Editorial Review

Beginning with the "10 Greatest Lies About Pregnancy" (number 10: Lamaze works), and ending with postpartum dementia, Vicki Iovine's Read more

Reviews (881)

LOVED this book.Kept me laughing all the way!
I have recommended this book to several of my expecting friends, and each of them have equally loved it.I needed the laughter during my lonely pregnancy, and this book provided 100%.
Fun and Frustrating
"The Girlfriends' Guide to Pregnancy" is a difficult book to rate. Vicki Iovine's honesty and sense of humor about pregnancy deserves 5 stars.If you find pregnancy difficult for even a moment, this book will be a great comfort to you.It is a delightful antidote to the dry, frightening pregnancy books that flood the market.
This Book Is Great!!!
I loved it!I thought it was honest and fun.Vicki does a great job of letting you know how it is, while giving you suggestions on getting through it.I look forward to reading her other books. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Child Care/Parenting    2. Family / Parenting / Childbirth    3. General    4. Pregnancy    5. Pregnancy & Childbirth    6. Topic - Family    7. Family & Relationships / General    8. Humour    9. Pregnancy, birth & baby care   

Reviews (33)

I haven't laughed this hard in a long time!!
Women, it's very raw but you have to read this. You will be laughing so hard you cry! Need a stress reliever read this book!!!I can't wait to get her first 2.

Wonderful and heartelt
She did it again.. she made me sit up and take notice.. I loved it and I thought it was brave of her to open up. I am sending Belly Laughs and Baby Laughs to my best friend.. she can get her own Life Laughs!! I always feel that I am reading my own stories when I read her books.. I have a 4 year old and have been through a divorce.. God Bless You Jenny!

not as good as her 1st 2 books
this book was very disappointing. i LOVED her 1st two books. so when this book came out i was very excited. after reading it, i found it was rather dull and not very funny. there were very few parts that actually made me laugh, unlike her 1st two books. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Actors    2. Biography    3. Humor    4. Love / Sex / Marriage    5. Marriage    6. Parenting - Child Rearing    7. Parenting - Motherhood    8. Television personalities    9. Topic - Family    10. Topic - Relationships    11. United States    12. Family & Relationships / Marriage   

Reviews (23)

For more "advanced" moms
I think this would be a great book, but I feel it spoke more to moms who are done having kids and have older kids. This is just my take on it. I have one child and one on the way, so it didn't appeal to me as much as I thought it would. I mean, although I'm not done having kids, I still want to "get my groove back"! :-)

Awful book- her husband should be mortified
....since she makes him look like the worst man alive. Anecdotes about how she has to beg him to do his part as a father and how he negatively reacts to her pregnancies really set my teeth on edge. Am I the only woman alive whose husband truly cherishes his role as a father? Even worse, I put 2 and 2 together and realized the man in question is none other then THE Jimmy Iovine, famous producer. Is THAT how she was able to get this drivel published? I agree with the previous reviewer who noted the overabundance of run on sentences as well. Don't waste your money on this book:The Iovines have plenty as it is.

Vicki is at it again.
I have read all of her books. Her humorous writing has helped to save my sanity during the mommy years. Her brutal honesty about raising children is much appreciated in a society that fails to acknowledge the true challenge that parenting is. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Conduct of life    2. Family & Relationships    3. Family / Parenting / Childbirth    4. Family Relationships    5. Family/Marriage    6. Motherhood    7. Mothers    8. Parenting - General    9. Parenting - Motherhood    10. Psychology    11. Family & Relationships / Parenting   

Reviews (54)

Can't stop reading this!
I read this through when I was pregnant with my 4 months old twins.And I thought it was cute and interesting.But once they got here I have become desperate for any advice on how to handle twins.I have re-read this book dozens of times!! Trying to figure out sleeping habits, what to do for schedules, and reassureance from other twin moms that at the 3 month old mark it will get better.The things that I giggled at the most have held the most truth for me.Like, 'you should never microwave formula'.....'But you will, we all do and its o.k.' If you are haveing twins you need a sense of humor and THIS BOOK!

