NONFICTION - Oct. 10, 1993

DEALS WITH THE DEVIL And Other Reasons to Riot by Pearl Cleage (Ballantine: $22.; 197 pp.) “All men are capable of abusing women, no matter what they call it, so don’t kid yourself about this one or that one being different,” Pearl Cleage says in “Deals With The Devil,” a collection of essays primarily concerned with race and gender. But wait a second. Are “all men” potential abusers because of our society or because of their nature? What exactly does “capable” mean? Do women have this violence in them as well? Why or why not? These complex questions are neatly skirted as Cleage goes on to list 10 early warning signs of violence and various tips for avoiding rape. Now, of course date rape is a very serious issue, but tip No. 3 (“Don’t flirt or accept flirting behavior if you’re not interested in having sex within the next few hours”) and tip No. 5 (“Scream and fight back when the first unwelcome sexual approach is made) seem just a tad excessive.

As the book continues, Cleage mellows considerably, becoming playful and exuberant as she writes about politics, popular culture and the people she loves. There’s a big-hearted quality that is sorely needed in the earlier sections. Certain statements such as, “In discussions of race between black people and white people, the black person is always right,” seem uselessly inflammatory. It will make many readers too defensive for some of the more inclusive, optimistic messages.