Amazon.com
What The Red Tent did for Dinah, The Gilded Chamber, a first novel by Rebecca Kohn, might do for Esther, the woman who wielded power over a King. The story follows the Book of Esther very closely: Xerxes banishes his wife Vashti and sets about finding a new wife by claiming all the young virgins in the kingdom of Persia for his perusal and delectation. Esther, born Hadassah, is a young Jewish orphan, remanded to the custody of her cousin Mordechai, to whom she is betrothed. Mordechai attends to the King at the Palace, but no one knows that he is a Jew. He warns Hadassah to take the name Esther when she is swept up by the King's edict, and not to reveal her heritage.
After a year of being pampered by court slaves, Esther is presented to the King. He is instantly smitten and makes her his Queen. sther longs for Mordechai but succumbs to the blandishments of the King to save herself from being sent to the soldiers--a horrible fate. In the course of Palace intrigue, Haman, a truly evil man who is viewed as a trusted servant of the King, plots to kill Mordechai, who will not bow to him, and ultimately to kill all the Jews in the Kingdom. King Xerxes, a bit of a buffoon both in the Bible and in Kohn's book, is languishing under the effects of idleness and too much wine. He gives Haman his signet ring; Haman drafts the edict which will result in the death of the Jews and seals it with the King's ring. Now, Esther must save her people.
The portent of this book is found not in the story alone, but in the meticulous research that Kohn has done into the time: Palace life, social customs, history, sexual practices, the place of women, war and politics. Descriptions of the care given to Esther before she meets the King are detailed: her trips to the hairdressers, her hennaed hands, the pungent oils rubbed all over her body, the gold-trimmed clothing she wears. She describes her dinner with a eunuch: "Golden cups in the shape of tulip blossoms were filled with sweet spiced wine from Hodu, and shining silver platters were piled high with meat stews and succulent birds I could not identify. A plate of sugared almonds and pistachios ... and a sweet of sesame, dates and honey..." She is willing to sacrifice all creature comforts to save her people; her success is celebrated to this day in the Jewish feast of Purim. --Valerie Ryan
Book Description
For centuries her name has been a byword for feminine beauty, guile, and wisdom. This sweeping, meticulously researched novel restores Esther to her full, complex humanity while reanimating the glittering Persian empire in which her story unfolded. Esther comes to that land as a terrified Jewish orphan betrothed to her cousin, a well-connected courtier. She finds a world racked by intrigue and unfathomable hatreds and realizes that the only way to survive is to win the heart of its king. Passionate, suspenseful, and historically authentic, The Gilded Chamber illuminates the dilemma of a woman torn between her heart and her sense of duty, resulting in pure narrative enchantment.
Customer Reviews:
Very Good.......2007-08-03
I thought this was a very good book. As for historical accuracy, not so sure. Its more....'trashy', for lack of a better word, then The Red Tent, and I wouldn't recommend it to my ministers wife, but I enjoyed it. Fast paced, it didn't stall out @ all. I really was sad when it was over, I miss the characters, which is exactly how a book is supposed to make you feel.
Promising but fails to deliver.......2007-07-22
This is one of those books I found most promising and I wanted to like it even more. But it gets to be boring and it doesn't completely deliver. The idea is there. And it has an excellent start but then it doesn't lift off. Still, it can make a good easy read. The characters are quite one-dimensional, particularly the heroine Queen Esther, who never truly comes to life. Historical fiction is such a hard genre and this book proves it. Yet, it is not completely bad. It has its moments.
Bland and Boring.......2007-06-05
I would really like to give this book a good review because the subject matter is surely captivating, but I found the book to be bland and redundant. Esther comes across as weak and almost whiny. I couldn't wait to get to the end just so I could stop reading the author's limp text and over-extravagant description of everything. Not reccommended.
Wonderful Book.......2007-01-10
The Gilded Chamber was a very good book that I found to be well written and very engaging. I couldn't stop reading it. Anyone who enjoyed The Red Tent will find this book equally as stellar.
Beautifully written.......2007-01-03
This is a gripping tale of a strong and beautiful woman. I was moved by this story.
