In the book spotlight

The Canadian road toward abortion legalization will seem familiar to those who know America's abortion history. It's a story of social change and individuals willing to sacrifice themselves in the struggle to bring about that change. But F.L. Morton, a professor at the University of Calgary, compellingly tells the story in Pro-Choice vs. Pro-Life: Abortion and the Courts in Canada (University of Oklahoma Press, 1992). By focusing on the struggles of two key figures, Henry Morgantaler (who openly challenged existing law by performing illegal abortions) and Joe Borowski (union leader turned pro-life crusader), Mr. Morton turns what could be a dry recital of court cases and legal challenges into riveting social history. With lively writing and good specific detail, he brings alive Morgantaler, a Polish Jewish concentration camp survivor, and Borowski, the son of Polish immigrants to Canada, and shows how their crusades ushered in profound changes in Canadian culture and law.