Women's Health Books

While we were please with receiving the book, I paid $6.99 for expedited shipping and yet received the book 8 days later. Asked for a $3.00 shipping refund and did not receive it.

Fat Chance is an amazingly true, honest, and heart-warming book. Leslea Newman does an awesome job on capturing the emotions and pressures of teenage girls. This book's main character is Judi Leibowitz. Judi has three goals. 1) To decide what she wants to be when she grows up. 2) To get a boyfriend. 3) To loose some weight and become "skinny". Judi thinks that everything is going great when she becomes friends with the prettiest, skinniest, and most popular girl in school, Nancy Pratt. But she soon finds out what Nancy's "secret to success" is. Judi thinks that if Nancy does it, then she should, and she tries it out. So then, Judi becomes more of Nancy's look out, other than her friend. This "secret" gets Nancy and Judi into trouble, in more than one way, and Judi can't decide what to do. This book is very touching and true. I recommend it to anyone and everyone!

This book kept my attention & I kept reading on to find out what would happen next. It makes you realize what some teen girls are going through in their lives right now. Every teen girl should read this story because it teaches you some good lessons.

Fat Chance by Leslea Newman

Life in middle school is already tough enough when you are an unsatisfied American teen like the main character Judy. Although the constant comments made by Tommy Aristo, a mom who won't even let you wear makeup, and growing up being the "fat girl" in the class doesn't make it much easier. So when Mrs. Roth the English teacher assigns the class to write in a journal periodically, Judy comes up with three goals in life that will supposedly solve all her problems: One, decide what she wants to be when she grows up; Two, get a boyfriend (preferably Richard Weiss); And three, lose weight because "Everyone knows guys like skinny girls, the skinnier the better (p. 3)". So with the help of her best friend Monica, Judy decides to do what she thinks will lead to happiness and popularity by becoming skinny. However while battling the numbers on the scale, she also discovers a risky way to stay thin, even if it that means threatening her health.

Leslea Newman did an excellent job by using realistic details and even some educational facts in this contemporary fiction novel. It has the perfect amount of drama, comedy, and even a bit of romance. She makes it easy to relate to because of the real life scenarios and issues almost all teenage girls go through, without sugar coating it or being too graphic like many other dramatic books do. It is a must read if you also liked books such as Are You There God, It's Me Margaret or Just As Long As We're Together by Judy Bloom. Newman and Bloom have a very similar writing style, however Newman usually provides a bit more detail and is more dramatic in her description. This book may take awhile to get into, but once hooked on Judy's personality and exciting turn of events, it is impossible to put down. I found myself intrigued by Newman's interesting style of simple word usage that really makes you think and feel as though you are there going through everything with Judy. Pre-teens and teenage girls everywhere would enjoy this easy read and should be required to read it in the seventh and eighth grades.

This book is about a teenaged girl named Judi who develops bulimia while dealing with her extreme insecurities about her body and herself. Over the course of a few months, Judi realizes that another girl in her school, Nancy, is also sufferring from an eating disorder. After realizing that they have the same problem, Judi begins to emulate Nancy's behavior, and even "cover" for her while she throws up her lunch in the school bathroom.

Although the idea of this novel intrigued me, I didn't find it very original, or very realistic. Any reputable psychologist will tell you that people with eating disorders are almost never able to recover on their own, and have a greater chance of relapsing if they do. However, in Fat Chance, Judi simply stops throwing up after learning the dangers of eating disorders, deciding that losing weight isn't worth it. The problem with this idea, is that people with eating disorders are not generally concerned with the toll that they are taking on their bodies. Instead, they wish to continue the behaviors, and lie consistantly to cover it up.
Therefore, while there are some good aspects to the novel, I think that it presents a rather fluffy and sugarcoated idea of eating disorders. I think that if readers are looking for a more realistic view into the world of eating disorders, they should consider reading memiors like Stick Figure, or a psychotherapist's view, like The Best Little Girl in the World. These books better demonstrate the extreme complexities of eating disorders and their effects on those who suffer from them.

