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Ad an BY CHRIS HANDAL Book Critic Remember The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, that truly remarkable book which left a number of questions unanswered? Questions such as what is the ultimate question to life, the universe and everything? Well, now all that is answered in Douglas Adams' zany sequel, The Restaurant at the End of the Universe. But that's not all that can be learned from this book. For instance, have you ever wondered what verb tense formation to use when describing an event that never took place because you jumped foward in time to avoid it? No problem, because this tricky question is also handled in the novel as Arthur Dent, Ford Prefect, Zaphod Beeblebrox and Trillian hop around the universe to find a good meal. Once again, Adams has written a novel with verylittle value other than it is funny. So humorous is The Edmund; BY MARK FINK Slaff Writer Edmunds' American Way? it's real American music. Sung, written, played, and produced by Dave Edmunds of Cardiff, Whales. The Best of Dave EdmunHfi is tho r?f American-derived rock 'n' roll, rockabilly, and upbeat country by one of rock's most versatile and talented performers. And it even has got most of Edmunds' best songs. I say "most," for this one album is culled from four fine LPs: Get 11 ('77), Tracks on Wax (*78), Repeat When Necessary ('79) and Twangin ('81). The songs are nothing but tine, and as this is a real "best of" album, rather than a collection of lowlife throwaway tracks called greatest gumdrops, you're probably familiar with most of the tunes. All four original LPs are well-represented, with a nod toward Repeat When Necessary. Edmunds writes a good deal of his recorded tunes, and his covers are well cnosen ana inspired. Edmunds handles load guitar and vocals, and is backed on most of the cuts by Nick Lowe on bass, Billy Bremner on second guitar and Terry Williams on drums. Edmunds and these three musicians recorded a convincing debut album as Rockpile with Seasons of Pleasure in 1980. The musicians' familiarity with each other enhances the group feeling of the songs, ic Art' IV/ A MLM A.i Restaurant at the End of the Universe that I found myself laughing out loud. As when Adams defines Infinity: "Bigger than the biggest thing ever and then some. Much bigger than that in jaci, reauy amazingly immense, a totally stunning size, real 'wow, that's b>rr' time. Infinity is just so b'0 that by comparison, bigness itself looks really titchy. Gigantic multiplied by colossal multiplied by of/nr cj crr> r i 91 crl htirrr> i c f lin cnrf ^tw66v' l'46l ,lM6v' 10 ov/' v of concept we're really trying to get across here." Much of the novel is nonsense and it helps if one does not think too much when reading the book. In this case, though, the rewards for not thinking are a. i r ~ ~ great, Decause lor zbu pages Adams provides his reader a total escape from reality and delivers the reader to a universe where, anything is possible. Among those possibilities are improbility drive, main courses that talk to you and a depressed robot. 3 Compiles Dave Edmunds dis versatility on his new tightening the sound. After Edmunds, Williams abilities with sticks on skins * ana cymDais stand oul. My sole negative criticism is that the album, with 1? tracks, is less than 4t minutes long; at least three songs should have beer added to make the LP eighl per side. My adds would be "Get out of Denver" from Get It, "Dynamite" from Repeat When Necessary anc "It's Been So Long" from Twangin. As it is, the album contains "Deborah," "Girls Talk," "1 Knew the Bride," "A.I. or ine juReoox. 1 he Race If On," "Here Comes th( Weekend" and "Almost Saturday Night" on side one. Side two showcase* swers Marvin, the depressed robot, is one of the funniest characters in the book. Early on, he has a confrnnf otiAn \*/i f h a m ?>on onH it vnw vivn YT ivii a ui^au anu nasty robotic tank that is after Beeblebrox: '"I'm afraid,' said Marvin, 'that I've been left here to stop you." The probe extended again for a quick recheck. It withdrew again. it/ O Px O 1 xl r uu: oiop me : roarea ine tank. 