Women, Ethnics, and Exotics: Images of Power in Mid-Nineteenth-Century American Fiction by Kristin Herzog (review)

146Book Reviews her association with the Brandens, were catalysts for her philosophy. Unfortunately , Gladstein doesn't support these connections — she only asserts them. The chapters on Rand's fiction, characters, and nonfiction give, respectively , plot outlines, physical descriptions of most important characters in her novels, and summaries of her nonfiction. Gladstein correctly notes that a detailed analysis of Rand's major themes would need more attention than should be expected in a companion book. Therefore, Gladstein can only sketch how Rand, in her fiction and nonfiction, denigrates altruism and sycophancy and values independence, individuality, and creativity. The chapter on criticism of Rand's works is interesting if frustrating: Gladstein objectively but superficially summarizes the major published critical sources on Rand. Her complaints about Rand criticism are well taken. Much of it is written by detractors or adherents of Rand's philosophy, much of it is shallow, and much of it does deride Rand's "selfish" philosophy without serious consideration of her as a writer. As a companion, Gladstein's book is partially successful. It is well suited for casual readers, readers who have not read Rand's work, or readers who sampled Rand's works many years ago but have forgotten her basic tenets. It gives these readers short plot summaries for Rand's fictional works and cursory introductions to the major aspects of Rand's "objectivism." However, more sophisticated audiences — students of philosophy and literature or researchers — are not well served by the book's brevity, lack of critical analysis, or Gladstein's style. The book is too short to give researchers a firm grasp of Rand's philosophical positions. Gladstein's scrupulous objectivity prevents her from assessing either Rand's writing or positions. However, if we remember that Rand as a writer and novelist has not received as much critical scrutiny as her ideas have, Gladstein's lack of analysis may be merely the better part of valor. Most distressing, however, is Gladstein's writing style. Though she is often concise, at times she is superficial and at others irritatingly awkward. For example, a sentence such as "Like other Rand protagonists, he [Leo Kovalensky ] has haughty eyes and a contemptuous smile, and looks as if he were born to carry a whip" (44-45) leaves one wondering if the problem here is Gladstein's writing style or Rand's superficiality. At other points, Gladstein's style is choppy and repetitive: "a Rand character will do anything for the loved one. This is demonstrated in each of Rand's works of fiction. In The Night of January 1 6th Karen Andre is willing to do anything for Bjorn Faulkner" (23). Notwithstanding the writing style, this book does just what it purports to do: it accompanies Rand's works but in no way takes the place of reading the originals. LYNN BEENE University of New Mexico KRISTIN HERZOG. Women, Ethnics, and Exotics: Images of Power in Mid-Nineteenth-CenturyAmerican Fiction. Knoxville: University of Tennessee Press, 1983. 254 p. Kristin Herzog's studyconcerns "two'great'writers ofthe American Renaissance , a widely read female novelist, the first two black authors publishing in Book Reviews147 the United States, and an American Indian oral narrative" (vi). These are Nathaniel Hawthorne, Herman Melville, Harriet Beecher Stowe, William Wells Brown, Martin Delany, and the epic story of Dekanawida. Herzog draws two conclusions: traditional American literature should incorporate a greater diversity of works, and the portrayal of women and minorities in the works examined goes beyond a sentimental stereotyping of them as closer to nature and less intellectual than "civilized" white males. The number ofscholars who oppose revising the traditional literary canon is surely a dwindling minority, and textbooks and anthologies slowly but steadily reflect the increased awareness of the diversity of literary voices. In her preface Herzog states, "As long as Women's Studies and Multi-Ethnic Studies are tacked on to old academic structures as exotic électives, they will remain sterile" (vii). A better phrasing might be that as long as literature courses include only traditional works they will remain sterile. But the point remains: re-loading the canon is indispensible in the battle to portray the fullness of literature and to give women and...