Color of Violence: The Incite! Anthology

Anyone who's complacent about the successes of the feminist movement should dip into this collection of 28 essays about the women left behind, left out or simply forgotten. Ranging in style from the jeremiad to the jargon-laden, from the anecdotal to the analytical, the essays are compiled by Incite!, which describes itself as "the largest multiracial grassroots feminist organization in the U.S." Three essays offer eye-opening revelations below the radar of mainstream feminism ("Disability in the New World Order" by Nirmala Erevelles; "Disloyal to Feminism: Abuse of Survivors within the Domestic Violence Shelter System" by Emi Kayama; "Criminal Punishment and Economic Violence Against Women of Color" by Patricia Allard). Though representing a broad spectrum, the contributions often fall in ethnic huddles; four, for example, focus on the Israel/Palestine conflict and three on Iraq and terrorism. Andrea Ritchie's "Law Enforcement Violence against Women of Color" and Andrea Smith's "Heteropatriarchy and the Three Pillars of White Supremacy" are noteworthy for their inclusiveness. Frequently polemical and controversial, some essays may preach to the choir while turning off the congregation. Two haunting poems by Noura Erekat and maiana minahal urge a thoughtful consideration of the other texts. (Nov.)