Helpful hints
This book was not only very funny but also very helpful.It kept my attention the whole time I was reading it.I couldn't put it down. I did not know what to expect with twins.I already had a little girl (who is now 7) and even then when she was a baby I did not know how to handle her.Elizabeth (the author of this book) gives great tips and hints on how to deal with and cope with having 2 babies at one time!I would recommend this book to anyone who is expecting twins or more.I would even recommend this book for someone who is only expecting one child.The tips and hints she gives do aim more at a mother of twins (being a mother of twins herself), however, the tips she gives would work just as well with a single child.Please take the time to read the excerpt of this book.It will not only make you laugh, but it will make you want to read more.If you are an expecting mother (of any amount of babies) I would strongly recommend reading this book! I myself have already read it more then once!

Could have been better...
Home on bedrest and expecting twins in the fall, I have been doing a lot of reading this summer.I have a 3 year old and purchased this book to help me prepare for our new additions.As others have written, it's just not as good as it could be.There are certainly funny parts and useful suggestions.However, much of the book reads as a diary of the author's experiences rather than a summary of approaches and objective recommendations. Certainly, not as witty and well-written as the "Girlfriend's Guide" series.That said, it is a fast read with some useful information on twins that your generic "what to expect" pregnancy books won't have. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Family & Relationships    2. Family / Parenting / Childbirth    3. Family/Marriage    4. Parenting - General    5. Parenting - Motherhood    6. Parenting - Parent & Adult Child    7. Topic - Family    8. Humor   

Reviews (43)

12 gifts
I have bought many copies of this book for gifts and it has been well received and appreciated.It is a nice gift for children and babies and for the adults as well.

A Must Have for New Parents
From the Twelve Gifts of Marriage, through the Twelve Gifts of Birth to the Twelve Gifts For Healing, Charlene Costanzo has gifted all who read her works with true inspiration to hold fast to what matters in life.

The Twelve Gifts of Birth
One of the most beautiful books I have read.I give it for newborn gifts or baby showers. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children    2. Conduct of life    3. Family Relationships    4. Family/Marriage    5. Health & Fitness    6. Inspirational    7. Inspirational - Gifts    8. Juvenile literature    9. Parenting - Motherhood    10. Pregnancy & Childbirth    11. Self-esteem    12. Values    13. Family & Relationships / Family Relationships    14. Marriage, family & other relationships    15. Mind, Body, Spirit    16. Pregnancy, birth & baby care   

Reviews (78)

A unique book documenting an amazing journey
We received this book from my father-in-law as a gift after we announced my wife's pregnancy.It was really a very good choice for a gift to expectant parents.
A Child Is Born
The photographs in this new edition are amazing.I bought the book for my daughter, since I had followed her development in the edition I purchased in 1980.Every expectant mother should have this book!

This is an excellent book.
This is such a great book.It helped my 6 year-old son prepare for his little brother.He was so amazed by all the pictures that he actually wanted to watch his brother be born.Later on I was able to pass the book on to a friend who was pregnant for the first time.The book is so good I had to buy another one.I would recommend this book to everyone. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Family & Relationships    2. Family / Parenting / Childbirth    3. Family/Marriage    4. Parenting - Motherhood    5. Pregnancy & Childbirth    6. Family & Relationships / Pregnancy & Childbirth   

Reviews (6)

