The Purpose of Boys: Helping Our Sons Find Meaning, Significance, and Direction in Their Lives
by Michael Gurian
Published 2009 by Jossey-Bass

Hardcover, English. ISBN: 9780470243374

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The author of "Wonder of Boys" and "Minds of Boys" presents parents with a new way of looking at their sons by realizing how important purpose is for the success and happiness of boys. Praise for The Purpose of boys "Michael Gurian is America's most passionate advocate for boys. In The Purpose of Boys, Gurian creates a rich reading experience and a clear recipe for helping boys to find purpose in their lives."

--Michael Thompson, Ph.D., author, It's a Boy!, and coauthor, Raising Cain "The Purpose of Boys offers insightful solutions to the problems of so many millennial boys who are failing to launch into productive adulthood."

--Judith Kleinfeld, Ph.D., director of the Boys Project and professor of psychology, University of Alaska "There is no one who understands the development of boys better than Michael Gurian. In this insightful new book, Gurian offers useful advice about how to help boys succeed in the key challenge of today's world, finding purpose in life."

--William Damon, Ph.D., professor of education, Stanford University, and author, The Path to Purpose and The Moral Child "The Purpose of Boys provides a clear, research-based view on the significance of fully committing ourselves to the important task of raising our sons. It gives us a useful, applicable set of tools and strategies to do so."

--Harold S. Koplewicz, M.D., founder and director, NYU Child Study Center "The Purpose of Boys is a wake-up call for parents, teachers, counselors, and mentors. This book assembles invaluable insights and resources, especially mentoring resources that will assist in the transition of boys to men and eventually help propel them into a purpose-driven life."

--Robert Haley, former president, 100 Black Men of Atlanta "Upon reading Michael Gurian's new book, The Purpose of Boys, I asked my eight-year-old son, Evan, what he anticipated about the future. He said, 'Being awesome.' I then asked him what he most feared about the future. He said, 'Not being awesome.' This book changed the way I think about my son and his future, and even more important, how he thinks about his future. This is a great book."

--Tracey J. Shors, Ph.D., department of psychology and neuroscience, Rutgers University

Publishers Weekly 03/02/2009

Family therapist, author and boy advocate Gurian ("The Wonder of Boys"; "The Minds of Boys") observes that many boys are struggling to find a sense of purpose, and society has not sufficiently stepped up to the plate to help. Gurian paints a grim picture of boys who have lost their footing; many are failing in school; turning to drugs, alcohol or gangs; and engaging in violent behavior. Gurian attributes this disturbing trend to a lack of purpose and urges parents to help their male offspring channel their energies into productive lives. By employing a three-family system, Gurian argues, parents can join together with other adultsleaders, mentors, coachesand such institutions as schools and churches, to help boys refocus and get back on track. The author offers practical suggestions for helping parents address boys' needs, tackling such issues as sexuality, work and overuse of electronic media. Particularly useful are Gurian's boxed questions for discussion, which will help parents and educators communicate directly with boys themselves. He also includes suggestions to help boys succeed in academic settings, for example, using movement, project-driven curricula and debate. Gurian's team approach to raising a son gives parents the tools and encouragement they need to help boys find direction and fulfillment. "(Apr.)" Copyright 2009 Reed Business Information.

Real Solutions for Busy Moms: Your Guide to Success and Sanity
by Kathy Ireland
Published 2009 by Howard Books

Hardcover, English. ISBN: 9781416563181

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Former supermodel and a supermom herself, Ireland maintains that moms can do it all, just not all at once in this invaluable resource for women desiring to raise their children in a loving, faith-based environment with success and sanity. Kathy Ireland communicates with moms every day: online, at the grocery store, at church, at speaking engagements, and on her company website. She is grateful that her conversations don't center around beauty tips or requests for autographs or advice on how to dress. Rather, she has the honor of hearing from real women who struggle with balancing the responsibilities of marriage, raising children, managing a household or career or both, and finding any time left to take care of themselves. As the involved mom of three very active children, the supportive wife of an emergency room doctor, and a dynamic businesswoman, Kathy knows of these struggles firsthand. She credits her strong faith in God and her parents' love and support for any success she has today and dedicates her days to finding the solutions that can make life easier for busy moms in all phases of life. As she tackles the tough financial concerns families feel today and many other issues, Kathy offers empathy and encouragement. She shares stories from her own life and wisdom she has gained through her years from teenager with a paper route to successful supermodel to mom to entrepreneur with a dream for big business big business which was realized by building what "Forbes" now calls the "Billion Dollar Brand."

