It's Back and It's Not Much Better

Courses of Instruction, 1986-87

Harvard University

Free; 748 pages.

HARVARD'S BEST and brightest undergraduates are snapping it up by the thousands.

This year's edition of Courses of Instruction once again delivers on its promises of chills, thrills and heart-break. It packs a punch but the guide blazes no new trails in college-course indexing. Instead, its usually offbeat editors chose to list course offerings the old-fashioned way: according to department, and in alphabetical order.

The authors, who have understandably sought to preserve their anonymity, have broken with their normal color-coding of the book's cover. Over the past few years, the stripe on the cover had been progressing along the electro-magnetic spectrum, and most industry analysts expected this year's to be a color only dogs could see. Instead, the book's iconoclastic authors have once again shown their disregard for stale traditions and have decorated the book with a crimson banner, as well as a large 350th logo.

As in previous years, the travails of Stephen Jay Gould and his quest to explain the history of the world--and his role in it--appear under the chapter heading Science B-16. Walter J. Kaiser '54 was supposed to resume his biennial journey through Elizabethan England yesterday accompanied by his ne'er-do-well sidekick Robert Watson, in an adventure entitled Literature and Arts A-40, "Shakespeare." Or so Courses of Instruction led the unwary reader to believe. But Watson was not granted tenure by the University and will henceforth be frolicking in another forest.

Once again, though, Joe Nye and his band of merry men will be leading a new troupe of drunken revelers through "International Conflicts in the Modern World" this spring.

Michael Sandel's quests for truth, "Justice," and the American way, however, have been put on hold until 1987-88, sources tell us, so that he may better pursue his more pressing quest for tenure in the Government Department.

THERE ARE, OF course, new twists to old plots in the new tome. Pulitzer Prize-winner E.O. Wilson, who in previous years had strayed from the evil cave of sociobiology into the abyss of the Core Curriculum, will this year offer a graduate level course in that controversial field.

Science A-25, "The Atmosphere," previously a course of study pursued only by those who had the gutty instincts to take it, though, will be restricted to a mere 100 of Harvard's more vaporous souls.

While would-be meteorologists quake in their cold fronts, however, philosophers need have no fear for the upcoming annum. Generals John Rawls, Robert Nozick and Stanley Cavell will once again be leading contemplative undergraduates into battle this year.

In an expected development, [Bernard Bailyn], all-being guru of time, space and [History], is absent from this volume. But history meisters can take heart. His course, Historical Studies A-25, "The Peopling of America," which mysteriously disappeared last year, will return to Cambridge next year.

Still missing in action is Donald Fleming's offering on the early intellectual history of America. Although Fleming promises to provide a hearty banquet on late American intellectuals, it's been three years since anyone has seen his erudite colonials. Perhaps Fleming is still trying to find some.

Theda Skocpol, who had been living in exile in California, has returned this year. But the sociologist might as well be in Siberia as far as undergrads are concerned. She is keeping a wary distance from the College, as she is offering only graduate level courses.

Some new players enter the scene in the newest volume. Gen Ed 150, "Looking at America," already known as "Yearbooks and Videos" promises to attract a large crusade. So does Science A-24, "Dynamics of the Earth." With its required three-day field trip across New England and into New York State, this course has already been dubbed "Sleeping Bags" by knights in the know.

Without a doubt, then, this year's edition of Courses of Instruction more than fulfills its promise, leaving insatiable readers panting for more. But not to despair, loyal fans. For the next edition is due out in only a year.