Not my favorite
This is my fourth child and I was bored with my old pregnancy books.This book contains good information, but the writing style seemed strange.The author seems to have some "issues" that I found distracting.When talking about ultrasounds she says that "you might see your baby. . .frowning as if to say, 'You again?'"I guess she just seems very negative about pregnancy in general.
Excellent and Educational
I found this book to be an excellent reference and informative of my weekly progress, as well as what to expect in coming weeks.The color photos of the baby's progress are amazing, the section layout comprehensive, the glossary and relative questions helpful.I felt it was a bonus for Dr. Riley to cover post-partum and baby care, questions and information about the many pre-natal testing out there.It helps educate and inform without overloading the reader.
Not great
I don't care for the way this book is organized. I have only glanced at "What to Expect...", but the two books seem very similar, with small sections (paragraph-length or sometimes longer) in each chapter that are usually not in any obviously logical order, which makes it difficult to reference. The information is also pretty basic. I would say this reads more like tiny magazine articles than any comprehensive and useful guide to rely on in your pregnancy. I haven't found any other guide that really excites me, but the closest I've found is the "Mayo Clinic's Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy". That book gives all the same information you find in this plus more in a more logical format.
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Subjects:  1. Childbirth    2. Family / Parenting / Childbirth    3. Family/Marriage    4. Health & Fitness    5. Parenting - Motherhood    6. Popular works    7. Pregnancy    8. Pregnancy & Childbirth    9. Health & Fitness / Pregnancy & Childbirth   

Reviews (63)

Great Book
I recommend this book for anyone thinking about having having a baby or who is pregnant.Sometimes the best way to address tough issues is with humor and this book is hysterical.Jenny hits the nail on the head.

Amusing, but not particularly innovative
There are some very funny and truthful parts of this book, but I wouldn't really call it revolutionary.Maybe most moms just don't sit around and talk honestly with their friends like I do.Not everyone will appreciate her humor or agree with some of her parenting choices.I was unimpressed with the chapter on breastfeeding.It came off as ill-informed and defensive rather than comical.But that's okay, to each her own. Overall McCarthy has a funny and self-deprecating way of writing that makes this very readable.If you're looking for light reading and some fun, this could be a good book for you.I'd recommend checking it out from the library or borrowing it from a friend though.

A Must read for Potential Moms
I bought this book for a funny and insightful look at what the first year may bring. I couldn't put it down once I started reading it and laughed myself into tears. It was a insightful and humorus look at what it might be like. It did not convince me to get pregnant but I am thinking about it and now have a better idea of what I'm in for. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. American Satire And Humor    2. Child Care/Parenting    3. Family & Relationships    4. Family / Parenting / Childbirth    5. General    6. Humor    7. Infants    8. Infants & Toddlers - Infants    9. Life Stages - Infants & Toddlers/Infants    10. Motherhood    11. Mothers    12. Parent And Child    13. Parenting - General    14. Parenting - Motherhood    15. Topic - Family    16. Family & Relationships / Parenting   

Reviews (43)

Only God can create life
This book is truly a celebration of life.If you read this book and still think that allowing abortions on demand is okay, then your heart has grown too hard.dls

Miracle:A Celebration of New Life
The book filled with unbelievable moving pictures of babies and the lovely songs on the CD make this book choice one of my favorites.

some almost ghoulish
Some of the Geddes photos in this book are a bit extreme - almost ghoulish - with babies under stretched sheer fabric - giving a weird, almost preborn appearance to the infant. Most of the photos, though, are beautiful and creative and just what we have come to expect from this photographer. The audio CD by Celine Dion is absolute perfection. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Family / Parenting / Childbirth    2. Family/Marriage    3. Flowers    4. Geddes, Anne    5. General    6. Individual Photographer    7. Life Stages - Infants & Toddlers/Infants    8. Parenting - Motherhood    9. Photo Techniques    10. Photography    11. Photography Of Specific Subjects    12. Photography of infants    13. Pictorial works    14. Subjects & Themes - Children    15. Gift books    16. Photographs: portraits    17. Photography / Individual Photographer   

Editorial Review

The 9 months preceding and the 12 months following child birth are exciting, trying, confusing times; they are the months of many questions. You wonder about your itchy palms, morning sickness, fetus development, home midwife or hospital doctor choices, what to eat, amniocentesis, miscarriages, labor painkillers, maintaining your physical and emotional health after childbirth, and, not least, how to care for your growing, developing baby. A live-in pediatrician would be nice; a 750-page comprehensive reference guide is the next best solution. It won't eliminate anxiety, but it's a reassuring presence, and a soothing source of answers and explanations. ... Read more