Home Game: An Accidental Guide to Fatherhood
by Michael Lewis
Published 2009 by W. W. Norton & Company

Hardcover, English. ISBN: 9780393069013

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The bestselling author of "Moneyball" and "The Blind Side" offers a perfectly frank and mercilessly funny account of what actually happened immediately after the birth of each of his three children. When he became a father, Michael Lewis found himself expected to feel things that he didn't feel, and to do things that he couldn't see the point of doing. At first this made him feel guilty, until he realized that all around him fathers were pretending to do one thing, to feel one way, when in fact they felt and did all sorts of things, then engaged in what amounted to an extended cover-up. Lewis decided to keep a written record of what actually happened immediately after the birth of each of his three children. This book is that record. But it is also something else: maybe the funniest, most unsparing account of ordinary daily household life ever recorded from the point of view of the man inside. The remarkable thing about this story isn't that Lewis is so unusual. It's that he is so typical. The only wonder is that his wife has allowed him to publish it.

Publishers Weekly 04/13/2009

After the birth of his first child, bestselling writer Lewis ("Moneyball") felt he was a stranger in a strange land, puzzled at the gap between what he thought he should be feeling and what he actually felt. While he expected to be overcome by joy, he often felt puzzled; expecting to feel worried over a child's illness or behavior, he often felt indifferent. Lewis attempts to capture the triumphs, failures, humor, frustration and exhilaration of being a new father during the first year of each of his three children's lives. In one especially hilarious moment, Lewis is in a hotel pool in Bermuda distantly observing his children. When some older boys start teasing his oldest daughter, the youngest daughter, three years old at the time, lets fly a string of profanities at the top of her lungs. The boys retreat and then regroup for a second attack; when they return, she lets fly another string and tells them that she has peed in the pool, causing the boys to go away. All the while, Lewis watches from afar, too embarrassed to claim this youngster as his own but also proud that she has handled herself so smartly. Although Lewis is correct that his fatherhood moments might be more interesting to him than to anyone else, his reflections capture both the unease and the excitement that fatherhood brings. "(June)" Copyright 2009 Reed Business Information.

Dirty Little Secrets from Otherwise Perfect Moms
by Trisha Ashworth
Published 2008 by Chronicle Books

Hardcover, English. ISBN: 9780811863902

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Ashworth and Nobile conducted interviews with hundreds of mothers while researching their bestselling book "I Was a Really Good Mom Before I Had Kids." This follow-up work features the surprising, thought-provoking, guilty confessions these moms never told anyone else--until now. Trisha Ashworth and Amy Nobile conducted interviews with hundreds of mothers while researching their best-selling book I Was a Really Good Mom Before I Had Kids. It didn't take long before these moms began to reveal their Dirty Little Secrets--surprising, thought-provoking, guilty confessions they hadn't told anyone else. Cringe-worthy moments ("I bit my daughter's finger trying to steal a bite of her cookie.") meet real insights ("I love my kids but I didn't always. It took time to fall in love with them."). These are the private thoughts that every mom has--and every mom can relate to.

The Well-Trained Mind: A Guide to Classical Education at Home
by Jessie Wise
Published 2009 by W. W. Norton & Company

Hardcover, English. ISBN: 9780393067088

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This educational bestseller offers step-by-step instructions on providing an academically rigorous, comprehensive homeschooled education from preschool through high school. This newly revised and updated edition includes detailed book lists, useful contact information, and more. This educational bestseller has dominated its field for the last decade, sparking a homeschooling movement that has only continued to grow. It will instruct you, step by step, on how to give your child an academically rigorous, comprehensive education from preschool through high school. Two veteran home educators outline the classical pattern of education-the trivium-which organizes learning around the maturing capacity of the child's mind. With this model, you will be able to instruct your child in all levels of reading, writing, history, geography, mathematics, science, foreign languages, rhetoric, logic, art, and music, regardless of your own aptitude in those subjects. Newly revised and updated, The Well-Trained Mind includes detailed book lists with complete ordering information; up-to-date listings of resources, publications, and Internet links; and useful contact information.

