Contraception Books

To read from the works of Carl Djerassi is to sample the mind of a creative genius the breadth of whose life activities spans scientific research to writing fiction and plays. His autobiography is best read in the context of some of his other works. This review of his autobiography will reference two of his works of fiction, The Bourbaki Gambit, and NO.

These books will never be on the best seller lists. Yet it precisely because of this that they should be read by scientists and engineers as food for thought. These books grew on me. By the time that I had finished them, I had experienced compelling plot lines. More importantly I had experienced the emotions of scientists at the beginnings and ends of their careers. Is Djerassi, at an age where many are spending their days playing golf or reliving their pasts, using science in fiction as metaphor for his own career? Is not the promise of the medical advances of the last several decades the time and the vitality to explore new horizons and to boldly embark on a new career, rather than to ride quietly into the sunset? If nothing else, these works celebrate creative solutions to how one manages one's career throughout one's life.

The Bourbaki Gambit has Max Weiss, professor of chemistry at Princeton University, being forced into a retirement that he neither wants nor is prepared for. Stunned at a sudden loss of all that has been his life, Max considers others in his predicament and hatches a plan to show that retirement age does not mean the end of contributions. The plan? Nothing less than to jointly make a fabulous scientific discovery, and publish it as a sole, fictitious author. Does the plan work? Read the book.

If this was all you read, you might be tempted to say that this is the swan song of an old professor, but NO takes us to the other end of the spectrum. The device for this book is the molecule nitric oxide, which is active in many physiological processes. Specifically this book is a fictionalized account of the development and commercialization of a predecessor to Viagra. urialism. In the end, both husband and wife fulfill their careers by going full circle.

To better understand these works as metaphors for a scientific career, you must read Dieresis's autobiography. The rather cumbersome title, The Pill, Pygmy Chimps, and Degas' Horse, prepares the reader for what comes -- a highly readable journey through a series of defining events in his life. Question: is it better to read the fiction first, or the autobiography? Clearly this is a man the power of whose ideas transcends science or literature. Approach the autobiography as an insight into his mind. From persecution in 1930's Vienna as a teenager; to dealing with the provincial culture of the Mid West at the outset of World War II; to performing world class chemical synthesis from an isolated setting in Mexico in the early 1950's (activities which led to the synthesis of compounds that ultimately became the oral contraceptive); Carl Djerassi defined his surroundings. Lesser individuals may have been victims of their circumstances, but Carl Djerassi took his surroundings and prevailed. This is the message of this autobiography.

Now back to the question -- which to read first. Read the fiction first. Technologists can enjoy these as stories that speak to them. An engineer nearing retirement will immediately bond with Max Weiss, who struggles with the complexities of retirement. A young technologist, one contemplating entrepreneurship, or a dual career couple will find kinship with the protagonists in NO as they struggle with pursuing their visions. Then read the autobiography. What makes the stories so good is that he is writing from experience. The young technologists in NO, working in Israel, could be the young Djerassi working in Mexico City. Max Weiss could be Djerassi at a Gordon Conference poking fun at priority at any cost mentality of some scientists. And the ever cool Diana Doyle-Ditmus represents the ideal for an intellectually and physically active senior lifestyle.

These books, read either as a set or individually, can be an inspiration to technologists at any point in their career.

Revealing autobiography of the scientist who transformed the world by synthesizing the Pill.
"I have no regrets that the Pill has contributed to the sexual revolution of our time and perhaps expedited it, because most of those changes in sexual mores would have happened anyway."

Djerassi give us an incisive picture of his personal life. But the biggest part of this book tells the intriguing story of the synthesizing of the Pill and the problems to prove that there were only minor side-effects: a battle with the FDA. A good lesson for every scientist.
He is perhaps too harsh for the environmental fundamentalist. But he remarks among other things that "... in general, life in the modern industrial world has not contributed to increased death from cancer", and that "99.9 percent of all pesticides consumed by humans are derived not from synthetics but rather from the plants themselves".
Also interesting is the story of the Pugwash Conference, whose altruistic goal was corrupted by a struggle between the cold war warriors.
His biggest confession "At heart, I'm still a gambler."
Excellent work, not only for scientists.

After giving birth to 2 sons, a soccer Mom with 4 boys shared this book with me. She had given birth to a daughter after using this book. We had our Sunshine in 1982 and that is why this a belated review! Thank God for all children and this book!!