Reviews (41)

Good book, but appears out dated....
I was very excited to receive this book, and started reading it immediately.It is a large hard-cover edition, certainly making it feel as though it has all the information you'll ever need.I'm sure this book has tons of good information, but when I got to the nutrition section, I knew that the food pyramid they showed was out of date.I hadn't checked the copyright when I ordered the book and was disappointed to see that it was published in 1994!12 years old is pretty old when it comes to any medical/health information, and so I'm returning it for the more updated "Mayo Clinic Guide to a healthy Pregnancy".I would have liked the new version to also cover the first year of life like this book, but I need up-to-date information, or I won't trust it.

The Best
This is absolutely the best resource for anyone trying to conceive, pregnant, with an infant or just curious about the entire process.
Get This Book FREE!
This is a wonderful book to have throughout your pregnancy and your child's first year.It has been a great help to me and my family.Yes, it is a thick book, but it has lots of great information.
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Subjects:  1. Care    2. Child Care/Parenting    3. Childbirth    4. Family / Parenting / Childbirth    5. Infants    6. Life Stages - Infants & Toddlers/Infants    7. Parenting    8. Parenting - Motherhood    9. Pregnancy    10. Pregnancy & Childbirth    11. Health & Fitness / Pregnancy & Childbirth   

Editorial Review

Beyond child development theory and experts, beyond the"shoulds" and the "don'ts" that guilt-ridden parents constantly hear echoing in their ears, there's Vicki Iovine, America's favorite "girlfriend" and mother-in-the-trenches. In Read more

Reviews (76)

Just not that into it.
I also didn't like it. I don't see what the hype is about it personally. I thought Girlfriends Guide to Pregnancy was great but this one doesn't tell you anything that common sense wouldn't! I say if you want to try it out, use the library. That way you aren't wasting your money on it.

Thank you for making me feel normal!
I love Vicki's books, her sense of humour and sometimes outrageous comments help me feel sane in this otherwise insane parenting ride.If you're looking for the politically correct, always attached parenting book...please save yourself the bother, you'll only get hot under the collar!If, on the other hand, you struggle to do your best, have a load of parent baggage left over from your parents, feel life has got to be more amusing than it currently is...then read and enjoy!

Ummm... what is everyone raving about?
I unfortunaely am not like every other person who has read this book . I too am one of those "Hippie" moms (not the worst thing in the world to be called, but I am insulted nonetheless)- although there are a few cute anectdotes in this book that make me smile I can only say that is why I gave this book two stars instead of one.
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Subjects:  1. Care    2. Child rearing    3. Family & Relationships    4. Family / Parenting / Childbirth    5. Family/Marriage    6. Life Stages - Infants & Toddlers/Toddlers    7. Motherhood    8. Parenting - General    9. Parenting - Motherhood    10. Popular works    11. Toddlers    12. Child care & upbringing    13. Family & Relationships / Motherhood   

Editorial Review

It's a rare book that delivers so completely on such a broad promise. Read more

Reviews (20)