This is a well written book that gives you an idea what you are up against. I found that it is great to give it to your family members so that they understand what and how this affects their family member.

This was a gift I purchased and the reciever has used it well, being a good therapy for the mind and body in what can be a daily struggle in living with Fibro.

If you have fibromyalgia, this book can change your life, as it did mine. The breakthrough medical information was highly interesting. The authors also presented surprising new findings on which foods and exercise programs actually decrease pain and inflammation--and which ones increase pain. The natural therapies presented by Dr. McIlwain were also revealing with 5-HTP and SAM-e having been found to resolve pain and depression and help aid in getting sound sleep.

It was very helpful to me to hear I was not alone with these vague but high intrusive symptoms of FMS. I recommend this book to anyone with this syndrome.

I find it very amazing that if you click on the "See my all reviews" box that these same people also highly recommend all the other books by the same author? WOW imagine that! Type in the names Harris H. McIlwain and Debra Fulghum Bruce in a search engine and see the 100 other books these people have in print. They sound like the experts for every sickness and illness known to man.

There is some good advice, but nothing new here, snake-oil at best like so many books on the market.

This book has alot for me to be able to refer to & is so easy to understand,...It is so great to be able to turn to a chapter & find
many treatment options to be able to try,...like for instance the one that I hadn't even thought of,...was moist heat,...something that simple,...or a heated swimming pool,..(which some of us do not have),..but I do however have a spa tub,...which will really help me
on a regular basis,....I want to suggest to anyone suffering as I am,..& so many of us are,,...with this horrible,....pain,..just check this book out,..you won't be sorry,..I know I am not,...LH

This book was a slow starter for me. I initially read the first 3 chapters, put the book down and neglected it for nearly 9 months. I picked it back up one day to find out that once you reach chapter 4, the book really does take off and turn out to be a compelling read. It is beautifully written and is one of the few books that I feel is capable of giving some insight to a non-sufferer of ED's, but like I said, the beginning kind of drags on.

I don't have an eating disorder, but ever since seeing the HBO documentary "Thin" I've become interested in the thought processes of people with EDs. I appreciated the author's honesty and clarity of expression. I'm glad I read this.

I first read this book when I was 12 yrs old and I have continued to re-read it throughout my life(I just turned 30). It became a part of me. When I first read it I was having some eating issues and have on/off my whole life. Not bad enough to be considered a full blown eating disorder but I've def. come close to that. I was very interested in the reviews which said this book was triggering for anorexics. I had never thought of it that way but I can see how ppl would say that. But that being said, I have to say that this book still means the world to me and I identified w/ it on so many levels, not just as far as food is concerned. I think it's a beautiful book that most young girls could relate to. I highly recommend it. Oh and I have never written a review for Amazon before, I just was reading some other reviews which were critical and felt I had to defend this book which meant so much to me.

Deborah Hautzig gives a great insight of the daily life of someone who has anorexia nervosa. This book tells the story of a girl fighting anorexia while also fighting with troubles at home. As the book progresses her daily things get harder and is eventually put into a special hospital where they force her to eat. Based on the authors lifetime experiences. A definite good read.

Second Star to the Right was a good book, but it was not informative on the serious disease of Anorexia. It was written from the girl's view who was going through it. It provides good information, and how it feels to be in that postion. However she talks like a little girl and makes it seem as though she was perfectly normal one day and the next she was anorexic, which is not how it occurs. The book does not give out many facts or medical information. If you are looking for a book to try and understand how the anorexic mind works, this is a good one, but if you want the facts forget it.

This one isnt as good as his other with the black cover... but it gets the point across. Good starter tips.

