Over our trip, my husband and I read several books. Here is a brief summary of some of them.
Growing Up Green – This book is Volume 2 in the Green This! series by Deirdre Imus (vol 1 was a book I really enjoyed–Greening Your Cleaning). I have to say that there wasn’t a lot of new info for me in this book, but I have read more than your average number of green baby books. Topics covered include eating while pregnant, feeding baby, toys, vaccinations, rise of childhood diseases (autism, allergies, asthma, arthritis), school issues, and even topics relating to adolescence. I do have to say that while most of this information seems accurate, her sources are not always identified, she quotes doctors that she gives no information about, she relies heavily on personal experience, and the book needs some serious editing. Overall, it felt to me like I was reading someone’s journal and not a professionally written book. She does have some nice references in the back though–book recommendations and lots of websites.
On Food and Cooking – My husband is the one reading this book and while it looks like a textbook, he loves it. It details the nitty-gritty about all the foods you eat–their history, health, and preparation. Thanks to this book, my husband can now explain to me the science behind our yogurt-making, why farm-raised fish aren’t always bad, what makes an egg “Grade A,” etc.
Bright From the Start – I loved this book! The author is a researcher who does a fantastic job of taking advanced neuroscience research and making it accessible to the average reader. She argues that children need less Baby Einstein products and more play. She says that parents should focus on providing their children these ABCs–attention, bonding and communication. Highly recommended!!
No Two Alike – This book is a follow up to the author’s huge hit The Nurture Assumption. In that 1999 book, she argued that genetics and environment outside the home shape a child’s personality, not how the parents raise her. Obviously the majority of people today feel that parents have a large impact on how their children turn out so this book got quite a bit of attention. The author followed up that book with No Two Alike (2007), where she examines why identical twins (same genes, very similar environment) turn out so differently. The book is written like a mystery novel where she finally reveals her personality theory at the end. Heavy on psychology research but very interesting and thought-provoking.