MOTHER-DAUGTER WISDOM RESONATES...
...with wisdom and truth. You read her words and know somewhere deep inside that it's true--the connection with our mothers--and the connection with our daughters. This is a wonderful book to give and to receive. Your girlfriends, daughters and sisters will thank you. Sound medical advice and much, much more. MOTHERING-DAUGHTER WISDOM is not only the best in its field, there's little to compare!
Dr. Northrup walks her talk!
I always look to see if an author stands in their truth.If they walk their talk.Dr. Christiane Northrup does.I have read all of her books, Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom, The Wisdom of Menopause and now Mother-Daughter Wisdom.They all embody her path to well-being and her knowledge on the subject of women's health. In her book Mother-Daughter Wisdom, she shares her own life experiences from raising two daughters and her expertise as a medical doctor and relates them to health and wellness.I find this book to be a great tool and guide to help mothers raise empowered daughters and a model for a healthy mother-daughter relationship.I have three grown daugthers and would have loved to have had this book when they were growing up.I found out through much trial and error how to raise empowered daughters.Dr. Northrup is a pioneer in our time venturing into these unchartered waters of how mothers and daughters can have a balanced and loving relationship.She addresses the many challenges in our society today facing girls and gives suggestions on how to deal with them in a positive way.She talks about mothers caring and nurturing themselves in order to care for their daughter.This book is also areference book as Dr. Northrup covers from birth to adulthood for the many stages in a mother and daughter's life.Mothers, men, and women without children, would benefit by reading this book to connect with their own legacy with their mother or if raising a daughter.
Mother-Daughter
Looks deep into the souls of mothers and daughters and imparts wisdom for both. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Health and hygiene    2. Mental health    3. Mother-daughter relationship    4. Mothers and daughters    5. Parenting - Motherhood    6. Social Science    7. Sociology    8. Women    9. Women's Studies - General    10. Social Science / Women's Studies    11. Reading Group Guide   

Editorial Review

If you are a mother and many of your conversations with your teenage daughter begin with a rolling of eyes, move into shrieked insults, and end with a door slam, Read more

Reviews (6)

highly recommended for parents of teen girls
I really learned alot from this book & plan on reading it again. It helped me adjust my parenting techniques with my 13 year old daughter and also made me feel better about myself. I have told many people to read this book, it is very well written and really helps a parent with the adolecent girl.

Great advice if your kids perfect already!
I wouldn't have bought this book if I wasn't dealing with a VERY defiant, and manipulative teenage daughter--so when this book assumes that I can just say the right thing and everything will be fine, is an absolute joke!This advice would be great if it worked as simply as the book says.But if you already have a tough kid, these tips are NOT going to suddenly make her see the logic in my rules.Kids don't care about the explaination of why it's wrong to dress trashy or wear too much makeup...they want what they want.This book assumes that your kid obeys you in the first place!The title really drew me in--I thought that I had finally found a book that understood what I am going through.But it's just another below-average parenting book with a catchy title!

No, I'm not going crazy!
I thought I going was nuts, not knowing how to parent my pre-teen.At last, a book to let me know I was not going crazy by myself, that it is perfectly normal what we are going through, why I as the mom am the target and spring board for her growing up.It also gives ideas on how to rethink parenting, your responses to issues.It shows why "I" the mom am the only one, cuz I'm the closest one to her, that she is 'experimenting with life' off of.I don't feel so alone, I'm okay, and can see why I get the backwash, and the testing.I highly recommend this book to other moms and also dads too, so they can understand the battle while they watch from the sidelines. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Family & Relationships    2. Family / Parenting / Childbirth    3. Family/Marriage    4. Life Stages - Adolescence    5. Parenting - General    6. Parenting - Motherhood    7. Advice on parenting    8. Family & Relationships / Parenting    9. Marriage, family & other relationships   

Reviews (7)

A must read for every mom (and dad)!
Wow!I loved this book.The writing is so great... practical and hilarious at the same time.The description of her childrens' rooms matches perfectly with what I see in my own home.I was laughing out loud at many of the descriptions and will recommend this book to every mom I know.This book is a voice of sanity and reason in a crazy parenting world!Paula Spencer doesn't claim to have all the answers but her advice is to trust your gut and r-e-l-a-x.I think that's the best advice out there.Parenting shouldn't be so hard.It's the most natural thing in the world!I'm glad to know that I'm not the only mom who lets the kids clean themselves in the tub simply by splashing around in the bubbles.
Wise, Witty and Wonderful!
Laugh-out-loud funny and head-nodding wise, Momfidence is an essential guide to modern motherhood.Like a modern-day Erma Bombeck, Paula Spencer brings a delightful sense of humor, solid experience and a warm heart to the challenges of parenting, offering up sound and practical advice. Kudos to Paula for bringing common sense--and fun--back into being a Mom.