This book is for a young man who is about to graduate from high school or college. If you are looking for a serious book about men's fashion, I suggest you look elsewhere. Perhaps you may want to look at Josh Karlen's 'Indispensible Guide to Classic Men's Clothing' which I found informative reading in the areas of suits, shirts, and outerwear; or even Tim Meehan's 'Suit Yourself' which I thought was interesting in the areas of "dress" casual and "corporate" casual. It took me about 10 minutes to read Mr. Greenleaf's book after skimming the chapters on 'Shaking Hands', 'Shining shoes' (who has time to put shaving cream on their shoes?)and business etiquette. If you need work in these areas, then this book is for you. If you are already established in the business world and have already committed all the fashion crimes early in your career but are gearing more towards the next level in classic men's fashion, this book is not for you. This book is a very basic primer for a person whose closet is empty.

Although they have a definite conservative slant, that slant is the reality of proper dress for interviews.

Prior to buying this book, I read a review that said it was too simple for real office professionals but good for teens just entering the workplace as a starter guide. I think that is a good appraisal.

So I bought the book as a gift for a teen just graduating from high school.

As a gift for a teen, I am disappointed with the sketchy, plain cover and the sketch quality of the illustrations.

I am also disappointed that including shipping and handling I paid some $17 or $18 and received a book that looks like I paid $2 for it. Therefore, it is not well suited as a stand-alone gift either. This was not a "good deal."

In spite of it's cheap appearance and thinness, the information inside is good for a first, elementary, book on dress and conduct.

this book should be titled "professional appearance for dummies". most of the information is very very basic. remember, this book is only 51 pages all inclusive. in that space, it covers dressing, posture, emailing, eating, etc. not a lot of information on any topic.

on top of that, some of the information is wrong. for instance, the author derates asymmetrical tie knots like the half windsor as unprofessional. this is inaccurate and the half windsor is one of the three most popular tie knots for business. (another - the four in hand - the most common - is also asymmetrical)

if you "don't do nuance" and want a couple of rules to live by - this is your book. alternately, if you are young and need a good introduction, read this. otherwise, its really not worth the money.

There was a copy of this book in the waiting room for radiation oncology. It was the one we all wanted to read, and everyone loved it. Its fabulous. Light on the radiation part, but covers a lot fabulous. We are all kinds in that waiting room, and all agreed, this book is wonderful, and the only obscenity is cancer.

4/28/09 A new offering at the neighborhood library in its non fiction section,this book which translated struggles into glib and animated forms is an excellent read.

this book is amazing, i love it! i read it as a newly diagnosed breast cancer patient and it was so helpful and entertaining!! marisa is a fabulous artist and she has been so honest with sharing her experiences.
i cannot recommend it highly enough!!! a great read for anyone going through breast cancer treatment and those close to them.

This book was just sent to be from a loving overseas sister. It couldn't have arrived at a better time. The story line, the illustrations and the wry black humour kept me sane today.
Highly highly recommended.

I loved this book! Have been waiting for M.A. book since read "Who the hellis SHE anyway?!"
My mom survived ovarian Ca and also could appreciate this book. Saw her tear up and laugh all within a couple of pages. I work in Women's health and have shared this with many intrepid women and they say it has helped too.
Now want to try the restaurant...
Thank You M. A. M.!

Although this book contained some good information, I found it to be frustrating because it made it seem as if breastfeeding should be the most natural thing in the world. Many breastfeeding mothers I have talked to said it was a struggle to get breastfeeding "right". It was a struggle for me in the beginning because I had "too much" milk and my baby was jaundiced and not eating. There is only a small paragraph about "too much" milk and it doesn't really give helpful instructions on what to do if your baby is not eating. Simply trying everything in the book to wake them up just doesn't work.

This book is very "pro" breastfeeding, which is great, but because my baby wasn't eating for close to 4-6 hours in the beginning I needed to give her a bottle. Relying solely on this book would have prevented me from doing that. I spoke with a lactation consultant and a pediatrician who both said that it would be ok to give the baby a bottle to start the feeding process and then try the breast. I did that and it worked! It only took 3 more times for us to do that and we got into a good routine. After the 3rd time we no longer needed the bottle. And, my milk supply was not affected by giving her the bottle those few times.

Additionally, there is very little info on how your milk supply works. Mothers need breaks at times and my husband would give our daughter a bottle but I still felt like I had to pump to keep my milk supply up. This caused me a ton of anxiety and stress because the idea behind giving a "relief" bottle is to get relief but since everything in this book says not to skip a feeding unless you HAVE to I felt like I had to continue to work hard. I really wish this book would have gone further into what mom's should do if you are supplementing with a bottle or how often you should pump or even how pumping affects your supply. I realize this is a breastfeeding book and so it will be slanted towards breast only but it is this philosophy that causes so many women to stop early. It is just way more demanding than books like these let on.

The book does not give a reference to approximation of how much your baby should be eating at different ages. At 4 months my baby starting eating every 3-4 hours. After feeding her every 1-2 hours this jump made me feel uneasy but I had heard this would happen. Again, I wasn't sure how my milk supply would change or adjust and consulted this book. There was nothing in here that helped.

Also, I found it difficult at times to find what I was looking for just by going to the Index.

This book was very informative and everything I needed for all of my questions about breastfeeding.

This book helped me feel more prepared for nursing before the birth of my baby. I also reviewed it a bit in the beginning when I had questions or concerns.

I just had a baby in October and this is my second time breastfeedfing. I read it while I was pregnant and I was shocked at how much I didnt know about breastfeedingbeing that I already done it before. I am so glad I read because now i feel more confident in my breastfeeding I dont have any doubts!!!! I highly reccomend this to new moms who are breastfeeding, those who plan to breastfeed, and those who have done it before and plan to do it again. I guarantee you will at least learn one thing you didnt know before. Two thunbs up!!!

This was a great resource for me before and after my baby arrived. She was my first and I had no clue about breastfeeding. I have since bought two additional copies for friends and will buy more for anyone I know who is expecting. Get this before your baby arrives, it will really help!

This book is a great source of information, it will help you save money and look terrific.
Just buy it, you won't regret it.

I finally feel like I have control over my eating. Within a few days of starting Kat's recommended nutrition plan, I have lost the cravings and I feel so much healthier. My skin is clearing up and my tummy isn't as swollen. Granted, I would like to lose quite a few pounds, but with this plan it doesn't seem so impossible now. I'm not dieting-I'm eating foods that my body was meant to eat. I wish everyone would read this book. Maybe our society wouldn't have so many health problems and our kids would grow up without being addicted to sugar and fast food. If you are ready for a change, then this is definitely the book for you!!

Kat James is a treasure. Her book is a treasure trove. Even if you don't find a kindred spirit in the author and contributors, like I did, the resource guide is amazing!

I may be in the minority, but I found this book to be nothing more than an account of rather shallow struggle for the approval of others. It doesn't SOUND like it on the surface, but that's just what I got out of it, in all honesty. Some of Kat James' guidelines to getting beautiful is to a) eliminate carbs from your diet, b) buy organic food and criminally expensive products most normal people can't afford, and 3) saturate your life with enough pills to choke an elephant. Seriously... HOW on earth is this approach revolutionary, or natural for that matter? It's only revolutionary if you are in the habit of loading up on fried chicken and beer while sitting all day in front of the TV. In some parts is it downright misguided and patronizing, telling you how eating unhealthy food is bad for you, or how you should buy this or that expensive "natural" product instead of spending the money on trendy clothing and makeup.

Well, I DON'T eat unhealthy, I DON'T buy expensive clothing, and I DON'T do any of the things Ms. James has assumed her readers are doing. I'm not going to completely dismiss the book - it seems well-researched, referenced, and thought through. I certainly have nothing against Kat James. It's all the brouhaha around this book that's getting to me.

Look: in reality, not all of us are supposed to be these smooth, thin beings with angelic faces and full heads of flowing hair. Don't get me wrong, I'm not an advocate of sedentary and/or unhealthy lifestyles. Neither am I one of those people who prefers to go on and on about "inner beauty" in order to avoid facing the cold hard facts. I exercise regularly, am very conscious about my food choices, and try to use as few chemicals as possible in my life, and yet I'm hardly a smooth-skinned, bikini-clad paragon of perfection. And I have long given up trying to be one. Not because I'm lazy or not "natural" enough or in denial, but because I've learned that human bodies are simply not all created equal. And there are only a handful of ways you CAN be perfect... Unfortunately, none of them are healthy.

Needless to say, I did not find this book realistic or revolutionary in any way. Any lifestyle that relies on elimination of an entire food group and constant usage of man-made supplements is nothing new. And, in my opinion, it's just another way to trick the average Joe/Jane into believing it's THEIR fault they aren't looking like the gods of Olympus... That if only they found the dedication to stick to these simple guidelines, they would be pretty and smooth-thighed and young-looking for the rest of their lives. But in the real world, one size doesn't fit all. People could be so much happier if they learned to accept this.

This isn't a book about beauty. This is just another fad in the guise of a health book. By all means, buy this book if you want to torture and second-guess yourself, and maybe go to the extremes in order to fit into someone else's definition of beauty. Me, I'll take my cellulite and enjoy my bowl of carbs, thanks.

Maybe Kat James is laughing all the way to the bank... Maybe not. Maybe for her, this IS what life if all about. All I know is that it isn't, and will never be, for most of us.

Oh, and I'm not sure life without pasta should be called "life" in the first place.

This book has been very helpful. It contains a lot of good information and best of all, pages and pages of sources for products in the back. For the past year or so I have been slowly working at making our food, health & beauty, and cleaning products more natural and healthy, but weeding through all the choices and information can be overwhelming. The sources provided by this book give me a starting point. I like her approach of "upgrading" to more decadant food choices, as opposed to giving up the things we're used to. Due to PCOS I have a very difficult time losing weight with conventional advice. When I was following her advice I was actually beginning to lose a bit. Unfortunately I have not stuck with it so neither has the weight loss, but that is my fault. This is a book that I read with my highlighter handy and I plan to refer to again and again.

I love this book! I use it constantly. Its full of great information and ideas to help pamper and nourish pregnant mommies and their families.

This cookbook has been great. I ordered it when I was 8 weeks pregnant and it has opened my eyes on protein and vitamin content of different foods. The recipes (especially dinner) are incredible. I have not tried one dish that I didn't love. I eat fish and dairy so I am not a true vegitarian and this book has suggestions to add dairy to recipes and has given me new ideas on what to eat with fish. I will use this after I have the baby because the recipes are excellent.

I have tons of vegetarian cookbooks having been a vegetarian for over 18 years and this if definitely one of my favorites. The recipes are easy to follow and taste great. Being pregnant, I love the fact that each recipe comes with nutritional information so I know just how much protein and iron I'm getting in a meal. There are several recipes that are quick and easy to make and also several that can be frozen and reheated later. This is now the first cookbook I reach for. My husband who is a vegetarian in training loves the meals too! There is a lot of variety and most of the recipes don't require a lot of exotic ingredients that you can only find in specialty stores as is the case with some vegetarian cookbooks. You'll enjoy these recipes whether you are pregnant, nursing or just love good vegetarian food! Can't speak highly enough about this cookbook. I buy tons of books from Amazon and have never written a review but this cookbook was too good to leave unreviewed!

With all the yummy recipes, containg ways to makes them vegan, as well as other variations to change them up for a slight difference, there isn't a better vegetarian book, or even pregnancy book out there for pregnant women and mothers! It gives nutritional information and menu ideas for each tri-mester, post partum, and breastfeeding stages. And then these recipes are excellent for none of theses stages too! The recipes also state if they are good for freezing which is much needed information to start stockpiling those frozen meals before morning sickness sets in, as well as before baby is born to guarantee healthy meals and less take out! My vegan sister borrowed it when she was pregnant with her first, and loved everything about it. Then when she realized it was from Mothering Magazine editor, said "That explains it all!" I will be buying it for her for her birthday!

While I agree that this the best resource on nutrition for pregnant and breastfeeding women, any person wanting to add a nutritional boost to their meals would benefit from this comprehensive cookbook. I did buy this cookbook two years ago, when I was pregnant with my son, but I plan to use it for a long time to come, even when my kids are grown up.

This is the way I like to cook, meals packed with nutrition. I have to admit, most recipes in this cookbook I would not classify as gourmet, although they are certainly delicious. They are aimed at providing the most nutrients. Just a few ways that the author does that is by adding sea vegetables, using whole grains, and incorporating nut and seed butters.

By the way, I also don't use sugar and dairy in my cooking, so finding good cookbooks can be hard, but this one offers alternatives, and tends to use wholesome ingredients. I think vegan nutrition is great, but lots of vegan cookbooks out there substitute meat with a bunch of processed soy products, processed sugar, and white flour. This book is definitely for health conscious out there! For those, who are not interested in vegan or even vegetarian way of eating, this cookbook is a great way to add some more vegetables and whole grains into your diet.

I made some miso soup for dinner, and not only was it tasty, it was packed with lots more greens, than traditional miso soup, which made it a great meal in itself. Sweet Potato-Spelt Biscuits are delicious even if you don't like sweet potatoes. Roasted Root Vegetables are a breeze to make and are a great way to get my toddler to eat beets.

After you follow the instructions in this cookbook, you will know how to add more nutrition to your cooking. Lots of easy and flexible recipes!

Happy Tasting!

I recommend this audio for both men and women to hear. It is very useful in understanding historical gender dynamics as far as understanding societal constructs. I do feel that Farrell goes a little over-board with his point at times, yet he does warn against that in the beginning.

I made some social observations on my own and have always pondered on these. One cannot bring these facts up in group discussions because to do so is politically incorrect. Even mentioning these in current enviroment makes you a "sexist male chauvanistic ass". Here are some examples I had of my own.

1) Men's health is at a crisis today. Both physical (life expectancy gap between men and women continues to increase with the the difference now at 7 years) and mental (suicide rate for men is about four times higher than women). Yet every college and medical school only has a "Department of women's health". We keep hearing of "run for breast cancer", "new stamps to raise money for breast cancer research", etc, and nothing for men's health issues. Actually, the second-class treatment of men is SO pervasive that instead of being able to see the crisis, most people I know now believe that the reason must be that men are 'supposed' to live shorter. This is absolutely untrue (!) with no evidence from researchto suggest that. In today's gender-politics enviroment I can only imagine what crisis it would have been if women were living 7 years shorter than men.

2) There exist numerous sources of funding for women's enrollment to catch up with men in science in math, but no funding for the fact that enrollment for men is lower in humanities and arts. Actually, today, women enroll in larger numbers than men in college for both undergraduate and graduate school (yes, check it out); yet all the extra gender-biased funding from college and goverment agencies is for women because to do otherwise would be politically incorrect and would raise the ire of many trenchant feminists. The supposed reason is that the education gaps need to be removed (although the gap is the other way around).

3) I know of a woman who purposefully walked into a house with dirty shoes to enrage the man. He slapped her on the face. As she had been taught to do, she called the cops for that and got him locked up. Now look in reverse. I *personally* know of many men who are afraid of their wives when these women are upset. These women get hysterical, shout expletives such that the neighbours need to knock, and then get violent which includes throwing dishes/pots/pans. In these cases, the cops are not called because most men are either ashamed about this, have been taught to be strong and not retaliate against the women, it is hard to convince the cop that it is the women who is violent (the strong perception created by the media even in the minds of the male cops is that it is only men who can be violent), or because they instead focus on how to fix the problem (not simply call the cops). We need a more fair atitude in dealing with this problem. The problem of domestic abuse is completely ignored if the perpetrator is a woman even while the problem is pervasive and there are many men out there living in fear.

I finally found a voice for what I had been trying to say in this book. Men who long suspected that they are being meted out second-class treatment have found statistics to back what they know anecdotally. The tone of the book is not to put down women, but bring many systematic issues of gender bias against men to the foreground. Of course, this is likely to raise the ire of rabid men-hating feminist columnists. Also women who have been taught to believe all their lives that they are being discriminated against and a war against men need to be waged, will likely have have a hard time believing the facts documented in the book. This book is a must-read for all men. I think it is also a must-read for women, for it might drain them of much of the poison filled into their minds all their lives that is probably a source of discord in many marriages and relationships (feelings of repression will be vented out).

This is great book. EVERYONE should read it.

In the academic world, where the liberal arts have in recent years been virtually taken over by neo-feminist academics, Warren Farrell dares to tread upon their turf. Boldly, if somewhat recklessly, Warren Farrell dares to block the way of 21st century feminism in the tradition of the tank-stopper at Tiananmen Square. Dr. Farrell of course differs from that brave Chinese man -- the chinese tanker whom he challenged chose not to open fire upon him. Farrell, on the other hand, has been taking bullets from feminists since the day he realized he had become a lapdog for the National Organization of Women. For any father who cares about his young son's future, and any mother of a young son with the courage to face the truths which Farrell exposes, this is a must-read.

As a young father, I too towed the feminist company line, reminding my sons dutifully as they grew up that "girls can do anything that boys do". Until I watched as my son and his friends turned 18, reaching the age when the government forces indentureship upon him as a future paid professional killer while the girls who played on his Little League teams suddenly found themselves at the sidelines for the "game" of war.

Speaking of war, if you read this book closely you will see that it has been written by a man who has climbed the heights only to realize that his ascent has been to the academic gallows -- a prisoner of the Battle of the Sexes, in a war already lost by men to women decades ago.

After reading the reviews, I was looking forward to reading this book. I thought "finally, a book on communication between couples from a male perspective." I was expecting a sympathetic account of the communication between the sexes but such an account was missing in this book.

This book is s not meant for any man born after about 1960. The gender stereotypes are still very strong (both male and female).

The book starts with some helpful suggestions (don't criticise too often, set a time aside to share criticism) but then quickly deterriorates into a rant about how men have not been treated fairly in the media. Topics covered included abuse within the family (men are abused too) and male-bashing in greeting cards. One important missing topic from this list is the villification of men as pedofiles-- especially men who enjoy working with children.

Of course men can be abused by their wifes, and father's by their children but it does not mean that male on female violence is "okay". Rather than making the non-sensical argument that "we hurt too, so your hurt is fine," the author should condemn abuse in all it's forms. Similarly making fun of men just because they are men, is as okay as making fun of women just because they are women.

I have also wondered why there are very few programs for male perpetrators of violence. Most resources are for women, and the way to solve family abuse, is for the woman to leave. Where are the centres to help men communicate non-violently? Why can't the family try and heal together? In the first part of the book, the author identifies that female "fear" is often translated into male "aggression"-- good point, but why is this point not carried onto the discussion of abuse?

Then there is a list of traditional "unnoticed" male work, including being an unpaid bodyguard "in public places (who plays bodyguard when nightfall turns a beautiful park into a dangerous park", just as well a woman can be an "unpaid massager" for rubbing her husband's shoulders. Most of the other "male work" is incredibly gender specific and even a quick read makes it clear that these are special events (putting up the Christmas lights) rather than day-to-day toil. I found this list offensive. We both cook dinners, use the barbaque and put up the Christmas lights.

There is also the male role of "option generating"-- man asks where they should go for dinner, woman says "anywhere", man says "italian?" etc. Apparently "option-generating often involves having one's ideas rejected, which can be emotionally taxing." The beauty of being in a couple is that both parties can create options and both can reject. It's called communication and making choices together.

More than that, I find it offensive that the author glosses over all the important work men do in families. Men now do change diapers, take pride in being fathers, cook, clean and are partners also in the home. How has this development passed the author by? By enforcing the gender stereotype of "the man brings in the bacon", the author is also glossing over all the men, who might like to stay at home with their children... or who would like to work part-time to have more family time. As well as of course all the women, who might like to have a career.

Many of these choices should be made in the family. Gender stereotypes are truly just as damaging to men, especially because they limit the choices that can be considered "acceptable". Why can a man not enjoy spending time with his children? Why does he need to be able to support the family? Should the responsibility not be shared? Where are the men, who are single parents? Male kindergarten teachers? Heaven forbid.

One more irritating passage: "We often think that when a man insults another man by calling him a 'girl', the insult reflects a contempt for women. No. It reflects a contempt for any man who is unwilling to make himself strong enough to protect someone as precious as a woman." hmmm. yeah... hmmm. This is where I started to laugh out loud. Too ridiculous for words.

In short: this book is not for anyone, who is trying to be a father in this century. Rather than solving anything, this book just perpetuates detrimental and dangerous gender stereotypes. Perhaps the author lives in this kind of a world (and indeed much of the material seems to stem from his personal experiences), but I don't know any young man who would... Rather young men now are facing the same challenges of work-life balance as young women are.

It's time to get beyond male-hating and female-hating, juxtaposing male needs and female needs to find somekind of a inherent conflict, and to understand that men and women can live together. And that in a family, men and women have the same goal-- of making their families as happy as they can.

We need more guys like Warren Farrell. This is a critical book that every man should read. Warren has all the credentials to write about the prejudice against men with authority. I have suffered some of these injustices myself and it was helpful to hear that I was not unique. There are some real eye-opening facts in this book that might get men to start showing some backbone.

I found this book to be very informative and well laid out. My husband and I read everything we could for the birth of our first child and this one made it to the "keepers" pile. In fact, I was using this book while I was in labor (when I thought it was still just Braxton-Hicks). I like that it was in a reference style rather than a read through, that way I could just pick it up when I had specific questions rather than read a lot of information that did not pertain to my situation.

Being an atheist, I don't really like when people talk about "God" and "God's miracles." I tried to put aside these type of comments when reading the book. But I also noticed some differences from what I've read online versus what is in this book. Suggesting soft drinks to stay hyrdated when soft drinks are actually diuretic (q 57). Suggesting lying on your back is really no big deal (q 97). But I knew there was a problem when there is a drawing of an ovary attached to a fallopian tube (q 495). I do not recommend this book at all.

When I was pregnant with my first baby I read this book almost everyday. I was able to look up my concerns and read clear and concise information about my pregnancy. The over the counter drug section is really awesome and helpful! I kept the pull-out chart from the back of the book in my planner to reference as needed. Now I am PG with baby #2 and I find myself reading back over information to refresh myself on what will happen throughout my pregnancy. I have yet to think of a question that I have not found in this book!

If you are pregnant this book is a MUST HAVE!

I am an R.N. who wholeheartedly recommends this book. During my last pregnancy, I purchased a used copy of an older volume of this book. I referred to it so often, I decided to upgrade to the more recent version during my 2nd pregnancy and bought one for my sister as well. Indispensable and easy to use reference!

This book is fantastic! It explains everything in a helpful, easy format. It makes it simple to find answers to questions in certain topics and cross refernces make follow-up questions easy to answer as well. Dr. Thurston writes with a happy, charismatic tone and unless you'd be offended by a reference to God creating the body to do x,y,z, I think this is one of the better pregnancy books out there. Also, it is very updated with recent scientific knowledge and advances. (I've read other books cover to cover and would truly not recommend What to Expect While You're Expecting. Most women I know couldn't stand it. I wish I hadn't wasted the money.)