DETROIT 67 * LOCAL SOULS

Detroit 67 - It was Detroit week all last week with the book and then this play at our local theater.  Detroit 67 takes place in the summer of 1967 in a basement in Detroit.  A brother and sister run a little after hours party house business.  The story is engaging, the music is great, the actors were wonderful, and the Detroit history lesson is eye-opening.  Detroit was the scene of "riots" that summer, and although my family was on a vacation during those days, when we came home, things had changed in our city.  It just felt different - probably the very beginning of what is happening there now was sparked by those sad events.  The city "fathers" in all their elected and corporate wisdom made mistake after mistake in trying to bring back the prosperity.  Did they care about Detroit the way that ordinary citizens cared? 

Local Souls by Allan Gurganus - I have no idea where I got the notion to read this one, but I can say that these were three very very long short stories;  the first one already forgotten, the middle one OK, and the last one excruciating.  Think of those cold books by that Maine author, transplanted to a small North Carolina town.  Finished it in three days, but feel like I've been reading for three weeks, and why?  'Nuff said. Read at your own risk, or if you loved the Maine books.