No more guilt trips!!
Paula Spencer is well-versed in all the parenting advice from the 'experts'. Heck, she's interviewed them for articles she has written for magazines. That's why it's ironically-fitting (and somehow poetic justice) for her to tell all of us mothers not to worry so much about what we did -- or didn't do -- in our motherhood roles. Momfidence! is a welcome break from the guilt trip that we often find ourselves on.The book covers so many different aspects of real-life motherhood, and every mom is sure to see herself in many of the situations Paula describes. There is lots of practical wisdom in this book and lots of humor, too. Paula shares personal anecdotes with her readers, giving them a window into her world and true appreciation of her own pursuit of Momfidence! I gave this book to two of my friends who had babies recently, and they love it. I wish this book had been around 15 years ago when I had the first of my three sons. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Child Care/Parenting    2. Child Development And Rearing    3. Family & Relationships    4. Family / Parenting / Childbirth    5. Mother and child    6. Motherhood    7. Mothers    8. Parenting - General    9. Parenting - Motherhood    10. Psychology    11. Family & Relationships / Parenting   

Reviews (15)

Easy to read, hilarious and scriptural
Ginger Plowman is humble, real and hilarious.It's like having a godly friend that's more experienced taking you by the hand and leading you through training your children.She's has helped me to be a more discerning listener to the pulse of my child's heart.She helps you train your child by diagnosing the root of the problem rather than just pruning and pruning but never really getting at the "cancer"... (the sin in their hearts, their motives, desires.)
Extremely focused on spanking only
I did find some of the advice in this book to be helpful and convicting spiritually.However, I cannot recommend it because of the serious problems.In the first place, the only discipline tool for punishment that the book recommends is spanking (although in one example, in the middle of the *large* section about spanking, the author takes away privileges, but she never recommends that).She never acknowledges or addresses the possibility that the "rod" in scripture might mean anything other than or in addition to literal physical discipline, and she provides no analysis of what the "rod" actually meant in the time of the writing of Proverbs nor of what a "child" is in that context (what age was the writer referring to?).Her point would be much stronger if she addressed some of these issues, but she just glibly throws out the standard scriptures, without any meaningful interpretation or analysis, and then moves on.
Very Practical Book on Heart-Oriented Discipline

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Subjects:  1. Christianity - Christian Life - Parenting    2. Christianity - Christian Life - Women's Issues    3. Family & Relationships    4. Family/Marriage    5. Parenting - Discipline    6. Parenting - Motherhood    7. Religion - Marriage & Family   

Reviews (19)

NCMom
This book explained so much!Growing up with foster parents and no consistent parenting has made life confusing.Its been interesting to read that any adult, even the adults with the same parents from birth also have attachment issues.This is the first book I have found that explains how someone's childhood dramatically affects our ability to attach to our own children.Every parent I know wants to give their children their best and this book shows me how anyone understand ALL the sides of attachment disorder.Most of the books I have found have only explained why a child is not able to attach.What a relief to understand the whole subject.

Great for professionals in mental health fields!
Karen's work reviews attatchment research and theory from inception through present day. It's a fascinating read as well, authored by a practitioner and teacher, one who interviewed the great minds that participated in creating a phenomenal view of child development. However, the back cover recommends it as a guide for parents, which it is not. Most parents would feel misled by finding a review of the field rather than recommended parenting skills or practice.

