by Mary Breen

This book about women's health was sponsored by the YWCA in Peterborough, Ontario. They wanted women to have health information that was easy to read and understand. Many women took part in the writing process.

The book covers a lot of topics and looks at "health" and not just "sickness." The chapters include: Eating Well, Dealing with Your "Nerves," Depression, Being Active, Controlling your Weight, Over-the- Counter Drugs, You and Your Doctor, Sex, Birth Control, Vaginal Infections, Pap Tests, Examining Your Breasts and Menopause.

Each page of the book is full of text and there are very few illustrations.

Some women may feel uncomfortable with the tone of the book. It may seem to be saying that women who do not read well will also have difficulty understanding the facts or ideas. In fact, many women who do not read well understand the reality better than women who read easily.

The book can be used to help women understand how their bodies work and what they can do to make them work better. It can be used to help women build their vocabulary of words that are useful when talking to healthcare professionals.

Except for a small section on "homosexuality," all information about sex and other health issues, assumes that the women readers are heterosexual. Lesbians will want to look elsewhere for more information about their sexuality.

A review by the Halifax Working Group, Halifax, N.S.