Nellie Brown Or the Jealous Wife With Other Sketches

. This story and "The Octoroon of Cuba" were ahead of their time, however, in grappling with the theme of divorce. The latter is a compelling tale in which the issue of a master begetting children on his female slave is complicated by the author's awareness of the ramifications of the interracial heritage common to many in New Orleans and Cuba. The strongest piece in the collection, it features a remarkably original, freethinking protagonist in Jane Gray Zevoe and is written with much more skill and grace than is "Nellie Brown." The three essays reveal Detter as an articulate and courageous opponent of racial prejudice. "Boise City" describes that city's peculiarly intense racism. "Give the Negro a Chance" is an eloquent argument for African Americans' inclusion in the American Dream, delivered in a seasoned oratorical voice. Detter's candid insights into his period are a real contribution to the reader's historical perspective. Copyright 1996 Cahners Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.