We have a daughter and were hoping for a son... Our son is now 10 mos. old :)! We used all of the techniques in the book and it seemed to work, not sure if it was solely because of the techniques in the book, but it seemed to have upped the odds.

I wouldn't suggest this for people who will be dissappointed if their child isn't their desired sex. We would have been thrilled either way, but used this simply as a way to improve our chances, and it was successful.

If nothing else, being more knowledgable about everything involved with reproduction will be a benefit. This book is easy to understand, and very detailed.

Me and my husband wanted to have a boy and we followed step by step according to this book and after 5 months trying, I finally get pregnant and after the USG the doctor said: it's a boy!!!
Now our son is 16 months old, and now we give the book to our friend because they wanted to have a girl. (they haven't pregnant yet)
Thank you so much!

My Mother actually used this method trying to conceive a son. It did not work for her. I guess that is for the best, because if it had worked I wouldn't have been born. My husband and I charted for months and followed the plan for a boy. At my 15 week scan it appears that I will be having a girl. The one great thing about trying for a boy with Shettles, is he makes it very easy to get pregnant. Good luck everyone. wishing you all happy, healthy babies.

I bought this book along with several others and found myself confused. Many things conflicted from book to book but my mom and my sister both used Shettles for their boys after two girls so I stuck with it. We had a four day cut off. We followed his directions to a T. Our third son is now 18 mo old. It is not the endall. It may work for some, but does not for others. To me, it's still a 50/50 chance. You could do nothing and still end up with the opposite gender. Good luck.

I found this book in a bookshop near my university, waited till other customers had moved on and took it from the shelf, reading it furtively, hoping noone would notice, but aroused by the illustrations. Later I had the same experience elsewhere with Gordon Merrick's 'Perfect Freedom', but then my book opened automatically to the juicy bits where other readers had been there before me,.......I suppose these are the well-thumbed copies booksellers could never move in the days when embarrassment made buying such books a heart-stopping experience, like buying condoms in a small town dispensary......the internet age has changed a lot.....the book is now just one of many, when once it was the one and only......so the memories make it more interesting than the content

In the magnificant illustrations I "found myself" from memories of myself as an adolescent to acceptance of my adult self. The book is pre-AIDS and therefore its information is not up-to-date but the artistically erotic illustrations's communicate a "lovingness". Reading this book for the first time in the mid- 80's raised my homosexual energy from phallic to romantic. This book is for any gay who wants to feel eternally free.

I loved it, it opened a world of new things. Great!

Recently my girlfriend Cookie and I needed some new sexual positions. Well low and behold, there was "The Joy Of Gay Sex" it opened a new world to us, such as oral and anal sex. It was designed with heterosexual readers in mind, and I guess homosexuals would enjoy it as well, though I wouldn't know. Anyways, fellas pick this up for a good time with you're ladies, hey even the gals could enjoy a good romp with the fellas if they gave it a shot.
-Steve

Readers who hope to find in this book a how-to manual of gay sex will be very sadly disappointed. Rather it tries (unsuccessfully in my opinion) to be an "encyclopedic" reference from A to Z (with the emphasis on zzzzzz) on the "joyful" life of gay sex, and even then, the book turns out to be only alphabetized, not encyclopedic. Even on those terms it fails. E.g., how can a section about wills be part of the "joys". If anything, wills are a problem about being gay, and irrelevant to gay sex, joys or not. I would say that this book is not at all directed towards gays, who I'm sure will know much , much, much more about the subject than has been written here, but towards those who have a prurient interest, are mere gawkers, or who are timidly venturing towards it. If that is the case, none of these groups would be well-served by this book.The text is antiseptic, pedestrian, and boring, and the illustrations are grotesque, not to mention degrading.

I suppose I can't blame the book because it is geared toward straight women and I identify as bi but the book just didn't solve the problem I was having with women. It's a problem that many men and women experience and should have been better addressed: talking to women I am attracted to. It did not cover this at all and that's what I was looking for. The section on flirting was the shortest and most vague of this normally medically precise book. All it really said was, "Now go flirt with her like you normally do!" Not helpful...

Other than that, this is a great and educational read.

Women can learn about their own pleasure with this sex manual. The tone of this book is all about having fun and forgetting conventionality.

