingbird" quickly became an American classic, winning a Pulitzer Prize for best novel in 1961. The story, set in the deep South during the Depression, follows the antics of a little girl, Scout Finch, her family and friends. Her father, Atticus Finch, is a well-respected lawyer in town. The first chapters of the book focus on the children's obsession with Boo Radley, a reclusive neighbor who is reputed to have attacked his father with a pair of scissors.\nThe children are obsessed with the story of Boo, but Atticus reprimands them to leave him alone. Soon they are distracted by school and other undertakings, but Boo remains in their lives. The summer following the start of the novel, Atticus agrees to defend Tom Robinson, a black man accused of raping a white girl. Though the evidence shows clearly that Tom could not have committed the crime, he was convicted anyway. Atticus was convinced that the verdict would be overturned on appeal, but Tom attempted to escape prison and was killed by a guard. \nMany of the townspeople turned against the Finches when Atticus took the case, but none did more so than the Ewells, the family of the girl who claimed she was raped. Consumed by his hatred, Mr. Ewell attempted to kill Scout and her brother on the way home from their Halloween play. Boo saves the children by killing their attacker, and Scout finally gets the opportunity to meet the man by whom she was saved. But after she walks Boo home that night, she never sees him again.\n"To Kill a Mockingbird" is one of the best American novels ever written, many say. It speaks with a simple grace and charm that is unparalleled in modern literature. It is a compassionate, dramatic novel that speaks of dignity and reason overcoming the ignorance of racism. The mystery of Boo Radley intertwines well with the unfortunate events regarding Tom Robinson. "To Kill a Mockingbird" is a book that will draw the reader in; it is perfect to read when there are a few spare hours in a day. The book makes for a perfect travel companion, and its conversational tone makes it an easy read to take on the plane or anywhere else you may be.\n'NIGHT'\nWorld War II is one of the most discussed and documented topics in recent history. The horrors of the Holocaust have been discussed in many novels and memoirs, including the well-known "Diary of Anne Frank." While not as well-known, "Night," the memoirs of Elie Wiesel, painfully and powerfully illustrates the journey of one teenage boy through the death camps of the Nazi regime. \nWiesel was a deeply religious boy living in Sighet, a small town in Transylvania. When war broke out, the people hoped to be spared. This, however, was not the case, as the Nazis rolled into town and established Jewish ghettos. Wiesel's family was respected in the Jewish community, and his father's assurances to his neighbors that nothing would happen to them were heeded. They established a local Jewish government and regulated the activities within the ghetto. But then the Nazis began exporting the Jews of Sighet to the concentration camps to comply with the "Final Solution."\nWiesel was sent first to Birkenau and Auschwitz, the most notorious of Nazi death camps. He was separated from his mother and sister at this point; he never saw them again. He and his father stayed together and were spared just moments before being incinerated. They were sent to Buna and Buchenwald to labor as slaves under Nazis or other criminals who were selected for their cruelty and harshness. \nLiving as slaves for more than two years, Wiesel and his father barely survived. Once the Allies neared the camp, the long marches of death began. Forcing the malnourished prisoners to march more than 20 miles a day, the Nazis retreated with their slaves. At this point Wiesel and his father were finally separated. After two years of malnutrition and heartbreak, Wiesel's father passed away. At this point nothing touched Wiesel, and he remained numb until his liberation three months later. When the camp was liberated, he cared for nothing but food. Revenge never crossed the prisoners' minds. The memoirs end with Wiesel looking in a mirror, a corpse staring back at him.\nI cannot emphasize the beauty and poignancy of "Night" enough. The words seem as though they are pouring from Wiesel's heart onto the page. It is heart-wrenching and touching. It's a story that haunts the mind; the pain and suffering that Wiesel witnessed and endured comes alive. I firmly believe there is not a memoir of concentration camps more powerful than "Night." Because of the serious nature of the topic, I recommend "Night" for a quiet day or evening by yourself. You can lose yourself in this slim volume for a few hours and emerge a better person for it.\n'BRAVE NEW WORLD'\nAldous Huxley emerged as one of England's eminent minds in the second half of the 20th century, writing several works destined to be classics, including "The Doors of Perception" and "Crome Yellow." However, Huxley's most enduring work is "Brave New World," a searing fantasy of the future where man has been incapacitated by seeking pleasure and ease over toil and accomplishment.