Baby Catcher - Peggy Vincent

I have had two high-risk pregnancies.  Before, during, and after, I never would have considered a home-birth and thought that anyone who did was crazy and really asking for trouble.  But, reading this book definitely changed my mind.  Sort of.  I delivered my children at Alta Bates Hospital in Berkeley, California - the same hospital where the author of this book worked before becoming a licensed midwife. At Alta Bates, women labor (and usually deliver) in individual rooms.  Only when there is an issue, or a need for a c-section, is the woman moved to a more sterile operating room.  I was moved both times - the first because they thought I might need a c-section, and the second because I was delivering twins (which by protocol are always delivered in the OR).  But, each time, before I was moved, I appreciated being able to labor in a room with my friends and family, where I could watch TV or listen to music, have my blankets from home, and generally try to be as comfortable as possible.  So, given that during this process I wanted to have all my creature comforts, why wouldn't it make sense to labor and deliver in my actual home, where I am the most comfortable?  Vincent's memoir chronicles the birth of many many women - most go smoothly and seem much less difficult than I felt my birth was - but perhaps it was the attitude of these women that helped it go more smoothly?  Or perhaps it is self-selective in that the women who can afford to deliver at home (not financially, but logistically) are the ones who have not suffered any difficulties in their pregnancies.  Of course there were times when Vincent did have to take her patients to the hospital when complications arose - and I felt she laid out the interesting and ever-changing dynamics between the doctors and the midwives well.  This book definitely opened my eyes to the beauty of the home delivery - and in working with a midwife (or doula or other such person).  There is so much that is very personal about pregnancy and delivery - the choices that one wants to have, a birth plan, and contingencies - in this area I feel like there is a lot of pressure to be "all natural" and that women are often made to feel "less than" when medical conditions or unforeseen complications necessitate the use of drugs or a c-section.  It is unfortunate because every birth, no matter how it comes about, is an amazing, difficult, and treasured experience.  I think Vincent did a good job in her book of not being judgmental, but of presenting an option for women, and one I would certainly consider if I ever had another kid and my medical conditions allowed for it.

The Spark - Kristine Barnett

When the author's son was about two years old, he stopped talking and developing at a normal rate.  After taking him to a number of doctors, he was diagnosed with autism and his parents were told that he would probably never talk.  He was viewed as mentally retarded and his parents were counseled to manage their expectations. But, his mother knew that there was something else going on.  As Jacob spent hours staring at sunbeams or creating complex designs out of yarn, she knew there was something inside that she just needed to unlock.  A daycare provider by profession, Barnett began opening her home to other children with autism.  Instead of forcing them to abandon the areas they were interested in to focus on practical life skills, Barnett found ways to incorporate their true passions as a way to unlock their hidden genius.  In her son's case, he truly was a genius.  As the years passed, it became clear that during all the time staring silently seemingly into nothing, Jacob was actually working out complicated theorems.  By the age of 12 he began working on an original theory in astrophysics.  While every child (or hardly any) actually possesses this type of genius, it is really Barnett's attitude about how children learn that shines through in this book.  This is a great book for anyone who has a child or who works with children - an excellent reminder that sometimes we need to let go of our ideas of how children are "supposed" to learn or what they are supposed to be learning - and just let them explore. I went to an elementary school that really gave students the freedom to explore the things they loved to learn, and several of my friends from that school are now parents who are homeschooling or unschooling their children and really allow them to pursue their passions.  I am one for a little bit more structure of traditional schooling, but think there is a lot I can be doing at home to help my children really unlock and pursue their inner passions.

A Hologram for the King - Dave Eggers

While I haven't been reading many fiction books lately, I wanted to give myself the chance to read the latest from Dave Eggers, as I am generally a fan of his writing.  This one was a simple quick read - but left me feeling a bit melancholy.  The main character in this one finds himself on the verge on financial ruin.  He has already old his daughter that she may not return for her next year of college due to his inability to pay her tuition.  But, he finds himself with one last opportunity to remake himself.  He travels to Saudi Arabia for the chance to meet with the King and present his innovative new idea.  But once he arrives, the King is nowhere to be found.  The man is told that the King should be back tomorrow.  Always tomorrow.  And so he waits.  And as he waits he lives his life and maybe falls in love and dreams about the presentation he may never have the chance to give.  The waiting becomes a bit tedious, and the ending wraps up a bit too quickly, but I appreciated the slow-pace.  The narrator himself was a bit too pathetic for me to ever root for, but I enjoyed following his story and wondering if he'd ever really be able to take advantage of an opportunity should it ever present itself.  In short, this is no Zeitoun, but still respectable Eggers.

