109 Book Reviews/Comptes rendus is no index. But as a record of facts about Toronto's Department of English it is definitive. The book will long remain required reading both for those who trace the history of English studies elsewhere in Canada and for those who wish to place the events at Toronto in a wider cultural context. Moses, Ingrid and Ernest Roe, Heads and Chairs: Managing Academic Departments. Queensland: University of Queensland Press, 1990 Pp. i-xiii; 1-260. Price: $29.95 Australian. Reviewed by Professor Amy E. Zelmer, Dean, School of Health Science, University College of Central Queensland, Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia This book results from a series of surveys and interviews which were carried out in 1988 by the authors with the heads of schools and departments in nine universities in Australia. It will be of interest not only to those occupying similar positions but also to those with interests in comparative education. The authors provide with a good brief introduction to the evolution of the role of the Head in universities which have developed in the "anglo-saxon world"; that is, Britain, the US, Canada and Australia. The use of several short case studies and frequent quotes from those interviewed fleshes out the otherwise somewhat dry reporting of the survey results. Those who have occupied any administrative position in a university will emphasize with the interviewee who said, "One is appointed for one's academic pursuits but one has to worry about pin boards and other trivia." Since the book is largely the report of a study of the views of Chairs and their staff there is little 'advice' to prospective Chairs. However, anyone contemplating taking on the chairmanship of a university department will likely gain considerable insight from the information provided here. Sections of the book examine the academic dimension, the political dimension and the management dimension and one chapter is specifically devoted to "tensions, conflicts and danger areas". One brief chapter does offer basic information about skills needed which would be useful to a new Chair or to anyone attempting to develop an orientation program for new appointees. Canadian and Australian universities are sufficiently similar that there should be no problem in applying the information to the Canadian context. A 'graduate assistant' is a full-time employee (rather than a graduate student as in most Canadian universities); the hierarchy of 'Professor', 'Reader', 'Senior Lecturer', 'Lecturer' should not cause problems to anyone familiar with the organisation of British universities. There may be still more kudos attached to the title 'Professor' in Australia than in Canada but whatever the labels, the issues related to the academic seniority of the person appointed to the Chair would seem to be the same. The problems of trying to maintain an active research and teaching program while taking on administrative duties also seems to be entirely similar in both countries. The survey on which this book was based was done before the recent 110 Book Reviews/Comptes rendus reorganisation of the Australian tertiary education system which led to the abolition of the former Colleges of Advanced Education and several amalgamations of other bodies. The book makes the point that university and college administration differ somewhat in terms of a collegial versus a bureaucratic approach. The book also seems to imply a fairly stable institution in which the Chair functions; one wonders whether a repeat survey at this point in time would show that both incumbents and their staff would give a higher priority to the 'advocacy role' and 'obtaining resources' for Departments which are under considerable pressure in the face of large scale changes. There are one or two curious omissions in the book - and apparently in the survey on which it was based. There is no mention of any special issues which arise for women Heads or Chairs; the writing would seem to indicate that the overwhelming number of incumbents interviewed were male, although one Chair, Professor Z, is referred to as 'she'. Similarly there is one section of the book devoted to 'handling paperwork', but no reference to computers or electronic message systems and the effect which these innovations may have on the administrative role of the Chairperson.