—The Daily Collegian Friday, December 12,1975 RICHARD CONDON's latest novel, "Winter Kills." has just been published in paperback. The novel's plot bears more than passing resemblance to the Kennedy assassination. s ji f it ir lVOW PRESENTS ToniOt & Tomorrow Breaking Point Group starts at 9:30 (Audio Lighted Dance Floor) 212talder Alley Novel bears similarities to assn= SinOiOn of JFK By PHIL STORY Collegian Staff iikno. Winter Kills. By Richard Condon Dell Publishing Co., Inc. 332 pages. $475 list price. Nick Thirkield is looking for the person behin, his brother's assassinate n. Iris brother was president of the United States and he was murdered 14 years ago. Such is the plot behind "Winter Kills," suspense writer Richard pondon's latist offering. The author uses flashbacks to a good adiantage, sneaking' a back to events that l up to the assassination aild jumping forward 'to the post-killing investigation. In "Winter Kills,'?' CondOn puts together a chain of events in whiCh each link dissolves no, , explodes what had been established as fact in the previous link. Clues are scarce and evidence disappears. Six people and a cat are killed before the novel's end. 1 TCig novel opens with the discovery, 14 years later, that more than one gunman was used I in- the assassination. Sound familiar? There ate enough similarities between JohnlF. Kennedy's death and the plot,of "Winter Kills" that Kennedy 'remains a ghost between: the lines, constantly reminding the reader of the real thing. Condon's characterization Review of Thirkield is the strongest of the book. Thirkield is the avenger and a fitting one. When he can't think his, way out of a scrape, he has enough muscle to hit back. He never liked his brother but feels an' obligation to unearth con spiracy. He,plays the piano at quiet moments and makes love like the male counterpart' of the "Happy Hooker." All other characters in the novel rarely rise above the shallowness of their stereotypes -- the best buddy and business consultant ail rolled into one, the domineering father, , the woman Thirkield loves but, who refuses to marry hith, the sexy female reporter, crooked policemen, seemy underworld types, , a homosexual bar owner, a Chinese codk and, yes, even a mad professor. The strong point of "Winter' Kills" is the plot, which keeps the reader' bouncing like al pinball. SOeral solutions tol the mystery are offered but each one is meticulously picked apart, making sur prising new passageways in an already suspense-wrought maze. The true solution, as in all good suspense yarns, is left for the last chapter. The book's ending not only leaves the reader gasping but presents a symbolic warning against all that is corrupt in American politics. Attention PLANT BUFFS Come See Our Jungle woodrings Floral Garden 145 S. Allen 238-0566 r CONTINENTAL TRAILWAYS --7" Mt IL ine j fri; r r. . /;\ L _ .4111 L - Christmas concert • • • The Penn State Glee Club and Brass eluding works by American composers • rale Will pie Sent a "Christmas in' the Billings, Belcher and Flagg. *denies" concert 8:30 p.m. tomorrow and The group also will perform Old English 3:30 p.m. Sunday in Schwab. carols, with a special performance of "The Wassail Songy 12 selected members of the The programs will feature Christmas Glee Club. ce 4 music from the Revolutionary period, in- The eon free. • True pot-smuggling tale provides light diversion By BRIAN MILLER Collegian Staff Writer Weed. By Jerry Kamstra. 276 pages. Bantam Books Y 2315. $1.95 list price. On the front cover of the paperback version of "Weed," the publisher has printed these eye-calc4ipg phrases: "The: hair-raising exploits of a ilitring gringo deep in the hear( of Mexico." and "illustrated with 32 pages ' of exhilarating photos of a ton of grass byXugene Anthony." Now come on "hair raising?" "Weed" is in fact adventure story but don't get the idea that it has the "thrill of a Hemingway adventure" as reviewed by "Human Behavior." And those 32 pages of "exhilarating" photos are all black-and white shots, many out of focus and taken in poor light. Yet Jerry Kamstra's "Weed" isn't without merit. Kamstra, a former smuggler to the Mexican "mota" fields. and