In the Name of Honor - Richard North Patterson

My mom has been reading Patterson for years and I've always stayed away because I think of him as more of a write of espionage, which I'm not that in to.  But, for some reason this one was on my shelves and my mom thought I might like it since it involved issues of post-traumatic stress disorder in returning soldiers - which I am interested in as it pertains to some of the work that I do.  In this one, a returning soldier shoots and kills another soldier - one who happens to be married to a childhood friend.  The investigation that ensues focuses on the relationship between the shooter and the wife - bringing in to question issues concerning affairs in the military (this book was written in 2010, but brings to mind many of the issues surrounding the relatively recent resignation of General Petraeus), as well as the psychological trauma endured by those who face combat and then return home.  There is also the budding relationship between the shooter's defense attorney and his co-counsel, the shooter's sister.  Ethical issues abound, and the courtroom scenes are pretty juicy and well done.  Patterson is quite a prolific writer, so I"m glad that I've been introduced to him - he's obviously good airplane travel and beach chair reading and I look forward to checking out a few more.

Fifty Shades Darker - E.L. James (Fifty Shades #2)

Please just shoot me in the head.  I wasted a couple hours skimming this thing.  I can't waste any more of my life writing a review about it.  No more.  Please.  No more.

Fire in the Ashes - Jonathan Kozol

I first read Jonathan Kozol back when I was in high school in the mid-90s - just over 20 years ago.  He writes about the American education system - focusing on children in the inner-city and really highlighting the differences between the haves and the have-nots.  As a teenager attending a very affluent suburban high school, Kozol really opened my eyes to my own privilege and provided the foundation for my interest in providing equal opportunity and education to all children.  Fire in the Ashes is a re-telling of Kozol's basic points.  He goes back to a housing project in New York and revisits families that he has known for decades in an attempt to figure out what helps children succeed and emerge out of poverty.  Is it enough to provide a good education by sending these children away from their families to private schools?  Is it enough for them to have one adult in their life who really takes an interest in their success?  What are the differences between adolescent boys and girls who grow up in neighborhoods riddled with drugs, crime, and prostitution.  What does it mean to see your peers die at young ages?  To have parents suffering from HIV?  How much can a child survive, and how much should we really expect our nation's children to endure.  This book is shocking - to think that people in this first world country live in these conditions is horrific.  But, at the same time, the book is uplifting - there are tremendous stories of success here - parents and children who are not just surviving, but actually thriving, despite all efforts to keep them down.  Kozol is an incredible individual - and I would love to hear from the people who invited him into their homes - to know that he told their stories correctly and made them feel heard.  For me, again, this was an eye-opener, and a reminder that we still have so much work to do.

Gone Girl - Gillian Flynn

This book seemed to be all the rage a couple months ago.  I can't count the number of people who recommended it to me - well, I'm sure I could count them, but still, it seemed like a lot.  I was told there were lots of twists and turns and that I'd never guess the ending.  And they were right, about three-quarters of the way through I had no idea how she was going to end this thing.  I didn't guess correctly, and I didn't like the ending, but I can't quite figure out how else she could have done it.  So, minus the ending, this was a great book.  It's about a guy whose wife disappears on their fifth anniversary.  The husband is immediately suspected of orchestrating her murder and ditching the body.  The investigation that follows was reminiscent of the Scott & Lacey Peterson case, but of course with some different details thrown in.  I can't say much more without spoiling things, but suffice it to say that this was a good recommendation - and it came from people of all ages (mostly women) who like to read a wide variety of literature.  So, if you like a little mystery, a little jilted love, a little revenge, this one is for you.