'Go on!' 'No, really I have,' said Marvinsimply. 'What are you armed with?' roared the tank in disbelief. 'Guess,' said Marvin. The tank's engines rumbled, its gears ground. Molecule-size electronic relavs deeD in its microbrain flipped backward and forward in consternation. 'Guess?'said the tank. 'Yes, go on, you'll never guess.' 'Errrmmm . . .' said the rjiucmne, viDrating with unaccustomed thought, 'laser beams ? ' i His Best plays his talent and r compilation album. ' 'n.innn f II ,, s, .- ,. y we v- n vy j l i 1/ 14 I I O t ''Crawling from the ; Wreckage," ''Trouble Boys," "Juju Man," i "Singin' the Blues" and ! "Creature Frori The Black ) Lagoon." ' I prefer the first side to the i second side, and that's an ! nnininn ch:irr>rl hv nlhorc nc i reflected in listener requests i toWUSC-FM. i "Best of'compilationsare I primo vino during the i holiday season but even in February, The Best of Dave ? Edmunds bursts with good r old American spirit, and i rock 'n' roll flair. f You can hear The Best of ? Dave Edmunds and the rest t of Dave Edmunds on Feb. 21 during "The Anglo File" at j 9:30p.m. on WUSC-FM. Zany J-j9HT'?l^ftuB^lH(lMiM^9^^B^^p-r Mr v^BMy3BMBMB^^^^K*x ^feBK irtKiPi*^SflSBBHB? c,. Z.:l/^zo'-zzc.: )~n>72-^i^j^u:.BSJff >. * Douglas Adams' sequel i as his first story of his 'u Short Brown Is Spea Tony Brown, producer and ho! Brown's Journal," a publ television program, will be speaker for the Association American Students at 7:30 p.m the Russell House Ballroom. Ti< for members and $2 for others. Parks Visits Ca Rosa Parks, who is credited v the contemporary civil rights m refusing to sit in the back of an A will speak at 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 2 auditorium, Business Adm building. Ms. Parks' visit is s) the USC Afro-American Scho A i * The Golden Spur, 1 House Friday: "Moon $1.50 cover c Budweiser pitcher O 1 A ? o-iu p.m. Dundee's Restaurs Lounge, 2701 Ros Dr. Friday and Sat "Paradise Lost cover charge, m: Ques feg i; ":'t" v.. ;H C ?&& "^*. "** ' MBWgk famaui Ww ' i I# >ft - ! r:_ is as funny and zany i ni verse.' i i Spot 1 Series. The spe iker public. r/.IK Lane Pi the guest Constance La of Afro- uSC's Departn . tonight in recital on flute ? skets for $1 Hall. The recit public. impus Societ} /ith starting Also on Feb ovement by Literary Societ ilabama bus chief military s1 2 in the Belk in the Civil Wa tinistration begins at 7:30 p aonsored by USC Horseshoe lar Lecture public. The Cli Russell happy 1 from 12 Pie," harge, Greensti s $1.75 St. rrictaj "Killer cover ch int and ?ewood Crazy Z; Main Si. urday: Thursc $2 of the idnight charge t< * L1UII3 Marvin shook his head olemnly. 'No,' muttered the nachine in its deep guttural ^ umble. 'Too obvious. An imatter ray?' it hazarded. 'Far too obvious,' adno n is he d Mar >in '. . .You're thinking i long the wrong ines . . .just think,' urged Marvin, 'they left me, an >rdinary, menial robot, to :top you, a gigantic heavyluty battle machine, while hey ran off to save them;elves. What do you think ? hey would leave me with?' ^ O oh, er,' muttered the n a chine in alarm, something pretty damn ievestating I should exyect. And this is just a bit of the lilarity that awaits readers vho want to travel to The Restaurant at the End of the J niverse. This science iction spoof deserves a wide ^ leadership because it en- W ertains and makes one augh. These days, having something to laugh at is m porta nt. S. . . ech is free and open to the ^ esents Recital ne, an associate professor in lent of Music, presents a it 8 p.m. on Feb. 23 in Fraser al is free and open to the / Tries Scott V 23, the USC Clariosophic y puts Gen. Winfield Scott, trategist for the Union Army ir, on trial. The mock trial .m. in Legare College on the It's free and open to the v ibs lour on Friday l A ~ ,-<* a.in. eet's, 2009 Green V ' and Saturday: Whales," $2.50 arge ack's, 401 South lay: "Chairman Board," cover \ Ka ani?A?*MnA<l > aiiiiuuni;t;u