Amazon.com
A complex, smart mystery filled with intrigue, drama, and more than a little danger awaits in Stephen L. Carter's engaging debut novel, The Emperor of Ocean Park. After the funeral of his powerful father (a federal judge whose nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court became a public scandal), Talcott Garland, an African American law professor at an Ivy League university, is left to unravel the meaning of a cryptic note and carry out "the arrangements" his father left behind. Armed with fortitude and familial devotion--though paranoid of his wife's fidelity--Talcott soon finds himself in an investigation that entangles him with a number of questionable Washington, D.C., denizens, including attorneys and government officials, law professors, the FBI, shady underworld figures, chess masters, and friends and family. All the while Talcott tries not to hurt his attorney wife's chance for a judicial nomination--and their fragile marriage--but the closer he comes to unraveling his father's dark secrets, the more dangerous things become.
Clocking in at over 650 pages, the novel could easily have been streamlined; many of Talcott's thoughts are unnecessarily repeated. But Carter's storytelling skills are adept: tension builds, surprises are genuine, clues are not handed out freely. The prose, while somewhat meandering, can be crisp and insightful, as demonstrated in Carter's description of the misguided paths of young attorneys who sacrifice
all on the altar of career... at last arriving... at their cherished career goals, partnerships, professorships, judgeships, whatever kind of ships they dream of sailing, and then looking around at the angry, empty waters and realizing that they have arrived with nothing, absolutely nothing, and wondering what to do with the rest of their wretched lives.
--Michael Ferch
Book Description
In his triumphant fictional debut, Stephen Carter combines a large-scale, riveting novel of suspense with the saga of a unique family.
The Emperor of Ocean Park is set in two privileged worlds: the upper crust African American society of the Eastern seabord—families who summer at Martha’s Vineyard—and the inner circle of an Ivy League law school.
Talcott Garland is a successful law professor, devoted father, and husband of a beautiful and ambitious woman, whose future desires may threaten the family he holds so dear. When Talcott’s father, Judge Oliver Garland, a disgraced former Supreme Court nominee, is found dead under suspicioius circumstances, Talcott wonders if he may have been murdered. Guided by the elements of a mysterious puzzle that his father left, Talcott must risk his marriage, his career and even his life in his quest for justice. Superbly written and filled with memorable characters,
The Emperor of Ocean Park is both a stunning literary achievement and a grand literary entertainment.
Download Description
An extraordinary fiction debut: a large, stirring novel of suspense that is, at the same time, a work of brilliantly astute social observation. The Emperor of Ocean Park is set in two privileged worlds: the upper crust African American society of the eastern seaboard -- old families who summer on Martha's Vineyard -- and the inner circle of an Ivy League law school. It tells the story of a complex family with a single, seductive link to the shadowlands of crime.
The Emperor of the title, Judge Oliver Garland, has just died, suddenly. A brilliant legal mind, conservative and famously controversial, Judge Garland made more enemies than friends. Many years before, he'd earned a judge's highest prize: a Supreme Court nomination. But in a scene of bitter humiliation, televised across the country, his nomination collapsed in scandal. The humbling defeat became a private agony, one from which he never recovered.
But now the Judge's death raises even more questions -- and it seems to be leading to a second, even more terrible scandal. Could Oliver Garland have been murdered? He has left a strange message for his son Talcott, a professor of law at a great university, entrusting him with "the arrangements" -- a mysterious puzzle that only Tal can unlock, and only by unearthing the ambiguities of his father's past. When another man is found dead, and then another, Talcott -- wry, straight-arrow, almost too self-aware to be a man of action -- must risk his career, his marriage, and even his life, following the clues his father left him.
Intricate, superbly written, often scathingly funny, The Emperor of Ocean Park is a triumphant work of fiction, packed with character and incident -- a brilliantly crafted tapestry of ambition, family secrets, murder, integrity tested, and justice gone terribly wrong.
"Among the most remarkable fiction debuts in recent years... [The Emperor of Ocean Park] is full of musing about God, family, chess, the politics of Supreme Court appointments, loyalty, unhappy marriage, the media, depression, race, and academic infighting... [Carter] is a scholar and a lawyerly commentator who has penned a rip-roaring entertainment."
BOSTON GLOBE
"The year's hottest summer read and a surefire bestseller... Carter does for members of the contemporary black upper-class what Henry James did for Washington Square society, taking us into their drawing rooms and laying their motives bare... However The Emperor of Ocean Park is categorized, beach reading doesn't get any better than this."