\nIn Huxley's bleak view of the future, negative utopia man is not born but rather hatched from a test tube. Instead of families, children are raised in conditioning centers. Morals and cultural values are instilled in children with the aid of sleep teachings. Babies are conditioned to hate roses and books. People never age, and sexual relations are not the private things of the past. The entire focus of society is self-gratification and ease. Nothing takes work, and everyone floats along happily in his or her own self-indulgent paradise. \nInto this blissfully unaware world insert the Savage, a man born of the same blood of the civilized world, but raised in a savage reservation where children are born of mothers and knowledge is passed down through the elders. He is brought into the brave new world of civilization by Bernard Marx and Lenina Crown, a marvelously unhappy man and a blissfully ignorant woman. \nAs the Savage is shown the world of modern England he grows to love Lenina, who wants to love him but cannot in the way he wants her to. Lenina intricately connects love with the physical; she cannot disentangle sex from the pure love the Savage wants. She doesn't understand his self-denial, and the whirlwind of emotions the Savage experiences drives him to a despairing suicide.\n"Brave New World" is one of the finest books written in the 20th century, illustrating the perils of a self-indulgent world where every last whim is gratified. The joys of work and pain and longing are thrown away, and I think Huxley marvelously extolled their virtues by bemoaning the decrepitude of this brave new world. He raises alarm that man is heading down this path, and the warnings of the bleak future are as current today as when the book was written. "Brave New World" is a remarkable book that leaves an indelible mark on the reader. It is a book that can be taken anywhere. It reads well as a whole or by the chapter, and every word is as engrossing as the last.
(03/11/03 4:25am)
Do You Love Me or Am I Just Paranoid?," a book of tongue-in-cheek relationship advice by Carina Chocano, is a hilarious dive into the often murky world of adult relationships. I was a little wary of a self-help book for relationships because I often think they are full of bad advice (a la "The Rules"), but "Do You Love Me" reveled in its awful advice and unabashedly proclaimed itself to be a guide to failing relationships. Chocano carves out the often humiliating and daunting world of dating into humorous anecdotes peppered with bad advice. \nThis book came across as a different type of advice book in the first page of the introduction. Lacking was the optimism present in most relationship books. Instead, "Do You Love Me" proclaimed relationships to be a waste of energy, a nightmare of compromise and generosity and a liquor-fueled period of psychosis counteracted by a tingling sensation in the pants. An interesting start for an advice book to be sure.\n"Do You Love Me" then separated the joys of the opposite (or same) sex relationships in different sections, including monogamous relationships, the joys of being single, how to break up with somebody and the world of casual dating. In each, Chocano pokes fun at the often pathetic ways otherwise normal, healthy adults conduct themselves in a two-some. \nI found the anecdotes at the end of each chapter to be the best part of the book. Chocano says in the introduction that these are stories about herself, her friends and her friends' college roommates. They offer a humorous peek into the relationships that any detached observer can tell are doomed to crash and burn. The insecurities of both parties are often evident, and the reactions of friends and family are often priceless insights into the human condition. \nI was most amused by the anecdote discussing a woman who went through boyfriends like Kleenex. At a wedding when her boyfriend's name was wrong on a place setting, she took it as her family not making an effort to get to know the new boyfriend and thinking she was promiscuous. What may have been a simple oversight got blown into a large-scale aspect because of the woman's insecurities about her own dating past. \nChocano breathes fresh air into the realm of self-help. Instead of promoting the happiest and smoothest paths possible, Chocano's book encourages readers to go about their lives in their own ways. Despite the fact that some relationships are bad, Chocano encourages living and enjoying them to their fullest extent. As pig-headed or wrong as it may be, I think it is fabulous that an advice book encourages normal human behavior. As the title suggests, love is not a rational emotion, and it is invaluable that a book recognizes that fact.\nThe advice offered for relationships in books certainly won't make for a perfect one, especially the advice contained within "Do You Love Me." However, in a raucously funny way it does confirm the behaviors that many otherwise sane adults engage in when in love. As advice, I would take the snippets with a large grain of salt. As a hilarious read, I would recommend "Do You Love Me or Am I Just Paranoid?" without reservation.
