THE GREAT AMERICAN BROADCAST

THE GREAT AMERICAN BROADCAST Leonard Maltin (Dutton, $36.95) Fans of radio's golden age will find this softhearted valentine right up their alley. It's not a comprehensive history, just a stroll through every anecdote Maltin could find, from the hilarious to the mundane. He breaks up his tale into sections on writers, actors, announcers, and so on, shining a spotlight on comics like Fred Allen and Jack Benny, shows like Suspense and Easy Aces, and writers like Norman Corwin. Maltin steers clear of even the most unforgettable controversies; he actually talks at length about Amos 'n' Andy without delving into that duo's tangled racial politics. B-