Your Best Birth: Know All Your Options, Discover the Natural Choices, and Take Back the Birth Experience
by Ricki Lake
Published 2009 by Wellness Central

Hardcover, English. ISBN: 9780446538138

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Packed with crucial advice from childbirth professionals, and delivered in a down-to-earth, engaging voice, "Your Best Birth" inspires women to take back the birth experience with confidence. The national C-section rate is at an all-time high of 31 percent. Are all these C-sections necessary, or are some of them done simply for the sake of convenience? Inductions seem to be the norm, but are they always needed? Today, expectant mothers are often left feeling powerless, as their instincts are replaced by drugs and routine medical procedures.

What you are about to discover is that you have a choice, and you have the power to plan the kind of birth that's right for "you"-whether it is at a birth center, a hospital, or at home. In YOUR BEST BIRTH, internationally known advocates of informed choice RickiLake and Abby Epstein inspire women to take back the birth experience, with essential advice on:

- Positive and negative effects of epidurals, Pitocin, and other drugs and interventions

- Inducing vs. allowing your labor to progress naturally

- The truth behind our country's staggering C-section rate

- Assembling your birth team and creating your birth plan.

With chapters such as "Obstetricians: Finding Dr. Right,""Epidurals: You Haven't Got Time for the Pain," and "Electronic Monitors: Reading between the Lines,"Lake and Epstein will encourage you to consider whatever your doctor, mother, and best friend may suggest in a new light. The book also includes inspiring birth stories, including those from well-known personalities, such as Laila Ali and Cindy Crawford. Packed with crucial advice from childbirth professionals, and delivered in a down-to-earth, engaging voice, YOUR BEST BIRTH is sure to renew your confidence and put the control back where it belongs: with parents-to-be!

"Abby Epstein and Ricki Lake have taken a wonderful and constructive approach to ensuring an optimal birthing experience. Their language creates a 'climate of confidence' for pregnant women and their families, who must make key decisions about where, how and with whom to give birth in a health care system often unresponsive to our needs. This book is like a good friend giving wise counsel." --Judy Norsigian, co-editor of Our Bodies, Ourselves: Pregnancy and Birth and Executive Director, Our Bodies Ourselves

Publishers Weekly 02/16/2009

Former talk show host Lake, producer of the documentary "The Business of Being Born", joins with Epstein, the films director, to further probe the subject of birth in America. Asserting that the high tech, low touch trend in medicalized births has usurped parents sense of power and choice, the authors present a detailed examination of the birthing experience, beginning with their own personal accounts. Employing the premise that although one cant predict what will happen during birth, one can prepare, they present options that women should consider, including home birth and the use of a midwife or doula. Lake and Epstein point out that while 99% percent of births in the U.S. take place in hospitals and one-third are cesareans, the vast majority of births are not high risk and may not require medical intervention. But the fear of pain combined with unnecessary hospital protocols cause many couples to narrow or relinquish their options. The authors discuss the pros and cons of such interventions as episiotomies, epidurals and electronic monitors, and encourage women to carefully question their practitioners and hospital personnel. Above all, the authors advocate a safe and empowered birth, whether one chooses a hospital, home or birth center. "(May)" Copyright 2009 Reed Business Information.

What to Expect Before You're Expecting
by Heidi Murkoff
Published 2009 by Workman Publishing

Paperback, English. ISBN: 9780761152767

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From the author of America's bestselling pregnancy and parenting books comes the must-have guide every expectant couple needs before they even conceive, from how to pinpoint ovulation to when to seek help for infertility. Announcing the prequel. From Heidi Murkoff, author of America's bestselling pregnancy and parenting books, comes the must-have guide every expectant couple needs before they even conceive-the first step in "What to Expect: What to Expect Before You're Expecting."

An estimated 11 million couples in the U.S. are currently trying to conceive, and medical groups now recommend that all hopeful parents plan for baby-making at least three months before they begin trying. And who better to guide wanna-be moms and dads step-by-step through the preconception (and conception) process than Heidi Murkoff?

It's all here. Everything couples need to know before sperm and egg meet up. Packed with the same kind of reassuring, empathetic, and practical information and advice and tips that readers have come to expect from What to Expect, only sooner. Which baby-friendly foods to order up (say yes to yams) and which fertility-busters to avoid (see you later, saturated fat); lifestyle adjustments that you'll want to make (cut back on cocktails and caffeine) and those you can probably skip (that switch to boxers). How to pinpoint ovulation, time lovemaking, keep on-demand sex sexy, and separate conception fact (it takes the average couple up to 12 months to make a baby) from myth (position matters). Plus, when to seek help and the latest on fertility treatments-from Clomid and IVF to surrogacy and more. Complete with a fill-in fertility journal to keep track of the babymaking adventure and special tips throughout for hopeful dads. Next step? "What to Expect When You're Expecting," of course.