One of the most influential books I have ever read
My education is in Physics and Economics, so whatever psychological knowledge (or lack there of) I have is self-taught. Accordingly, please understand my review is from a perspective that is surely naive. That being said I found "Becoming Attached" so profound that it spawned a hunger in me too learn as much as I can about psychology that has continued unabated 2 years after I first read this book. Currently I am immersed in Carl Jung's original writings. If anyone wants a real understanding of how nurture influences individually psychology, I believe this to be an amazing starting point. Please note: this book is solid and dense, I would not read it if you are looking for something light and airy or are interested in the latest pop-psychology. It is for the serious novice. Since I am now a firm believer that nature and nurture work in combination to determine who we are individually, I also highly recommend reading the book "Moral Animal" by Robert Wright. "Moral Animal" is the perfect compliment to "Becoming Attached" and gives a very compelling introduction on how nature influences us. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Attachment behavior    2. Developmental - Child    3. Infant Psychology    4. Mother and child    5. Mother and infant    6. Parenting - Motherhood    7. Psychology    8. Psychotherapy - Child & Adolescent    9. Social Psychology    10. Family & relationships    11. Psychology & Psychiatry / Developmental Psychology    12. Psychology | Sexuality   

Editorial Review

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Reviews (37)

Must-read for any woman or parent (especially working moms!)
I find myself raving about this book to every woman (and man) I know. This is the most astounding and thought-provoking book I've read in recent years.Professor Hrdy is an emeritus professor of anthropology at UC Davis who puts the behavior of mothers and infants into an evolutionary context, using a comparative approach and drawing from sociobiology, anthropology, and psychology. I enjoyed this book from my perspectives as a student who did doctoral research in behavioral ecology; as a scientist who's tired of the superficial stereotype of instinctive, selfless maternal devotion; and most profoundly as a mother who's trying somehow to balance the equation of doing good for my family, myself, and the world as an ecologist with a conservation group. I appreciated the fact that she did not just rely on her own research on langur monkeys, but extensively reviewed other studies (and pointed out the dearth of studies that challenge societal assumptions that all mothers should care for every infant under any circumstance). She also entertains different hypotheses instead of just staking out a prescription based on an idealized version from one point in human evolutionary history (i.e. romanticizing hunter-gatherer societies), as seen in anthropologist Meredith Small's "Our Babies, Ourselves", which is also a wonderful book, but lacks the breadth of Hrdy's scholarship.
A must read for any evolutionary psychologist
So many great little factoids. My favorite topics include family planning (abortion, infanticide), maternal bonding, the adaptiveness of menopause, females in social structure, and lots of other tidbits I wish more authors would cover. The most fascinating thing is that these topics come up in the animal kingdom, not just with us. Evolution from a female viewpoint
This is a fascinating look at evolution with particular reference to the female of the species.Packed with fascinating information about female behaviour through the ages. Descriptions of life among hunter-gatherer groups are particularly interesting.Subjects like infanticide, wetnursing, abandonment of infants, etc are gone into in great detail.I learnt a lot from this book.I particularly enjoyed the splendidly bloodthirsty lullabye from the Napoleonic era printed at the end of this book, my children love it.One small complaint, at one point in this book Ms. Hrdy compares housewives to laboratory rats.Now, I am used to the abuse routinely heaped on housewives, but this is really going a little too far.The big difference between a laboratory rat and a housewife is that I, a housewife, can leave my house any time I like (maybe it's different in America, perhaps housewives are kept locked up there, I don't know), and I frequently do.i have alot more freedom of movement than I would if I were, say, stuck in an office all day long.I quite accept Ms. Hardy' point that children do not have to be caredfor full-time by their mothers, but it would be nice if she could refrain from abusing those of us who actually enjoy being full-time carers. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. General    2. Life Sciences - Evolution - Human    3. Mother and child    4. Motherhood    5. Natural selection    6. Psychological aspects    7. Science    8. Social Science    9. Sociology    10. Women's Studies - General    11. Science / Evolution   

Reviews (5)

An insightful and well-written book on depression
In this important book, Tracy Thompson tackles the seldom talked about topic of maternal depression and has done a phenomenal job of exploring how, for far too many women, depression can intermingle with and transform the experience of motherhood.Drawing upon her own experiences with depression and including the stories of hundreds of women she interviewed, she paints a picture of maternal depression that is honest, compelling, and perhaps most importantly, empathic.Moreover, she has deftly woven this evocative descriptive material with a careful review of the medical literature, creating a work that is scholarly and engaging.