Ok lets get down to why you should save your money and NOT get this book. First of all the author dedicates two or three chapters on WHY chicks should sleep with chicks. Well if your buying this book then I would think that your already curious or interested, correct? Then the author shares some really great "secrets" on the where and how to pick up other chicks, let me take the time to write some of them down here for you, first this no brainer, "Get them intoxicated, and my all time favorite,"take them behind a dumpster and get them to smoke weed". The author then fills the book up with helpfull hints like, "go put an ad on the internet" Dang, I would have never thought of that!! In summary, you can buy this book if you want, but don't expect anything other than common sense stuff, and I use the term VERY lightly!! Thank you for your time.

One could wonder if there is a need for this book? The author makes no attempt to supply any data concerning how widespread the desire or practice is for straight girls wanting to engage with other females. Her data collection seems to be rather limited - hardly scientific. In any event, the book is interesting and informative.

The book is mostly a sex manual. It covers positions, techniques, enhancing apparati, protective measures, etc - and quite well. Some of the protection techniques seem obnoxious. Maybe better screening of possible partners is a better alternative. There are some good basic points. Who can argue with the desirability of the female body. And then there is the almost infinite ability for female sustained lovemaking.

Beyond technique, it would seem that straight women would want much more commentary on even beginning such relationships without destroying current situations. Sorry, not much help there. The author's self-debate about whether such activity is indicative of bi-sexuality is pretty fuzzy, but in the end, as she says, is mostly irrelevant.

Perhaps the book can fill a void. It is informative and mildly encouraging for those with the desire but with cold feet.

This book is fun. It's all about not being hung up on convention, not getting bogged in old values, guilt or any of that. It's straight talking, like a night out with the girls and Ms Sincero has no hesitation in being very frank and explicit to describe and detail what she is saying.

For we blokes it helps us understand what might be a fantasy or need in our partners and get a feel for that from a woman's perspective, addressing threesomes, anal, toys and pretty much everything, often made properly relevant by Ms Sincero relaying some of her own personal experiences. Happily Ms Sincero also addresses the emotional issues with care and the respect they deserve. Someone exploring somewhere they don't want to go is equally as damaging and tragic as someone not exploring where they do want to go.

It may not be for everyone but Ms Sincero happily lets the reader feel entitled to know what they do or don't want without guilt or pressure and shares her pleasures and celebrates some of her adventures with her readers. Ms Sincero makes me wish I was a woman, she makes `picking up chicks' sound like for a woman it's even more fun than for a man.

So girls, read, laugh, maybe learn a little about your own pleasure, enjoy and, who knows? You may even decide you'd like to share what you enjoy with another woman. Happily Ms Sincero also addresses the fact that such things aren't for everyone, allowing for the fact that, no matter how much denial many of us may live in, the most ideal situation for true Loving Caring relationship beauty can be found in the security of exclusivity and a history of trust and track record. However, for those of us who don't have that in our lives and can use our sexuality as a veritable playground if we want, Ms Sincero provides a manual for some good clean guilt free fun. Cheers-Lloyd

This book is excellent for the youngest ones, kids that are getting started with their gay lives, and when they don't know what to say, what to think, or what to do... For most of us, it is just a "fine" book, nothing we haven't already read on the internet, or discussed with our friends or boyfriend. If you think you are gonna find hot pics (as the one on the cover), tips, or something new you didn't know, you better think twice before you get this book.

Except for "The Joy of Gay Sex," how-to-books about homosexual lovemaking were still in short supply when this title reached print...Although I have a sentimental attachment to "The Joy of Gay Sex" for being the first of its kind, and the one that came along when I really needed it, Jack Hart's book is every bit its equal. I might even give it a slight edge. For other gay men, I recommend it highly.

Before reading this book, I thought my embarrasing problem would not go away. Then I tried a technique described and ended up having the best night of sex in the world. Not all information in the book will be useful to everyone, but it is definately worth looking at.

I expected more out of this book. It is very well written in that it is to the point and witty. However, I paid $[money] for alot of information that I already knew, and could find on the internet for free. Infact most of the sites the author gives you in the book are more informative than the actual text. I don't recomend this book unless your completely new to this type of lifestyle, then I would say it is a definate read.

This book i guess is a manual... but i would discribe it more as a dictionary. It summariz'z a word like testicals in one sentance and then talks about it in a few paragraphs. In my opinion Ultimate Gay Sex is a lot better than this book. Plus UGS has actuall photography to help get a better ideas, this book has some hand drawn pictures. Hope this helps.