(03/04/03 4:51am)
God Bless You, Dr. Kevorkian" is certainly an interesting way for Kurt Vonnegut to grab your attention from a shelf. I picked it up not knowing what to expect; my curiosity was rewarded with a strangely uplifting collection of musings on the fate of people who have passed on. Some are humorous, some are sad and all provide a story that affirms hope. \nThe premise of the book is that Vonnegut is a reporter who has a fantastic assignment. With the aid of Dr. Jack Kevorkian and the Texas Department of Corrections, he engages in a series of near-death experiences to interview those who have passed on. In a series of interviews with the dead he learns their thoughts on life, death, life afterwards and everything in between.\nWhile in the realm between ours and the gates of heaven, Vonnegut interviews some of the most famous and notorious people to die in our day. In an interview, Adolf Hitler expresses his regret over his actions that caused the death of so many. He simply says to Vonnegut "Entschuldigungen Sie," roughly translated as "Please pardon me." He also interviews esteemed writers and philosophers like Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, the author of "Frankenstein: Or the Modern Prometheus," and Isaac Asimov, the former head of the American Humanist Association and one of the most prolific American authors. \nAll those interviewed have amusing things to say to Vonnegut, and not all of them are complimentary. William Shakespeare is particularly harsh towards Vonnegut, calling him a hack and answering questions with quotes from his tomes of work. James Earl Ray, the admitted assassin of Martin Luther King, Jr., is also hostile toward Vonnegut.\nVonnegut doesn't limit his interviews to only the famous or infamous. He conducts one with a man who died protecting his beloved schnauzer from a rabid pit bull. When the man is asked how he felt dying for a pet, he responds that it was better than dying for nothing. \nThis book is not religious in any nature. In fact, Vonnegut is the current head of the American Humanist Association and professes to believe in no higher power. He believes that people should be good for the sake of being a good person, not for any reward, actual or not, in the afterlife.\nWith that said, I found this book powerful. It is short, succinct and deeply spiritual without scaring off the reader. It shows how each person creates their own heaven or hell within their minds. The wily St. Peter at the gate allows everybody in, but some choose not to enter. "God Bless You, Dr. Kevorkian" provides the reader with hope for something beyond in a book that can be finished in less than a day. Vonnegut has once again exercised his unparalleled talent as an author and lifted his readers up with a spiritual and moving work.
(02/24/03 6:03am)
War Stories: a Memoir of Nigeria and Biafra, a collection of stories about the Nigerian civil war of 1967-1970, is a poignant look at the war that divided a nation and pulled on the heartstrings of the rest of the world. The author, John Sherman, was a Peace Corps volunteer in the Eastern region of Nigeria before the civil war broke out. After hurriedly fleeing Nigeria, he returned to work with the starving children of Nigeria and Biafra, the seceding area of Nigeria. \nAs an International Committee of the Red Cross volunteer, Sherman helped distribute food and medicine to the severely malnourished children caught in the conflict. He tried to re-enter the area he taught in, but it was impossible to enter Biafra during the fighting. Instead, Sherman volunteered to help the children of Nigeria recover from a severe malnutrition disorder called 'kwashiorkor.' This form of protein malnutrition is the most severe, with children suffering distended stomachs and losing hair and skin pigmentation. \nThe pictures of these children are the ones that haunted the world during this conflict. International outcry was intense, but misguided. People around the world were under the impression that those suffering were the freedom fighters of Biafra and their children. However, people on both sides of the conflict were starving and suffering; and volunteers labored to cure the infirm. Donations poured in to help the unfortunate sufferers of malnutrition. \nSherman describes the condition of the children in disconcerting detail, as well as the obstacles that were presented in treating them. Not only were food and medicine in short supply, but the military forces on both sides of the conflict were suspicious of relief efforts and did what they could to thwart them.\nThis book is an extremely well-written account of a horrific period in African history. Sherman makes the conflict come alive; vivid descriptions of the obstacles facing the relief workers were poignant and enough to anger the reader. I wondered why the Nigerians and Biafrians were so intent on preventing the aid that was going to their own people. The suspicions and paranoia were ridiculous when all the Red Cross was trying to do was feed and medicate the sick and hungry.\nI was impressed with Sherman's candor regarding the entire experience in Africa. He didn't paint his work as a holy crusade or himself as a saint. He described how tired he grew of racism he experienced, as well as the inefficiencies of the relief effort. Sherman got tired, frustrated and grew weary of the war. His honesty and his ability to accurately describe his role in the relief was extremely refreshing. Too often memoirs paint the authors as saints, angels or something in between. \nI highly recommend War Stories. It was an extremely interesting and informative read. I feel it presented a fair representation of the events of the Nigerian Civil War. The memories come alive with Sander's vivid descriptions and enclosed photos, and I was able to place myself in the Nigerian bush alongside the author. It's an extremely interesting and engrossing read, one that draws the reader in with the first page and doesn't let go until the end.