Publishers Weekly 04/06/2009

Pregnancy guru Murkoff ("What to Expect When Youre Expecting") explains that a healthy pregnancy actually begins long before sperm and egg meet. In fact, she suggests that couples add at least three months to the requisite nine in order to prepare both their bodies for the best outcome. Backed by research and expert advice, Murkoff and Mazel present a preconception program that includes tips on what to eat (and not eat), how to maintain a healthy weight and advice about preconception medical care, such as having a physical and dental checkup. The text points out that dads are vitally important to pre-pregnancy health, with warnings that heavy drinking and smoking can damage or reduce sperm, as can certain sports such as spinning, cycling or heavy workouts. (Shaded boxes throughout the text address the ways in which men can contribute to baby-to-bes successful arrival.) The text also covers fertility issues, clearly explaining the biology of baby making and outlining the options available to couples who are facing conception problems. Readers who like to think ahead will also benefit from a detailed fertility planner, which includes a fertility chart to track ovulation and space to record various pre-baby appointments and information. Couples who are trying to conceive will find plenty of useful ideas to consider and implement in the months preceding their babys debut. "(May)" Copyright 2009 Reed Business Information.

Best Baby Products
by Sandra Gordon
Published 2009 by Consumer Reports Books

Paperback, English. ISBN: 9781933524245

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Updated and expanded with more product and safety information, here's the A-Zguide to everything needed to welcome home baby. With hundreds of baby products in the market today, protecting your baby should be your number one priority. "Consumer Reports Best Baby Products "is the perfect personal baby shopping consultant. Over the years, this invaluable guide has helped thousands of new parents navigate the multitude of complex and sophisticated baby products, pointing them to the best products, and steering them away from the less-than-the-best. Written with warmth, wit and authority, "Best Baby Products "will help alleviate some of the anxieties caused by all the concerns and questions running through the minds of new parents. "Consumer Reports "buying advice and ratings allows buyers to streamline the selection process, avoid shopping pitfalls, and help keep the baby budget in balance. This newly revised edition includes: - Helpful tips on "building" the baby's nursery from crib to diaper bag - Ratings of car seats, carriers, play yards, and travel systems - Recent safety recalls and articles regarding safety - The most commonly prescribed medications for babies - Childproofing and home-safety tips - Shopping guides to websites, catalogs, and stores - Checklists and worksheets to help organize the shopping process.

The Must-Have Mom Manual: Two Mothers, Two Perspectives, One Book That Tells You Everything You Need to Know
by Sara Ellington
Published 2009 by Ballantine Books

Paperback, English. ISBN: 9780345499875

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Whether it is bottle- or breast-feeding, cribs or co-sleeping, getting back to the office or staying home with the kids, best friends Sara Ellington and Stephanie Triplett, the team behind the popular book and radio show "The Mommy Chronicles," rarely choose the same option. Lucky for us, in The Must-Have Mom Manual, they discuss the pros and cons of every aspect of child raising, from pacifiers to potty training, bedtimes to birthday parties, day care to Disney World.

Their philosophy is simple: There is no one right way to be a mom. Sara and Stephanie just want to make every mother's life easier. So, with a healthy dose of humor, they share their parenting triumphs and disasters, marital challenges, public meltdowns, and all the knowledge they've gained as authors and radio show hosts, with hundreds of tips for moms everywhere.

- 10 things not to feel guilty about-because every" "mother feels bad about something

- Answers for new moms about leaving the house with baby for the first time, postpartum depression, accepting help, car seats, and dining out with baby

- Sticky parenting decisions-including the consensus on little white lies, family nudity, "correcting" homework, and leaving your child in the car (just for a second)

- Managing your household and how to conquer the clutter with special strategies for organizing every room in your home

- Products for moms, the best mom-gear, cleaning products-including technology, gadgets, stores, and places to take the kids

- Marriage 911, sleep or sex?, how to keep the home fires burning-plus four people who can sabotage your sex life

Covering "all things Mommy," Sara and Stephanie are real mothers delivering real insights, with real laughs, as they tackle and celebrate the challenges and drama of motherhood in the best, easiest, most mom-friendly guide to life with kids today.

