Bad Man Blues: A Portable George Garrett

As Bausch notes with only slight hyperbole in his introduction to this compilation of work by novelist, poet, essayist and critic Garrett, the author's talent is enormously versatile and eclectic. Perhaps that is one reason his name does not loom as large as it should in the pantheon of contemporary American writers: we do like to pigeonhole our best authors, and Garrett resolutely defies easy classification. He is a superb historical novelist (Death of the Fox is a magisterial performance), a remarkable teacher who has nurtured countless notable writers, a considerable poet and an astute critic. In addition, he could, had he wished, have had a great career as a TV interviewer. Only his talents as a short-story writer and an essayist are represented in this collection, but such stories as ""Dixie Dreamland"" and ""The Pornographers"" give eloquent testimony to the quality of his ear and his Southern love for the tall tale, while pieces like the ones on boxing and football show the skills of a great sports writer. The anthology, though all too brief, is not only an excellent introduction to Garrett's genial personality and profound humanity but also an impetus to read or reread more of his writing as soon as possible. (Dec.)