The Man Who Turned Back the Clock: And Other Short Stories

This short fiction collection from comedian and prolific author Allen (see Forecasts, July 17, for a review of his mystery Murder on the Atlantic) is an uneven performance. Settings and subjects range from a few reworked biblical stories to the N.Y.C. jazz scene and the inanities of the L.A. entertainment industry. Of the 31 stories, only nine are new; the rest come from previous collections dating back to the 1950s. The best of the group is the patently autobiographical ``Joe Schulman Is Dead,'' Allen's poignant account of hearing of the death of a favorite bass player. There is some merit to the frequently reprinted ``The Public Hating,'' although it owes a great deal to Shirley Jackson's ``The Lottery'' and, like many of the stories, sags under the weight of heavy-handed social commentary. One of the longest stories, ``Quiet Desperation,'' stumblingly imitates detective noir, but its punch-line ending comes in on a freight train. Allen is best when he stays in the territories he knows best--music and entertainment. In the title piece, a man goes back in time, intending to make a profit by introducing the world to hula hoops and the Beatles. Overall, flat characters, bland plots and undeveloped narratives make this a less than sparkling anthology. (Sept.)