TIME OUT NEW YORK
"The Emperor of Ocean Park is a delightful, sprawling, gracefully written, imaginative work, with sharply delineated characters who dwell in a fully realized narrative world... Carter deserves comparison with such successful practitioners of the crime novel as Scott Turow."
THE NEW YORK REVIEW OF BOOKS
"The Emperor of Ocean Park is an intricately plotted work... a novel that is both thriller and commentary on American racial relations."
DAN CRYER, NEWSDAY
"[A] complex literary thriller. Carter deftly weaves together several strands, from the relationships of father and sons and husbands and wives to the politics of the Nixon and Reagan eras."
BOOKPAGE
"The Emperor of Ocean Park is no ordinary fiction debut...Carter has produced a thoroughly original mystery-thriller... that also explores the brave terrains of race, family, power, paranoia, and the law... If I may join the hype,
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Customer Reviews:
An excellent book with a flawed narrator.......2007-10-08
Many other reviews on this page complain about the narration of the book -- the painstaking details, the almost obsessive repeats of certain key facts, and the constant references to characters as being from the "paler nation" or the "dark nation." These reviewers all complain that Professor Carter did not have a good editor.
I'm not convinced.
As in many great first-person narratives, Talcott Garland -- the narrator of this story -- is deeply flawed. Professor Garland is an Ivy League law professor who is fussy about matters of propriety, uneasy in his interactions with colleagues and friends (usually preferring to be alone), and prone to seeing almost every interaction through the prism of race. Despite his many flaws, Talcott seems quite committed to trying to do the right thing.
By the end of the book, the reader knows Talcott very well. And this story seems to be written exactly the way Talcott would tell it.
In my opinion, the mystery aspect of the story is almost secondary. I found the book to be a fascinating examination of upper class black American society and Ivy League academic culture. One scene, in which Talcott describes how various segments of his audience responded to his law school commencement address, was priceless.
Admittedly, it will take you some work, but I do recommend this book highly.
Good Mystery with intellectual challenges.......2007-08-28
I found this book to be an excellent tale as well as challenging in my concepts in areas such as, politics, morals, religion and race. This author gives us a great perspective in areas that I would not ordinarily have considered as well as a good mystery. Good Book!!
Race Overused.......2007-08-04
I am just on page 60. Being a voracious reader I will complete the book. His constant bringing up of the subjects race and ethnicity is to me somewhat alarming. It seems to appear on every page at least once it not several times. I hope the entire book is not this way.
Obviously written by a lawyer.......2007-08-04
I am currently halfway through this book, and am trying to decide whether to finish it or not. After reading other reviews, I realize I'm not alone. The most I have been able to read at one time is about twenty pages. It is unfortunate, because there is a fascinating story buried among the melancholy dreck that is the main character's narrative. This reads as an attorney's "brief", and is eight hundred plus pages of a story that could have been better done in five hundred. None of the characters is really likeable, and I find the whole academic scene as stuffy as is probably is. The "paler nation" and "darker nation" division gets really old after the umpteenth mention, and the repetition of every little detail makes reading this novel similar to panning for gold. You have to sift through a lot of mud to get to the nuggets. This is definitely one to read as a Reader's Digest condensed version. (note to author - get a different editor)
For now I will put this down and pick it up later. I have to read something that moves a little faster.
good start; poor finish; convoluted mystery; .......2007-07-30
first 400 pages or so were great; very well written, and numerous digressions were brilliant and as exciting as the story itself. But something happened between the pages 400 and 500: the author started to run out of steam, but apparently could not help it keeping writing becoming verbose and repetitive. The main character was turning from deliciously cynical law professor to depressed boring character obsessed with righteousness (Rev. Dr. Young side stories are among the most tedious and boring), and with his ^%# of a wife - another annoying character (it is totally unclear why poor Misha was so in love with her). The mystery itself is becoming more and more convoluted and improbable, with an anticlimactic end, which solves, however improbably, only part of the mystery (where this Maxine is coming from? Her behavior - I don't want to mention the details to avoid spoilers - is improbable to the degree of being schizophrenic). Also, the author committed a cardinal sin of mystery: while writing from first person singular, he still hid from the readers some critical thoughts of Dr. Garland, who in the end was not much surprised, because he figured things out a while back. We were not informed of these deductions.
