THE BEST OF 1996
"I did not recognize a single artist or group in your selection of the best music. Perhaps it's time to change the setting on my car radio." BARBARA PRICE Dayton, Ohio
I was not at all surprised that hardly any Hollywood blockbusters made it to your list of top films [THE BEST OF 1996, Dec. 23]. The movies chosen were poignant, inspirational, wonderfully made films that were not the usual mediocrity Hollywood so often produces. Instead, they were emotionally gripping, and were obviously made by directors and producers who are not driven by money but by quality. The people behind these movies are not afraid to take risks and show the world what being human can be all about. CATHERINE J. WILLOUGHBY Guelph, Canada
In "The Best Books of 1996" the Moor's Last Sigh was mentioned as Salman Rushdie's first novel since The Satanic Verses. However, he wrote a novel, Haroun and the Sea of Stories (winner of a Writers' Guild award), in 1990 while in hiding after the fatwa. During this period he also published Imaginary Homelands, a collection of essays and criticism, and his first (and so far only) collection of stories, East, West. IRFAN AHMAD KHAN Karachi, Pakistan
I was deeply disturbed by your film criticism. There was a time when your reviews and Top 10 lists, no matter how long-winded or pretentious, were at least honest. After the publication of your farcical list of movie picks, you cannot lay claim to this honor any longer. Going global may work fine for news coverage, but it is certainly not a proper creed for reviewing movies. NABEEL QURESHI Karachi, Pakistan
Your idea of the best music includes a bunch of hinterland artists with minimal, perhaps questionable, talent. I pity the poor individual who takes your word and purchases some of this audio doo-doo. Here's a partial list that your readers may embrace without worrying that you might be trying to push someone to the forefront out of some sort of pathetic attempt to exclude artists who have a gift of musicianship: Shawn Colvin, A Few Small Repairs; Sting, Mercury Falling; Keb 'Mo', Just Like You; Beatles, Anthology III; Paula Cole, This Fire; Lyle Lovett, The Road to Ensenada; and Chris Isaak, Baja Sessions. CARL WIDING, Program Director KINK-FM Portland, Oregon
I find it troubling that you honored the Red Kamel cigarette package for its design. No matter how pretty the package, its contents kill more than 400,000 people a year. DAVE BAUER Winter Park, Florida
Your selection of "The Best Websites of 1996" surprised me. Almost all were from the commercial domain; private and personal Websites were virtually ignored. There are some first-class personal sites. Want to receive help for your palmtop computer that does not interest its maker anymore? Go to private sites. Want action to resist some foolish political decisions? Want information about some real writers and artists? Support for a major illness? The list goes on and on. The backbone of the Net is still the private individuals connected to it. ETIENNE BORGERS Singapore
I find it rather ironic that TIME chose Netscape's "What's Cool" as the worst Website. You said it is "uncool" for "the software company that virtually controls the Web through its popular browser" to tell us what's hip. Perhaps TIME should look in the mirror? BRUCE DIKHOFER Houston