(02/06/03 5:31am)
"Journey to Center." the second book by Thomas F. Crum, is an interesting, informative read on how to "center," a method of relaxation and heightened mental awareness. I picked up "Journey" with a bit of skepticism, a little leery of the practicality of self-improvement books. What I found was a volume full of informative anecdotes and practical exercises for every day life.\nCrum proposes that all people can perform at their peak if they center, a method of relaxation that aligns the soul, mind and body. People who are centered will experience better athletic performance, higher productivity in the office and more fulfilling personal relationships. I read those claims with a small amount of skepticism. \nMy skepticism was laid aside after the first section on the physical centering. Crum told a story of how he almost perished in a skiing mishap by panicking, losing sight of his companion and their destination. After centering he was able to hear his companion and made his way to safety. \nCrum also wrote about an exercise to find the physical center of the body, the area at which the body is able to perform at its peak. He asserts that focusing on the physical center will help improve balance, performance and the mental aspects of any activity. When I enlisted one of my skeptical roommates to help me find my physical center I was surprised at how effective the exercises provided were. I really could sense the difference between my physical state when I was centered and when I was not. \nCrum also offered a section on mental centering. There were several amusing stories concerning the emotional state of center. One story focuses on an aikido sensi who led a platoon of Japanese troops in World War II. By focusing on his emotional center, he managed to have no casualties during the entire duration of the war. The sensi's center, his intuition, managed to save the lives of all of his men. The main point of this section is learning to self-trust. \nI found the use of examples extremely useful in this book. Not only do the chosen anecdotes add much-needed illustration for Crum's abstract points, but they also provide an easy way to remember the lessons. \nI recommend this book for anybody who is particularly interested in self improvement. It's not a book that I would pick up just for pleasure, but the information contained in it is useful if you are looking to relax and perform better.
(01/14/03 4:54am)
Fevers of the Mind, the debut novel by Avery Z. Conner, is a detailed memoir of the author's descent into mental illness, as well as his slow and varied recovery. He painstakingly describes his life (all 30 years of it) in a verbose and self-serving story touting his own genius. While mental illness can be an extremely interesting topic, this novel degenerated from a somewhat interesting autobiography into a repetitive and boring recap of the author's mental state and medications.\nFevers starts by narrating the highlights of Conner's childhood romps in Lafayette, Ind. While this section was enjoyable, the book quickly degenerated. Conner's description of high school, as well as his extremely high academic achievements, was arrogant to the extreme. While attending IU on a prestigious Wells Scholarship is certainly something to be proud of, it is not something that needs to be reiterated on over 20 pages. \nAfter touting his own genius at IU, Conner moves on to his graduate studies at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. This is the section of the book where his mental illness becomes apparent. His descriptions of his symptoms, as well as his perception of the world at this time were extremely interesting. However, the good qualities of this section of the text were marred by the overly repetitive and detailed descriptions of his medications. The remainder of the book continues much as the previous sections did, with very interesting pockets of text in an otherwise boring and verbose tale. \nFevers is not written with an engaging style; it reads more like an academic paper than a story that is meant to capture the reader's attention. While one would expect a first novel to have a cruder form than later works, the level of choppiness in the text makes it almost unreadable.\nAside from style problems, Conner fails to attract as much of my sympathy as he must have intended. The book reflects the author's enormous ego, alienating the reader from the storyteller. In fact, this ego may serve to explain why the book was written in the first place. \nAll in all, if mental illness is a particular interest, I may suggest that someone read it. Otherwise, steer clear of this disaster.
