didactic fiction, american

Analyzes Ayn Rand's novel "The Fountainhead" concentrating on her concern over the power of individualism and self-examination.

Traces the process and influences behind the writing of Harriet Beecher Stowe's novel, Uncle Tom's Cabin, which was published when the nation was torn over the issue of slavery and headed toward Civil War.

Provides an analysis of novelist Robin Cook's medical thrillers written between 1977 and 1995, discussing their plots, characters, and themes, and includes biographical information about the author, a complete bibliography of his fiction, general criticism, and a listing of reviews.

Discusses the circumstances that existed at the time Stowe wrote her famous novel, the details of the book, and its impact on feelings about the existence of slavery in the United States in the mid-nineteenth century.