Trying to Get to Heaven: Opinions of a Tennessee Talker

The first word of the title is the best description of this book. Actress-singer Carter is best known for playing Julia Sugarbaker on the TV sitcom Designing Women, whose fans will likely flock to read this autobiography. If the book seems to hark back to an earlier era, that's because Carter loudly stresses the importance of what many would call old-fashioned values. The author, who hopes ``sophisticates'' are reading along, admits she may sound ``un-European and gauche,'' but that doesn't stop her from decrying underarm hair--on women. Oh, and men should keep their hairy legs covered up when riding a plane by not wearing shorts. This fare is offered under the rubric ``if I were the Ruler of All Things.'' If you've ever sat next to someone yakking her head off and wished you could escape, that's how you're likely to feel reading this compendium of opinions by an authority on nothing in particular. (Jan.)