Publishers Weekly 03/02/2009

Former radio show cohosts and authors ("The Mommy Chronicles"), Ellington and Triplett are an odd couplebest friends with differing views who happened to have been pregnant at the same time. Ellington is the organized stay-at-home mom who ended up bottle feeding and preferred her baby to sleep in a crib; Triplett is a working mom who breastfed and embraced the family bed. Together they prove that there's no one right way to be a good mom, as they dole out advice on an array of topics ranging from recovering from the giving birth to dealing with sticky decisions like whether to let kids eat Pop Tarts for breakfast. While the authors have thoroughly researched their material, they've also lived it, and along with tips from medical experts and other resources, they include insider advice readers won't hear from their pediatricians (i.e., to avoid embarrassment, practice collapsing the stroller before going out in public). Though the two occasionally disagree, they do so in a genial manner that demonstrates how working and stay-at-home moms can get along and learn from one another. They also offer an occasional tip for dads (i.e., after the delivery, you can never go wrong with diamonds). This breezy, chatty read is filled with practical information as well as laughs. "(Apr.)" Copyright 2009 Reed Business Information.

What to Read When: The Books and Stories to Read with Your Child and All the Best Times to Read Them
by Pam Allyn
Published 2009 by Avery Publishing Group

Paperback, English. ISBN: 9781583333341

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Award-winning educator Allyn offers parents and caregivers essential advice on choosing appropriate titles for their children--taking into account a child's age, attention ability, gender, and interests--along with techniques for reading aloud effectively. The books to read aloud to children at the important moments in their lives.

In "What to Read When," award-winning educator Pam Allyn celebrates the power of reading aloud with children. In many ways, books provide the first opportunity for children to begin to reflectively engage with and understand the world around them. Not only can parents entertain their child and convey the beauty of language through books, they can also share their values and create lasting connections.

Here, Allyn offers parents and caregivers essential advice on choosing appropriate titles for their childrenataking into account a childas age, attention ability, gender, and interestsa along with techniques for reading aloud effectively. But what sets this book apart is the extraordinary, annotated list of more than three hundred titles suitable for the pivotal moments in a childas life. With category themes ranging from friendship and journeys to thankfulness, separations, silliness, and spirituality, "What to Read When" is a one-of-a-kind guide to how parents can best inspire children through reading together. In addition, Pam Allyn includes an indispensable aReaderas Laddera section, with recommendations for children at every stage from birth to age ten. With the authoras warm and engaging voice throughout, discussion questions to encourage in-depth conversations, as well as advice on helping kids make the transition to independent reading, this book will help shape thoughtful, creative, and curious children, imparting a love of reading that will last a lifetime.

Publishers Weekly 02/16/2009

This volume by Allyn, director of the literacy organization LitLife, reminds parents that through reading aloud they can teach the beauty of language and joys of rhythm and rhyme and introduce their offspring to the Big Wide World. Part one of this booka combination of Jim Treleases "Read-Aloud Handbook" and Anita Silveys "100 Best Books for Children"offers 10 reasons why parents should read to their kids: to develop shared values, to fall in love with language, to build comprehension, among them. Useful, too, are Allyns Four Keys, revealed in an apt mnemonic, READ: a Ritual of coming together in an Environment conducive to reading with Access to the right book at the right time for a Dialogue. Chapter Fours 14 landmark books, from "Pat the Bunny" to "Harry Potter" (with Margaret Wise Brown, Dr. Seuss and Maurice Sendak titles included) will resonate with parents, but the best feature may be a brief section called How to Read Aloud, which teaches parents exactly how and why to read to children in order to elicit interest, engagement and response. The bulk of the book is Part three, all the best books for the moments that matter most, an alphabetical listing of 50 themes, from adoption to New Baby to Your Imagination. "(Apr.)" Copyright 2009 Reed Business Information.