(01/10/03 1:55pm)
I'm confused by British people.\nWith that out of the way, "Tunnel Vision," Keith Lowe's debut novel, is a dismal attempt at explaining the British fascination with the London Underground.\nThe premise of the novel is a tad farfetched. The protagonist (and I am using this term loosely) is a trainspotter and tube fanatic who is willing to risk his impending marriage to the girl of his dreams for a collection of vintage tube tickets.\nThe bet he has made with his mate Rolf, who is conveniently enough the antagonist, is that he can travel throughout the entire London Underground in less than 24 hours. Keep in mind, that is traveling through over 240 tube stations in the oldest subway system in the world. Oh yeah, and the world record for such a feat is around 19 hours. Strikes me as an implausible feat at best, but whatever. I suppose it makes for a good enough premise. \nAndy is assisted throughout his journey by a tramp he came upon at the first station on his journey. The tramp, Brian, inexplicably guides Andy throughout the day, averting near disaster time and time again. Rolf has hidden Andy's personal effects throughout the sprawling Underground, and it is Andy's task to retrieve them within his time frame. How does his marriage come into the picture? He has wagered his train tickets to Paris, where his wedding is to be held, as well as his honeymoon reservations. \nDid I mention Andy's fiancée hates the London Underground with a passion?\nMaybe I have to be British to understand this fixation with the Underground. I really can't see this type of story happening in the bowels of the New York City subway. Subways are great; they are an efficient and convenient mode of transportation in major cities. They are not fascinating and engrossing beings worth throwing your life away for. \nDespite the ludicrousness of the plot, there are several more problems with the book. The characters are completely static. There is no growth in Andy's outlook on life or the tube. I'm left with the feeling that if it all happened again tomorrow, Andy would make the same wager. Brian has no other purpose than that of a guardian angel. He does nothing but mindlessly push Andy further and further. Neither of the two men think for even a second that the bet is stupid and foolish, a fact that was immediately apparent to me. \nBy the end of the novel I didn't even really care if Andy made it to Paris in time to get married. I didn't care whether or not he was still friends with Rolf. I didn't care if Brian stayed in touch with Andy. In fact, I was just really glad that I was done with the book.
(11/15/02 4:47am)
Last Wednesday saw the performance of one of America's most prestigious and lauded dance troupes at the IU Auditorium. Pilobolus, the modern dance troupe founded at Dartmouth College in 1971, amazed the audience with their unique style dance that combines acrobatics, contortions, humor and dance into a surreal experience.\nPilobolus was the first modern dance performance I have ever attended, and I left wanting more. While the dancers were amazingly strong and graceful, I felt the performance lacked a soul, one of the most important components of dance.\nPilobolus performed four selections out of their repertoire of 75 original dances. The first piece they performed was "Brass Ring," a piece commissioned for the Olympic opening ceremonies. It was an amazing beginning to the show. I was blown away at the level of flexibility and strength the dancers exhibited. The choreography involved dancers using each other as their support. It seemed as though some never touched the ground.\nThe second dance performed, "Ben's Admonition," was the most moving piece of the performance. Only two of the male members performed, and they spent the entire time suspended either by an arm or leg. It was a morbid display between the two, permeated with sadness and guilt. The dance culminated in the dancers hanging themselves from their suspensions. Ras Mikey C and Matt Kent, the performers, did an amazing job. Their strength and endurance was only matched by their grace. Despite the dark theme, this was the most moving and emotional piece of the evening.\nThe third dance, "Symbiosis," was by far the most unusual. It was another performed between two dancers, this time a man and a woman. When they entered the stage I was convinced they were nude (on closer inspection they were not, but it took a few minutes to convince me of that). The dancers, Otis Cook and Renee Jaworski, then performed an undulating and writhing dance, one which I can describe only as a bazaar alien mating ritual. It was like nothing I've ever seen before. Though it was very strange, it was still an enjoyable experience.\nThe final dance, "Davenen," was a poor note to end the performance. It began with Yiddish music and then all the Pilobolus dancers entered the stage. The dance itself was executed flawlessly, but it was way too long and extremely repetitive.\nThe overall performance of Pilobolus was good, and I walked away with a profound appreciation of the strength and skill of the dancers. However, I also left with a feeling that humanity is missing from the dance itself.