Big Sur dropout, does Kamstra after making the spin an interesting tale of his connections for the pot in exploits with dope and formation soon makes con- Mexico. Kamstra also finds nections for the pot itself, and time to philosophize on -the gives a first hand account current state of affairs south thereafter of smuggling a_ ton of the border as well as giving of weed from the Mexican the traveling head a good 'mountains to the journey's road map of where to go and end, San Francisco. not to go in Mexico. book review My major gripe with Kamstra is that he may have tried to put too much in 276 pages. Several times, Kamstra will stop one line of thought and jump into "which reminds me of the time..." and lead the reader down a related yet off the path trail of a past dope and-or Mexican experience. The book basically outlines bullshitter "and the book has Kamstra's efforts to some excellent material, photograph and catalog a trip some very funny— especially when Kamstra tells of his at r umco the-border bust in the mid 60s and some quite in formative. Kamstra gives ELECTRONICS you a very detailed insight into the workings of the dope industry. (The glossary in the • State College's Lafayette back of the book is very well .• headquartprs i done). • Central Pa 's Leading Electronics Hobby Center Don't judge "Weed" in the paperback form by its cover. It doesn't match the billing. 159 S. Garner St. But it's worthwhile reading, valuable even for the non -237-5734 smokers in our presence. 7 4z "7 0 ct :w . -- lc% • S T O G C R K O I N G I N , Cs r , z= t',.. s G T T u R F E F E ERs 4, _ • 1 Miniature: tops, 'books, paints silverware, dolls, card games, flags, animals, baskets, magnifying boxes, S book plates, pencil sharpeners, puzzles (\ii opocokeLtriFick HOUSE • C i SE MINIATURES A o r ito LEGO SMALL MODEL KITS CORGI J RS. DIE CAST BRITAINS LTD. ANIMALS VI EWMASTER aMASTER MIND GAMES g 1 )1 GROWING TREE TOYS & BOOKS 237 :3655, 202 S. Allen 10-9 M-F, Sat.-5:30 G, - 4 W 7 0 , *C" , -- '<::>- ' t . ` T)I YOU CAN SAVE TIME AND MONEY ON USG's Christmas Break Continental Trailways CHARTERED COACHES TO Pittsburgh, Philadelphia & Allentown! ALL USG BUSES ARE NON-STOP EXPRESSES TO PITTSBURGH: Buses will begin loading at 12 30 p in on the last day of Gasses Saturday December 20. 1975. and will depart promptly at 12 45 m Stops at the David Weiss store n the Miracle Mile Shotiemo Center n Monroeville and downtown_ at the Trailways Terminal Arrival in Pittsburgh approx 4 00p m Bus terminal pries: 9.50 USG Om 7.50 YOU SAVE $2.00 TO PHILADELPHIA: Buses we begat loading at 1 00 p m on the fast day of Gasses. Saturday, Dec 20. 1975. and wet depart promptly at 1 15 pm Stops at the John Wanamaker stare e the ,King of Prussia Short pong Center. and downtown at the Coratnental Tra'fways Terrnnai Arrival aro Pheadelphsa approx. 5 15 pm Bus terminal pries: 11.00 USG price: 6.50 YOU SAVE $2.50 TO ALLENTOWN: Buses wal begin loachno at 1 15 Dm on the lest day ot classes Saturday, Dec 20. 1975. and .4 dawn prompuy at I 30 Om' Stops at the Contnantal Trahrays terminal at 27th South eth SI THIS TRIP tS EXCELLENT FOR STUDENTS GOING TO BETHLE HEM OR EASTON CONNECTIONS CAN ALSO BE MADE TO NEW YORK CITY NEW YORK BUSES LEAVE ALLENTOWN AT r• 5 15, 7.00 & 9.25 Amnia rt Allentown awes. 5.00. - - Bus terminal pries: 10.10 USG pries: 11.50 YOU SAVE $1.60 Tickets on sale at the HUB dusk beginning Monday. Dec. 15, 11115 at 9:00 am. Buy your ticket early & mom your mit. So save yourself a couple of dollars and a walk to the bus terminal . . . ride the USG Christmas break expresses. - Far more isllameatioa cat USG at 1113-021/5 A service of the Undergraduate Student Gov't. and JIM productions "Weed" is divided into four parts, the "Border," the "Road," the "Mountains" and the "Coast". The "hair raising adventures" take place in the "Mountain" and" Coast" sections, althobgh you know from, the start that Kamstra and his smuggling buddies make it, so the suspense is really minimal. The "Road" section of the book is Jerry's chance to basically bullshit on everything under the sun and he does. But Kamstra is a good
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers