Rudolfo A. Anaya: A Critical Companion by Margarite Fernandez Olmos (review)

B o o k R e v i e w s 309 o n e w h ic h e m p h a siz e s Le r o y ’s in a b ilit y t o c o m e to te r m s w it h Y v o n n e ’s e ar ly se x life a n d h is v a g u e d o u b t s a b o u t t h e p a t e r n it y o f t h e ir fir st c h ild . O u t sid e o f t h is t im e fr a m e , t h r e e o u t o f fo u r c h a p t e r s c o n c e n t r a t e o n t h e liv e s o f t h e U p t o n fa m ily a ft e r t h e y ’v e m o v e d t o N o r t h e r n C a lifo r n ia . E v e r y fo u r t h c h a p ­ te r is d a t e d a n d allo w s Le r o y , st ill a s fir st - p e r so n n a r r a t o r , t o d e sc r ib e sig n ific a n t e v e n t s in h is e a r ly life . By c h a p t e r 4 9 , t h e la st o f Le r o y ’s a u t o b io g r a p h ic a l c h a p ­ ter s, h e h a s b r o u g h t h is life t o t h e p o in t o f h is fir st d a t e w it h Y v o n n e , a n a lm o st fr a n t ic se x u a l e n c o u n t e r . T h e r e m a in in g t h r e e c h a p t e r s ar e , I’m su r e, t h e m o st p o w e r fu l w r it in g H a sla m h a s p r o d u c e d . H e c o u ld n ’t h a v e c r e a t e d a n y t h in g m o r e e m o t io n a lly c h a r ge d , m o r e p e r fe c t ly st a t e d . T h e p u b lic it y st a t e m e n t s a b o u t t h e n o v e l su gge st a c o m p a r iso n o f H a sla m ’s r e a lism w it h St e in b e c k ’s. In m o st r e sp e c t s, t h is n o v e l is q u it e d iffe r e n t, p r i­ m ar ily b e c a u se o f t h e fir st - p e r so n n a r r a t io n a n d t h e fr e q u e n t lin g u ist ic c r u d i­ tie s. I n so m e r e sp e c t s, h o w e v e r , t h e r e is a st r...