The 90s-- A Look Back

Raisa Gorbachev seizes power, sells off Lithuania and other states that are ``too tacky'' and conceives the Maytag Day Parade. Maggie Thatcher has Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip beheaded, amid ``typical English pageantry and tasteful TV coverage.'' Self-service liposuction is the rage; Palestinian rock-throwers are recruited by American baseball teams; and the Shroud of Elvis is credited with a million miracles, including dramatic weight loss and the removal of facial hair. These are highlights of the decade to come, as seen by a crew of satirists under the direction of Hendra and Elbling ( The 80s: A Look Back ). Contributors include Bill Murray, here as a mayor of Chicago known for his daily morning fireworks display, and Howard Hesseman as Secretary of Education (``The only way to make kids smarter would be to make tests dumber. Henceforth, George Washington will fight pirates with a magic whip.''). The most impressive achievement of this book is not that it causes you to laugh out loud, but that it makes you recall the '80s nostalgically. Illustrations not seen by PW. Author tour. (Dec.)