New Multicultural Editions of Cliffs Notes Get Mixed Reviews

By Megan Drennan

Yes, there really is a Cliff.

They may not know him by name, but countless English students facing term-paper deadlines have sought late-night salvation from Clifton K. Hillegass and his bumblebee-striped study guides since 1958.

Though best known for capsule summaries of classic literary works by such authors as Shakespeare, Hemingway, and Austen, Cliffs Notes Inc. has spawned a new generation of study guides. This month, the Lincoln, Neb.-based company will publish a guide for Rudolfo Anaya's Bless Me, Ultima , the 22nd in a new series of literary supplements for novels written by and about...