While most of the contributors are navigating new horizons in the areas of feminist scholarship and debate, I was disheartened to see some contributors adopt methods of study and analysis that seem to make all women's experience reducible to blanket statements--something many women have denounced in the work of so-called male-stream experts. When a writer contends that "additional education raised women's potential earnings," I am left wondering which women the writer is referring to since so few women have had access to education over a long period of time, and many still struggle to make enough money to feed and clothe themselves and their families, let alone increase their 'potential earnings.' I can't help but conclude that statements like this create wider divisions based on class and race between women instead of bringing women struggling under patriarchy together.

While the book aims to present a balanced view of American and Canadian perspectives, American contributors do not, seem familiar with Canadian feminist issues; in the same way Canadians are with American topics. Indeed, Canadian feminists show a lack of awareness around Québecoise issues. This is demonstrated in articles by Québecoises women who take issue with the way their histories and ideas are viewed in anglophone Canada. In an essay entitled "Perspectives of Quebec Feminists," Micheline de Sève questions the view that women's groups in Québec are perceived to be regional groups represented by national or Canadian organizations.

"How can you react as a feminist from Québec," she asks, "when you find are totally ignored in lists which correctly recognize as national associations the Indian Rights for Indian Women or the Black Women's Congress but systematically ignore ... French Canadian umbrella groups?" One reacts with outrage, I suspect.

Status of Women Canada Condition féminine Canada A COMMUNITY KIT ON VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN Violence is a painful fact of life for women in every Canadian community. Violence against women must be stopped. The Community Kit provides many ideas, approaches and tools to help you: establish a community action group; find out about available services and programs in your community; involve a wide range of groups in creating an action plan for change; and motivate individuals and organizations to take action. THE COMMUNITY KIT CAN BE ORDERED FROM: Canada Communication Group-Publishing Ottawa, CANADA KIA OS9 Tel: (819) 956-4802 Fax: (819) 994-1498 The price is $19.95 each (other countries: $26.00 US). (Quote catalogue no. SW45-4/1993E.) Postage and handling costs in Canada are: $3.50 for one kit; $5.40 for two or three kits; $10.50 for four to ten kits and 6% of the total order for more than ten kits. Add 7% GST if applicable. The Community Kit is also available through some bookstores. WATCH FOR a new publication, Community Stories: Taking Action on Violence Against Women, available in summer 1994. Canada

While there are strong individual pieces in this book, the collection; as a whole suffers from a lack of cohesion and frequently the language is inaccessible. Women in academic institutions have an opportunity to make higher learning available to women outside the ivory towers by writing and speaking with simple and understandable language. Considering the way ideas are expressed in this collection, these authors are writing for a very narrowly defined audience--namely other feminist scholars. While Challenging Times can offer Women's Studies students a partial overview of some questions North American feminism is raising and attempting to answer, the lack of plain and common language makes for a challenging read for anyone else.

Lisa Schmidt is a poet and freelance book reviewer who lives in Toronto. Recently her reviews have appeared in Paragraph, Our Times and Briarpatch.