(11/13/02 3:48am)
Long held to be the masters of modern dance, the nationally-renowned dance troupe Pilobolus will be performing their gravity and flexibility-defying dances tonight at the IU Auditorium at 8 p.m. The troupe, founded by a Dartmouth College dance class in 1971, has won several eminent honors, including the Berlin Critic's Prize, Brandeis Award, the New England Theater Conference Prize, and a Primetime Emmy for outstanding achievement in cultural programming.\nThe troupe is based in rural Washington Depot, Connecticut, where the six dancers and four artistic directors collaborate to create some of the most innovative and influential modern dance being performed. Pilobolus tours year round and travels extensively. Next year the troupe is booked for performances as far flung as Russia and Italy.\nDoug Booher, director of the IU Auditorium, said Pilobolus was the type of programming that IU has been seeking to book. \n"With our efforts to program a wider variety of art forms at the IU Auditorium, we felt that Pilobolus was a great fit because of their inventive and magical style of dance," he said.\nThe dances performed by Pilobolus are best described as an exciting mix of athleticism, acrobatics, contortionism, and full body contact. The troupe is only composed of six dancers who interact intimately on the stage. The repertoire of over 75 dances has deep themes ranging from the Holocaust to the interaction between love and sex.\nSusan Broili of The Herald-Sun of Durham, North Carolina said Pilobolus dancers "create many beautiful shapes together... dancers seem as much insect as human."\nDespite the fame achieved by the troupe, the choreography is constantly changing.\n"The troupe constantly surprises with new inventions, yet retains its distinctive trademark—sleek athletic bodies blending into ever-changing sculptural form," said the Fairbanks Concert Association. "Pilobolus is the freshest combination of performance art to crawl, leap, roll, ripple, glide or metamorphosize its way across the stage."\nThe unusual style of dance should not keep those with modern dance experience away. Though often experimental, Booher said the performance is a great opportunity to be entertained and enlightened. \n"I have seen them perform in the past and came away with a real appreciation of their strength and grace," he said. "The colors and movement of Pilobolus are truly captivating."\nTickets for "Pilobolus" are still available at the IU Auditorium, www.ticketmaster.com, or IUauditorium.com. Prices start at $12 for students, and $22 for adults. For more information contact 855-1103.
(11/08/02 5:06am)
There are books that draw you into the story and don't let go,the type of books that you can't put down. "Bare: on Women, Dancing, Sex, and Power," a novel by Elisabeth Eaves, is that type of book.\n"Bare" throws the reader into the underground world of strip clubs. It takes the reader down the dark hallways of a peep show, past the booths patrons watch the dancers in, and right into the dressing room. It takes the reader into the life of the dancer, studying her emotions and motivations for dancing naked in front of strangers every night.\n"Bare" studies the motivations of three different women: how they got into stripping, how it affected their lives, and how, if they did, get out of the industry. The author speaks extensively about how she perceived her body as a weapon that could be used against men. When in college she determined that the behavioral mores of society shouldn't bind her. She got a job stripping at a Seattle landmark, the Lusty Lady. This strip club operated as a peep show, with all the women dancing on a stage separated from patrons by a glass window. Eaves believed the men watching the women were below her, an attitude shared by many of the dancers.\nEaves told the stories of two other dancers that also worked at the Lusty Lady, one who had her life consumed by stripping, and one who used it as a crutch in her relationships. The descriptions of these women was so vivid I felt that I knew them for years.\nI was fascinated by this book. I never gave much thought to strippers, and if I did, I assumed they were drugged out and looking to make a quick buck. I don't think I will ever assume that about a stripper again. The author was a college graduate when she began taking off her clothes for cash. She used the job to save money for her graduate school education. She walked into the sex industry, and she walked out.\nHowever, I also felt sorry for the women who were not able to walk away. Some women discussed in "Bare" couldn't walk away, even when it meant their personal relationships and day careers were destroyed. Women left husbands over stripping, and husbands left wives. Girlfriends and boyfriends split up.\n"Bare" was an insightful book that opened up the complex world of the strip club to me. It explained how women could share what is most private with strangers on a daily basis, and it detailed the consequences of their actions. For an engrossing read, I highly recommend "Bare"
(10/29/02 4:29am)
Susan Graver hit the nail on the head with her first book "It's a Fit!" The book, which touts itself as a guide for dressing with "style, comfort, and confidence," provides good common sense on creating a professional wardrobe.\nAs a college student my wardrobe consists of jeans, sweatshirts and t-shirts. I haven't the first clue how to economically build a professional wardrobe. Graver, the in-house fashion designer for QVC home shopping network, provides excellent advice on how to build a wardrobe.\nGraver suggests that women begin building their wardrobes based on their body type. Each type had a list of cuts and styles that were (or were not) flattering. While I found this interesting, I did not find a body type that I thought accurately reflected me. I believe that Graver, if she decides to write another book, should keep in mind that women's bodies do not fall into three categories. Despite my disappointment with the body-typing, the book redeemed itself with the basic wardrobe building advice.\nGraver suggests that women starting a wardrobe should focus on the basics, including a well made suit, high-quality neutral blouses and sensible leather shoes. She also suggests individualizing outfits by using accessories like scarves, necklaces and handbags.\nI found the section on quality of garments to be particularly interesting. I never knew how to inspect a seam to see if a garment is well constructed, let alone how to see if the type of thread would matter. The advice on fiber-content is interesting. While it suggests high quality (and usually pricey) natural fibers like wool and linen, Graver states that women can get by on synthetics like polyester and nylon. I was always under the impression that synthetics were the way to build a cheap wardrobe, but a cheap looking one at that. However, Graver believes that some synthetics that are high quality make just as good of an impression as the natural fibers they emulate. \n"It's a Fit!" is a great book for seniors (or other interviewing students) who are looking for advice on building a wardrobe that's appropriate for the real world.
