"I AM A WOMAN" TELLS THE STORY OF LAURA'S FLIGHT TO NEW YORK CITY, HER TRANSFERENCE OF HER LOVE FOR BETH (HER FORMER ROOMMATE) TO MARCIE, WHO IS NORMAL, AND FINALLY HOW SHE MEETS AND FALLS IN LOVE WITH THE VERY HANDSOME, VERY GAY, BEEBO.

AS A SECONDARY THEME THERE IS LAURA'S FRIENDSHIP WITH JACK, A GAY BOY, AND HIS LOVER, TERRY. (THEIR AFFAIR IS HAPPY, ALSO.)

THE BOOK IS VERY REALISTIC, THE WRITING IS EXCELLENT FOR A PAPERBACK, AND THE ENDING IS SO VERY HAPPY THAT IT SETS THE BOOK ALMOST IN A CLASS BY ITSELF. THE AUTHOR IS SYMPATHETIC THROUGHOUT, BUT SHE PULLS NO PUNCHES. SHE DEFINITELY REALIZES THE DRAWBACKS AS WELL AS THE ADVANTAGES.

DANGEROUS WORLDS AND OTHER STORIES BY JOAN O'DONOVAN. MORROW, 1958.

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MISS O'DONOVAN, ALTHOUGH PREVIOUSLY UNKNOWN IN AMERICA, IS CONSI DERED ONE OF ENGLAND'S MOST OUTSTANDING SHORT STORY WRITERS. HER COLLECTION "DANGEROUS WORLDS" IS HER FIRST PUBLICATION ON THIS SIDE OF THE OCEAN. MANY OF THE 20 STORIES IN THIS BOOK TOUCH ON LESBIANISM; SOME ARE OVERTLY LESBIAN, AND TWO ARE ON THE REACTIONS OF WOMEN TO MALE HOMOSEXUALITY.

"THE LADY SOLOIST" CONCERNS 13-YEAR OLD ALICE BYRNE WHO IMAGINES HERSELF A "LADY SAILOR", WALKS WITH A ROLL AND EXPECTORATES WHEN HER MOTHER IS NOT WATCHING. SHE DEVELOPS A VIOLENT CRUSH ON A CONTRALTO CHURCH SINGER AND IS CRUSHED WHEN SHE DISCOVERS HER FATHER IS PURSUING THE LADY SOLOIST.

"THE LADY-KILLER" TELLS OF NAIVE FREDA WHO FALLS IN LOVE WITH ROBIN, AN INTERIOR DECORATOR. ROBIN TELLS HER OF HIS SORROW OVER THE DEPARTED BERTIE AND FREDA FAILS TO UNDERSTAND.

"JOHNNIE" IS A 45 YEAR OLD WOMAN SOLDIER WHOSE LOVER IS UNFAITHFUL. JOHNNIE POURS HER HEART OUT TO 18-YEAR-OLD JANET. JANET FAILS TO UNDERSTAND HOW POOR DEAR JOHNNIE COULD BE SO JEALOUS OF BRENDA AND HER WOMEN.

"BAIT" FOR MURIEL JAMES IS THE PROPOSAL OF MARRIAGE BY AGING QUEEN TERRY WHOSE RECENT LOVER, THE SARDONIC BOBBIE, HAD DESERTED HIM.

"THE BEAUTY OF HOLINESS" TELLS THE BRIEF STORY OF AN EIGHT-YEAR-OLD

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