Much is made of the racial situation, where people are repeatedly marked as being members of "paler" or "darker" nations, presumably whites and blacks. I have never heard these terms before, but the dichotomy does not hold in the real world: how would Carter/Garland call Hispanics and Asian-Americans, in these terms? I don't even want to speculate.....
Overall, at 800+ pages, is probably a waste of time; added a star for the excellent unusual beginning.
Average customer rating:
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The Emperor of Ocean Park
Manufacturer: Random House Audio Publising Group
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD
ASIN: 0736686460 |
Product Description
Unabridged Audio CD/20 CDs. Clamshell Type CD Case. One Listen.
Average customer rating:
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The Emperor of Ocean Park
Stephen Carter
Manufacturer: Vintage
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0099437341 |
Average customer rating:
- Where was his editor?
- Gets under your skin (pun intended)
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The Emperor of Ocean Park
Stephen L. Carter
Manufacturer: Vintage
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
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ASIN: 0307279936
Release Date: 2007-05-29 |
Book Description
A riveting novel of ambition, revenge and the power of familial obligations.
Talcott Garland is a successful law professor and devoted family man. When his father, a disgraced former Supreme Court nominee, is found dead under suspicious circumstances, Talcott suspects foul play. Guided by the elements of a mysterious puzzle that his father left, Talcott must risk his marriage his career, and even his life in his quest for justice. The Emperor of Ocean Park is a captivating legal thriller set in the privileged worlds of upper crust African American society and the inner circle of Ivy League law school.
Customer Reviews:
Where was his editor?.......2007-10-03
Stephen L. Carter is a fine writer, and his first novel has a worthy and interesting premise. It's also fascinating to get a glimpse at the world of elite African-American power-brokers. The chess framework here also is promising, and reflects the intricacy of the plot.
But who in his right mind could have thought that it was a good idea for a book like this to linger on for more than 800 pages!? Where was his editor? In his inexperience, Carter seems to think that, every time he wants to introduce a new twist in the plot, he needs to create a new set of characters to put that in motion. The result is a meandering, disgressive, over-hyped pilgrimage through all the places of his protagonist Talcott ("Misha") Garland's past, present, and future. This protagonist is constantly taking his own temperature, and each time he does a new twist in the action must reflect it. Mental and physical landscape here are intertwined in a messy mish-mash that submerges the clear outlines of plot that a good mystery needs.
Way too long and way too self-indulgent. Too bad: with a firm hand and a bold red pen, this might have been a good book.
Gets under your skin (pun intended).......2007-08-29
I love books that take me to a different place in my head, the kind of book that keeps you thinking about it even when you're washing the dishes or getting ready for bed, whatever.
I'm a polar opposite of the protagonist, being an older working class white female, but I'm also like him in so many ways, having lived in Washington for a couple of decades and having worked in private (and elite) higher education all my working life. Because of the juxtaposition of the similarities and contrasts, this book was really fun for me.
Carter's descriptions are, for the most part, excellent (although at times unnecessarily detailed). Characterization is where he really stands out, though. The protagonist is accused by several other characters (in particular, his wife) of becoming so obsessed with the mystery that he's getting "crazy", and I certainly bought into it: there were times I had to wonder if that was going to be the plot twist, that it really was all a figment of his over-active imagination. I loved that he had character flaws that felt real to me, unlike the way so many other authors write their main character's flaws, the way a politician who is running for president describes his biggest fault ('I care too much about doing The People's business').
Along the way, he drops in some really wonderful mini-essays, bon mots and zingers about American society today, often with a slightly different slant, which make one stop and think. That's the other thing I really loved about this book, it just makes you stop and think. I have to admit, I would like nothing better than to have perhaps half a dozen long lunches with the author, and I've already ordered his next book.