Stepwives: 10 Steps to Help Ex-Wives and Stepmothers End the Struggle and Put the Kids First
by Lynne Oxhorn-Ringwood
Published 2002 by Fireside Books

Paperback, English. ISBN: 9780743222464

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Packed with quizzes, lists, and other helpful tools, "Stepwives" can help women learn to put the children first, understand their (ex)husbands' roles, and step into each other's shoes for a more peaceful, cooperative relationship with their stepwives. Stepwives: (n) (1) ex-wife and current wife to the same man, mother and stepmother to the same children; (2) women destined to battle for the love and control of their families...until now!Lynne and Louise were stepwives for ten years. While they managed a barely civil relationship, each was seething with anger on the inside. It all boiled over in an ugly scene on the day Lynne saw that Louise was wearing shoes identical to her own favorite pair, and then they knew they had to find a new way of being a family.With the guidance of marriage and family therapist Marjorie Vego Krausz, Lynne Oxhorn-Ringwood and Louise Oxhorn developed a ten-step program that has helped thousands of women begin to go from sworn enemies to CoMamas. You don't have to follow the program together with your stepwife; even if only one of you follows the plan, your stepwife relationship and the happiness of your family will improve. Learn how to: "Establish a good working relationship with your stepwifePut the children firstUnderstand your husband's/ex-husband's role and how he can helpHandle vacations, holidays, and other big occasions" Packed with quizzes, lists, and other helpful tools, "Stepwives" can show you how to "step into her shoes" and have a peaceful, cooperative relationship with your stepwife.

Two Happy Homes: A Working Guide for Parents & Stepparents After After Divorce and Remarriage
by Shirley Thomas
Published 2005 by Springboard Publications

Paperback, English. ISBN: 9780964637801

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Two Happy Homes was written after readers of Parents Are Forever asked for a book that specifically advises how to bring new partners into the lives of children after divorce. This book gives practical and specific ideas for parents to create happy stepfamily lives for their children. It covers the most common errors made by moms and dads as they move on to create new family life after separation, and is highly endorced by experts. Specific advice is given for parents of children who never married, but are raising a child together, as coparents.

Bad Mother: A Chronicle of Maternal Crimes, Minor Calamities, and Occasional Moments of Grace
by Ayelet Gilbert Waldman
Published 2009 by Doubleday Books

Hardcover, English. ISBN: 9780385527934

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In the tradition of recent hits like "The Bitch in the House" and "Perfect Madness" comes a hilarious and controversial book that illuminates the anxieties that riddle motherhood today. In the tradition of recent hits like "The Bitch in the House" and "Perfect Madness "comes a hilarious and controversial book that every woman will have an opinion about, written by America's most outrageous writer.

In our mothers' day there were good mothers, neglectful mothers, and occasionally great mothers.

Today we have only Bad Mothers.

If you work, you're neglectful; if you stay home, you're smothering. If you discipline, you're buying them a spot on the shrink's couch; if you let them run wild, they will be into drugs by seventh grade. If you buy organic, you're spending their college fund; if you don't, you're risking all sorts of allergies and illnesses.

Is it any wonder so many women refer to themselves at one time or another as "a bad mother"? Ayelet Waldman says it's time for women to get over it and get on with it, in a book that is sure to spark the same level of controversy as her now legendary "Modern Love" piece, in which she confessed to loving her husband more than her children.

Covering topics as diverse as the hysteria of competitive parenting (Whose toddler can recite the planets in order from the sun?), the relentless pursuits of the Bad Mother police, balancing the work-family dynamic, and the bane of every mother's existence (homework, that is), "Bad Mother" illuminates the anxieties that riddle motherhood today, while providing women with the encouragement they need to give themselves a break.

Publishers Weekly 03/16/2009

Having aroused the ire of righteous mothers with her confession to loving her husband more than her children, Waldman ("Love and Other Impossible Pursuits") offers similar boldface opinions in 18 rather defensive essays. The mother of four, living in Berkeley and married for 15 years to an ideal partner who told her on their first date that he wanted to be a stay-at-home husband and father (he also happens to be novelist Michael Chabon), Waldman was a Jewish girl who grew up in 1970s suburban New Jersey, where her mother introduced her to "Free to Be You and Me" and instilled in her the importance of becoming a working mother. With her supportive husband to manage the domestic drudgery, Waldman did pursue a law career, until she quit to be with her growing family. As a champion of bad mothering, that is, dropping the metaphorical ballmaking mistakes and forgiving yourself for itWaldman writes in these well-fashioned essays how a mother's best intentions frequently go awry: she really meant to breastfeed, until one of her children was bottle-fed because of a palate abnormality; she denounced the playing of dodgeball in her children's school, out of her own memories of schoolyard humiliations; and she confesses to aborting a fetus who suffered a genetic defect. Her determinedly frank revelations are chatty and sure to delight the online groups she frequents. "(May)" Copyright 2009 Reed Business Information.