(10/23/02 4:00am)
After reading Robert Burrows' The Great American Parade I can only draw one conclusion. He thinks I am stupid. I can think of no other explanation for this book. Why else would an author, who presumably writes for the college audience, continually beat me over the head with his mantra: "George W. Bush is the devil." While I did not vote for the Dubya, I certainly do not find it necessary to spout off about how I disagree with his policies or personal life at every opportunity.\nThis politically charged novel certainly held promise, offering a plot about college newspaper staffers fighting a great crusade. However, it quickly degenerated into a repetitive attempt to sway my political beliefs towards the author's.\nThe novel begins with the still touchy accusation that President Bush stole the election of 2000. Certainly an attention grabber, but it is also a great way to alienate about half of the people in this country. The political rhetoric didn't stop there.\nThe premise of the book is President Bush wanted to arrange a Great American Parade, a celebration of the wealth of our nation. The plan was to honor the top 1% of incomes in the country with a grand affair, including gigantic balloons and high-flying jets. The plan is lauded by the Republicans, yet the Democrats were not in on the plan. Burrows proceeded to give graphic examples of the amount of poverty in our nation, stating repeatedly that President Bush does not care about the common man, those below the national average income.\nStudent newpaper editors inevitably find out about the plan to honor the wealthy, and they are aghast. They want to see all Americans represented at this parade, and they take time out of their busy schedules to arrange a massive protest movement and topple the credibility of the Bush regime. All I ask is, is this a little far fetched?\nBurrows characterizes student newspaper editors as liberal activists out to set the world right at any cost, personal or professional. I've worked for the IDS for a year and a half, and I have never heard the type of pontificating in the newsroom that the characters in the book engage in regularly. I also can't think of many students with the time to organize a massive protest parade, become close friends with multi-millionaires and still pull a 4.0 GPA, all while producing a newspaper.\nIf Burrows wanted to inform the public about the massive gaps in incomes in America he should have written an essay or an article. If he wanted to write a novel he should create characters that are not one dimensional crusaders for the common man. In short, skip this book if you don't want to be slammed with political rhetoric thinly veiled as fiction.
(10/07/02 4:24am)
When I picked up "Quick Fiction: Issue One" I didn't quite know what to expect. With its colorful cover art and thin size I thought I accidentally picked up a children's book. Much to my surprise, this thin volume contains some extremely hilarious and mature short stories.\n"Quick Fiction" publishes stories in collections that are extremely quick reads. The short stories in this collection are all less than 500 words, and some are significantly shorter. While extremely brief, all the stories were engaging. The true art of these authors is that they managed to say succinctly what many authors cannot do in page after page.\nDespite being in the same collection, the brief stories had widely differing themes, as well as radically different styles. From the conversational style of Corey Messler's "Aftermath" to the belligerent tone of Manuel Luis Martinez's "Pumpkins," the authors managed to express themselves through the fewest words possible.\nMy favorite story in the collection was "What Tim Haynes Found in a Yellowed Envelope..." by Beth Bayley. This story read as a confessional letter from three men who stole a town mascot, etching their names forever into the town's folklore. The story transported me to the attic where the letter, along with the stolen statue lay for decades, awaiting discovery. The author made the story real and involved the reader intimately with the thieves.\nAnother exemplary work is "Babysitter" by Anne Panning, which relates the story of a babysitter who tries to have a romantic rendezvous with her olderboyfriend while her charge's parents are out of the house. The desperation felt by the babysitter when the parents arrive home early is palpable, and the humorous twist at the end (and no, I will not give it away) draws a chuckle at the ignorance of the babysitter.\n"Quick Fiction" is an excellent choice for college students who wish to continue reading outside of coursework without having it consume a lot of time. The brief stories can be enjoyed one at a time like sips of a fine wine, or they can be devoured at once by those greedy for entertaining fiction.
