George Sand - Isabelle Naginski

Sand was a prolific writer of nearly 60 novels who dealt with the
serious issues of her time and was identified with the Romantic literary
movement. Yet serious study of her works is lacking, for Sand became
known more for her eccentric lifestyle and love affairs with famous
contemporaries, i.e., Alfred de Musset and Frederic Chopin, than her
career as a writer. Moreover, she was unique in her approach as a woman
who refused to trivialize her craft because of her gender. The author of
this critical study sets the record straight, belatedly bestowing upon
Sand the academic acclaim that is long past due. Through extensive
analysis of her principal works, she delineates her progression from mal
du siecle pessimism to utopian optimism and from diagnosing society's
ills to prescribing a cure for them. The author (French, Russian, and
comparative literature, Tufts Univ.) has aptly illuminated Sand's unique
narrative approach and has opened the door for further examination of
her works.