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In Dangerous Men and Adventurous Women, Jayne Ann Krentz and the contributors to this volume--all best-selling romance writers--explode the myths and biases that haunt both the writers and readers of romances.
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art history and theory
Dangerous Men & Adventurous Women : Romance Writers on the Appeal of the Romance
edited by Jayne Ann Krentz
PB list price $16.50
University of Pennsylvania Press (December 1992)
ISBN: 0812214110
186 pages
average review:
Reviews:
This gets: a from eryka:
A treatise deconstructing a genre usually dismissed for its lack of literary value. Not only is it quite intelligent, with lots of literary theory terms like reader-identification, referent, and the like thrown around, but it's entertaining as well. Literary theory that isn't a snoozer.
From the publisher:
In this seamless, ultimately fascinating, and controversial book, the authors dispute some of the notions that plague their profession, including the time-worn theory that the romance genre contains only one single, monolithic story, which is cranked out over and over again. The authors discuss positive life-affirming values inherent in all romances: the celebration of female power, courage, intelligence, and gentleness; the inversion of the power structure of a patriarchal society; and the integration of male and female. Several of the essays also discuss the issue of reader identification with the characters, a relationship that is far more complex than most critics realize.
So good you just can't stand it.
Almost that good.
Sort of good.
Generally a waste of time.
Destined for the recycler.