(09/27/02 5:27am)
When I picked up Plebes: The Cartoon Guide for College Guides I had some hope for the book. I am a devoted reader of the Onion, a satire newspaper, and the cover boasts that the author, L.T. Horton, is a contributor. Alas, my hopes were in vain.\nI like cartoons just as much as the next girl, but these comics were nothing short of offensive. The third page in described campus Christians as people who are vapid, brainless, and repressed; I sincerely doubt that all the members of Campus Crusade do behind closed doors is masturbate furiously. I also doubt that IU cheerleaders fall into a deep depression every time the football team loses. With the way our team plays, we'd be lucky to ever see a cheerleader in class. \nDissapointingly, the subjects covered in the Guide did not improve. While the cover boasts that it mocks the behavior of the college male, it does nothing but continue the drunken fratboy stereotype. I don't know where Horton went to school, but I don't think bringing beer for your entire class would be a winning strategy for a good grade, even at the number one party school in the country. It's mindsets like this, thinking all college is is beer and babes, that prevent college students from being taken seriously.\nEven if you find the content humorous, there is no excuse for the quality of drawing in the Guide. The comics are drawn with a very rough hand, making them difficult to concentrate on for any given amount of time. I set the book down after every other page to prevent a splitting headache. Too bad I couldn't figure out whether my headache came from the content of the book or the scribbled mess that sat in front of me.\nMaybe I missed the point of the Guide, but I don't think so. What I found instead of a humorous look at college life, was a crass, stereotypical image of college men and women that doesn't even hold true today.
(09/13/02 6:08am)
Four o'clock today marks the beginning of many students' foray into a distinct culture at IU. The kickoff of men's formal rush, beginning with registration from 4 to 7 p.m. today in Dunn Meadow, marks many students' first contact with the large greek system at IU. With this first contact, many rushees may keep stereotypes about fraternities in the back of their minds.\nPresidents of the fraternities starting recruitment tomorrow said the stereotypes about greek organizations are misleading and often wrong. All said that "going greek" means more than parties, drinking and pledgeship.\nAlpha Sigma Phi president Samuel Locke, a senior, said joining a fraternity means that men will enter the rich history of IU, as well as make lifelong friendships.\nMatt Cairns, president of Acacia, said going greek was the best decision he made at IU.\n"I joined the greek system three years ago, and I could not have made a better decision," he said. "I have grown socially, academically and professionally. No other organization could have given me the experience and opportunities that the greek system has."\nEach chapter participating in recruitment will be hosting a number of rush events to help potential members meet brothers.\n"We have several activities planned in the next two weeks, such as a camping trip, Monday Night Football, cookouts and several functions with sororities," Dave King, president of Delta Chi, said. "We will be contacting rushees to invite them to our activities after the rush kickoff this weekend."\nPhi Kappa Psi has some non-traditional events planned paired with more mundane ones, including slip-n-slide parties and formal and informal dinners with sororities.\nOff-campus fraternities are also planning events for potential members.\n"We have events, such as barbecues, open houses and things of that nature," Kristoffer Troy, president of Delta Kappa Epsilon, said. "We also hope to take rushees out to dinner so they can meet each other, and more importantly we can meet them."\nDuring the rush events, fraternities will meet the rush guests; conversely guests will get the opportunity to meet the members of a chapter and decide whether or not it is right for them. All of the presidents interviewed stressed the importance of feeling comfortable with the chapter before deciding to join.\nTau Kappa Epsilon president Bill Surprise believes the most important factor in choosing a fraternity is making sure the rushee meshes with the chapter.\n"I would ask (rushees) to most importantly see how their morals and ideals would fit with those of the individuals in the chapter," he said.\nChapter presidents said men have much to look forward to if they decide to pledge a fraternity.\n"Men should expect a positive experience, one which they would benefit from and help make better," said Mike Miller, president of Lambda Chi Alpha. "Being part of a fraternity means being part of a family, and they should expect a lifelong friendships and memories."\nHowever, the presidents also cautioned potential members that fraternities are not the constant party many people believe them to be.\n"Men shouldn't expect this to be a big party," said Mark Krodel, president of Chi Phi. "The greek system has come under scrutiny for the actions of a few, but as a whole stands for brotherhood and sisterhood. We raise more money for charity than other organizations on campus and volunteer more hours of service."\nMen interested in rushing fraternities can sign up for formal recruitment from 4 to 7 p.m. today in Dunn Meadow. Chapter tours will take place 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