Customer Reviews:
Wow! A fantastic read.......2007-09-26
A captivating, well-written book, filled with real-life references, and the on-going conflict of jousting intellect. I absolutely loved this book. Carter takes us on path of mystery, conspiracy, and suspense. The writing itself was great, really easy to read, although some sentences in the book are rather lengthy. I particularly enjoyed how the game of chess was interwoven into the plot. The characters and the world they inhabit provide a look into wealthy and cultured African Americans. The Emperor of Ocean Park is a story of a brilliant legal mind, Judge Oliver Garland, with a dark and shadowy past. When Judge Garland passes away, he leaves some mysterious "arrangements" to his son Tal. Unfortunately, Tal has no idea as to what these "arrangements" might be, but it seems some very important and possibly dangerous. During the story, we follow Tal/ Misha as he tries to discover what his now deceased father wanted him to do. I enjoyed the writing style and could not put this book down. At the end of the book, I was hoping Carter's next book would be about Addison.
Customer Reviews:
Some good, some so-so, some meh.......2006-05-20
This book reprints 11 short stories taken from 3 other anthologies previously published by Warhammer back in 1989-90.
The book starts off with a bang with the story from which this book takes its title, "The Laughter of Dark Gods" by William King. This is quite an excellent tale of one man's descent into the dark life of a Chaos warrior. I'd say that this story, along with the fantastic cover art by Clint Langley which appears to depict the story's main character, are almost worth the price of the book on their own!
This is immediately followed by another strong entry which I also liked a lot, "The Reavers and the Dead" by Charles Davidson. A young man watches helplessly as a shipload of pirate reavers heads for his seaside village. Is there nothing he can do? -- You might be surprised what he does do. I liked this one so much I wished it could have continued on into a full novel, as it has the feel of only being the introductory chapter in a much larger story and seemed to end just right when it was getting really good.
Next up is "The Phantom of Yremy" by Brian Craig. A mysterious thief is after the magistrate of a small Bretonnian town. Although it has a kind of vibe similar to some of Poe's mysteries, what with its pseudo-French Bretonnian setting, I still found it hard to get into and didn't really enjoy it at all. My reaction when it was over was "yeah, so what?"
This is followed by "The Other" by Nicola Griffiths. A tale of two young apprentice healers, a male and a female, it seems like an excuse to go on about the advancement of women in the Warhammer world and the healing powers of women and yadda, yadda. Bleh.
Next is "The Song" by Steve Baxter, a story of a halfling private eye pressed into undertaking a dangerous assignment for a sinister elf. Alright I guess, but I preferred the other halfling story later in the book. And I also felt that the tone was a bit too lighthearted for what I was hoping would be a very dark-themed anthology. I wish Warhammer would take more care when choosing the stories for their anthologies so that they really do all fit together better.
"Apprentice Luck" by Sean Flynn is the tale of how one bored teenager stumbles onto the road to becoming a mage. OK I guess, but I didn't find the main character particularly likable and this affected my enjoyment of it.
"The Light of Transfiguration" by Brian Craig tells the story of a nun's growing fascination with/temptation by some leftover Chaos relics. I liked this one too, quite suitably dark and my 3rd fave in the book.
"The Spells Below" by Neil Jones deals with a young woman, her wizard boyfriend and his mysterious little familiar. Her boyfriend has been denounced as a follower of Chaos but she can't believe it. Can she save him? Okay story but not really necessary.
"Cry of the Beast" by Ralph Castle is a werewolf tale. An elven maiden is shipwrecked and her brother is missing. Soon afterwards a beast begins attacks. Are the two connected?? Didn't particularly impress me.
"A Gardener in Parravon" by Brian Craig is an unusual tale dealing with a bizarre garden, one man's obsession with it, and his strange dreams of flying creatures. I really didn't "get" this story at all and it never lived up to my expectations. This one was just filler for me.
The book concludes with "The Tilean Rat" by Sandy Mitchell, which is a Warhammer-world dark ages parody of the 1940s movie "The Maltese Falcon". So if you have never seen this movie, I would advise watching it first before reading this story. Instead of Humphrey Bogart's classic detective Sam Spade, it's another halfling detective sent by an alluring elf woman to track down a statue of a rat before a fat man and his sneaky sidekick get hold of it. This was a fun story, but once again I felt it was a bit too lighthearted for what I was hoping for from this book. And isn't it a bit much putting not one but TWO halfling detective stories in one anthology? (--unless it's an anthology of halfling detective stories!)
So overall there are some worthwhile stories, some just okay, and some that seem just filler. I find these Warhammer anthologies always have very uneven quality to the stories and are never really solid all the way through. And they don't seem to be consistent enough in selecting stories that all fit a particular mood.
So 4 stars because I did like some of the stories, but not 5 because it could have been better.
I still remember the last story 11 years later..........2005-04-02
AND DAMN. It was GREAT. That's really all I remember about the book, but this is worth just that last story about a man who chooses to side with the forces of darkness. Absolutely fantastic.
Amazon.com
Here's the 35th-anniversary edition of the big book on breastfeeding, written by the experts at La Leche League International. The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding is a comprehensive resource guide providing just about everything you need to know about how--and why--to breastfeed your baby. Latch on to this book for step-by-step guides to early months, common concerns, problems, and weaning. Additional sections on general nutrition, sleep issues, going back to work, discipline, and fathering are useful for all breastfeeding mothers. Unfortunately the black-and-white photos are not always as clear as they should be, and the informative line-drawings are too scarce.
Customer Reviews:
This book has the wrong title.......2007-05-22
As other reviewers have said, this book has the wrong title. It should be 'LLL mothering philosphy, go elsewhere for practical advice'. There are only 3-4 pages on how to breastfeed, and the information on those pages is very basic. There is very little advice on good positioning and good latching, both of which are absolutely vital to breastfeeding. The funny thing is that my mother bought an earlier version of this book in the late 60's. I read it, found it fairly helpful, and decided to order a later version, thinking it would be more up-to-date. However, they seem to have taken out most of the helpful stuff from the earlier version.
Not useful as a guide, unless you're looking for lifestyle advice.......2006-04-24
I am a first-time mom and very committed to breastfeeding. My brother and I were both breastfed and I grew up solidly believing that breastfeeding was the best way to feed a child, and I still believe that.
My mom was active in the La Leche League in the 1970s and so I figured there would be no better book than one from the LLL for breastfeeding advice. Wow, was I wrong. I honestly think the La Leche League would be better off changing its name to the "Promotion of Martyr Mothering League," because based on this book, they're not so much interested in promoting breastfeeding as much as they are interested in promoting a particular way of life as the ONLY one that truly benefits children. And that way of life is one where Mom stays home and breastfeeds on demand until the child is ready to wean, period. Don't work, don't pump so you can feed pumped breastmilk in bottles, don't use pacifiers because they're "mother substitutes," etc. etc. etc. There's no allowance made if you HAVE to work, if you decide to exclusively pump, if you don't want to do extended breastfeeding or indefinite feeding on demand, etc. In with all the judgment and absolutism, there's very little concrete information about HOW to breastfeed or what to do if you're having problems breastfeeding. There are multiple exhortations to find a local LLL meeting that the authors somehow seemed to think would substitute for real content. Sorry, but if the women at LLL meetings are as rigid and judgmental as the authors of this book, I would rather stick my hand in a running garbage disposal than spend any of my free time at a LLL meeting.
What was most disappointing to me wasn't the tone of the book but the complete lack of solid advice. There was also not much in the book that would encourage someone who was in a situation where they had to work, or who was having problems breastfeeding, to keep breastfeeding. I can totally see someone who was having difficulty breastfeeding reading this book and then saying "Well, I can't be this perfect mother the LLL says I need to be, so to heck with it - I'm switching to formula, I can't make breastfeeding work." Maybe the LLL doesn't feel it's their job to encourage people who don't follow their group's values, but come on - would a LITTLE bit of cheerleading/"You can do it!" spirit have been too much to ask? I can't believe people think it is better to be negative and dole out guilt to convince people to do something, rather than being encouraging, empowering and supportive. Isn't it better that a child receive breastmilk, even pumped breastmilk, even from a working mother, than to receive formula? So why not be a little more positive and encouraging towards people who may not be in the "perfect" situation but still want to breastfeed? I just don't get it.
This book really reads more like a manifesto of the LLL's beliefs than a breastfeeding advice book, so if you're interested in polemics, go ahead and pick this up.
If you're looking for solid breastfeeding advice, here's what I recommend:
- The American Academy Of Pediatrics book, "Caring for Your Baby and Young Child," actually has some good, commonsense advice in it - nothing very extensive, but a MUCH more comprehensive solutions guide for how to deal with breastfeeding problems.
- I didn't like some parts of the Dr. Sears Breastfeeding Book but it is head and shoulders above this book. Nice pictures, very supportive tone and empowering information.
- Several of my friends swear by "So That's What They're For!" as a guide. I have not read it, but apparently it contains solid advice and much less moralizing about parenting choices.
The LLL is doing women a huge disservice by inserting so much of their own philosophy about parenting into what is ostensibly a breastfeeding guide. They really should publish two books - a REAL guide to breastfeeding with some useful information, and a book titled "How to Be a Good Parent According to La Leche League Standards." As it stands, I think my mom, a former LLL leader, would be very disappointed by this book. She was a working mom in the 1970s and was proud of both her ability to breastfeed her children AND her career. Apparently there's no room to be proud of both in the modern LLL, and in my opinion, that's a real shame.
Working mom who attends LLL.......2005-04-07
I grew up knowing about La Leche League because my mother nursed all five of her children until we were three years old. When I got pregnant I knew I wanted to breastfeed and I got this book. Yes, it does cover the LLL philosophy but if you don't agree with it you can still get some very valuable information from it. The chapter on "The Manly Art of Fathering" is a chapter especially for dads that I am sure most breastfeeding books wouldn't think to include. This book is a great resource because you can take from it what applies to your individual situation. I would love to stay home but I had to go back to work. This book helped me understand that breastfeeding my son was the best thing I could do, especially going back to work. I recommend this book to anyone wanting to breastfeed because it is supportive and informative.
Old fashioned opinionated book insulting to the thinking mom.......2005-02-20
This book is short on practical "how to" advice on breastfeeding, and long on preachy passages that attempt to convenince all moms to stay at home and breastfeed until your child is 8. I'm a working mom of 3 and have extensive experience with breastfeeding. There are about 3-4 pages of this book that actually inform, and the rest is an attempt to pursuade mothers to stay at home and breastfeed the rest of their lives.
good, but needs a practical companion manual.......2004-12-03
As a devout breastfeeder, which I vowed to be during my pregnancy, I was determined that breastfeeding would be a success for my daughter and me. She was then born as a champion nurser, and I left the hospital certain that my brilliant girl and I would spend the next year enjoying this special experience together. Three weeks later, however, when she was on what they termed her second large growth spurt, and ate and cried frequently, leaving me in fairly significant pain and exhausted, I ordered The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding. This had been recommended by La Leche League and some friends, so I waited eagerly to see solutions to all of my breastfeeding woes.
What I got was a fairly lengthy tome about the virtues of breastfeeding, staying home with your children, and co-sleeping. Well, I can spout the benefits of breastfeeding with the best of them, and staying home isn't an option for me. I was given a lot of information about how different babies eat different amounts, that it's impossible to determine what schedule will be "normal" for each baby, and basically that direct breastfeeding was better than pumping. There were some helpful hints about dealing with mastitis and plugged ducts, but not many specifics beyond what any mom could suggest. Particularly unhelpful was the section about "choosing" to work, which described how mothers and babies are bonded and the impact on children of being separated from their mothers. As a working mother in a foreign country for my job, working for a company that will sue me if I quit, the word "choice" isn't in my vocabulary, so I didn't really appreciate the litany that nagged even more at my already bruised conscience.
This book does have some helpful guidelines, and can be very encouraging to anyone wanting to breastfeed but unsure of themselves. Since I was already confident and determined to nurse, it wasn't as helpful for me. If there was a companion manual entitled something like "The Practical Science of Breastfeeding," this would be a great counterpart. I just needed more specifics, about everything from pumping to hand expression to sleeping through the night. This was just a little too "everything is different for every family" for me.
Books:
- The Hot Kid: A Novel
- The House of Thunder
- The Hundred Secret Senses
- The Illustrated Alchemist: A Fable About Following Your Dream
- The Ladies of Covington Send Their Love: A Novel (Covington)
- The Lady and the Unicorn
- The Last Sin Eater (movie edition)
- The Master Butchers Singing Club (P.S.)
- The Mercy of Thin Air: A Novel
- The Million Dollar Divorce: A Novel
Books Index
Books Home
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Wisdom's Daughter : A Novel of Solomon and Sheba
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Sarah: A Novel (Canaan Trilogy)
Zipporah, Wife of Moses: A Novel (Canaan Trilogy)
Lilah: A Novel (Canaan Trilogy)