Tracey Cox's book entitled Hot Sex: How to do it was probably one of the most useless books I have ever read. Not only does the author take the time to explain even the most basic of sexual positions and situations, but time is spent explaining other aspects such as sexually transmitted diseases and performance problems. I think it is obvious to most people that if the man can't perform, he either needs to get some drugs or hot sex is never going to happen. And as for sexually transmitted diseases, please. I think the generation that this book is targeted towards has heard enough about std's to last them until they die of AIDS. I have to agree that there are some aspects of the book I liked. Her catagories on how to vary sex, and how to increase comfort level for those who are less experienced are rather interesting. Overall, I would have to say that one can gain all the useful information from this book by flipping to the good sections. So you may want to just pass over this one and move on to reading that may teach you something.

A visually stunning book that is more coffee table than reference book. Yet it still manages to be informative and fun to a degree that so few of these genre of books ever are, as it maintains a level of lightheartednesss where appropriate. I loved lines like "a mouthful of spunk has the same amount of protein as an average sized pork chop". Brilliant.
It also doesn't frighten it's readers by over intellectualizing sex, instead keeping it both real and accessible to all. It deals with sexual problems with both sensitivity and an understanding that offers geniune and new ways out of the darkness.
It has REALLY improved mine and my girlfriends sex lifes no end.

I liked this book so much I bought it for a friend, and plan on buying its sister book Hot Relationships. however, if you're looking for detailed information on homosexual relationships, sex toys, explaining sex to your kids, anal sex, or/and how intercourse isn't the end-all be-all of sex, I recommend The Guide to Getting It On by the Goofyfoot Press. But I would definitely start with this one, if you've never read a sex book and don't mind the hetero-centrism, as The Guide is so packed with info it can be a bit overwhelming.

This book wa ok to read, but I found it to contain nothing dramatic and nothing that most adult people don't already know.

Not only does the author take the time to explain even the most basic of sexual positions and situations, but time is spent explaining other aspects such as sexually transmitted diseases and performance problems. I have to agree that there are some aspects of the book I liked. Her catagories on how to vary sex, and how to increase comfort level for those who are less experienced are rather interesting.

Overall, I would have to say that one can gain all the useful information from this book by flipping to the good sections while browsing at ...or whatever the choice bookstore is. So you may want to just pass over this one and move on to reading that may teach you something.

I have to admit I purchased this book because of the hot title and it was a little bit of a let down because of it. That being said, I still thought the suggestions and the advice given in this book was good. It was my own fault what little disappointment I felt after reading this book. I was expecting something a little more??? Well you know, right?

Dr. Kadar has a good writing style. He gives good information. However, he seems a little "old" to be writing a book for a college freshman. Shouldn't a book like this, be written by someone with a recent college experience. It is hard to find fault with most of his advice. However, if you want to give someone a full taste of college, you'll need to balance it with a book written from a student's point of view. Remember, students often see things differently than faculty. When I was an undergrad, I saw the school's bureaucracy as the enemy. I'd recommend accompanying this book with something like College 101: The Book Your College Does Not Want You to Read

I am a longtime friend of Dr. Kadar and a math teacher at Hollywood High School in Los Angeles.
I enjoyed the book immensely primarily because of its readability. Dr. Kadar has a real gift for communicating about topics on which others frequently just lecture . His candid, lucid style make this work approachable for his target audience: high school seniors, many of whom abhor reading anything. I can't think of anyone who would not benefit from the wit and wisdom contained in this book. The straightforward, yet whimsical approach to academics, campus social life, the trials and joys of this coming of age period--make this tome a pleasure to recommend to all.

This book is clever, entertaining, and an overall informative read that every college freshman should relish. Dr. Kadar arms one with the knowledge in order to make educated decisions during the first year and beyond. The invaluable advice contained in this book will propel one to succeed both inside and outside the classroom. Upon reading this book one will be at a significant advantage upon entering freshman year!

Hello. I am the author of College Life 102. I started writing this book for my son, Kenny, as he went off to college. I wanted to share with him knowledge and insights from my eleven years of post-secondary education and over a quarter century of teaching college and medical students. I wanted to help him make a smooth transition to college and to thrive there from the start.
College Life 102 contains insights on how to study smarter instead of harder. It includes strategies I've not seen described anywhere else, such as technique for dodging the stress of deadlines that I call the "pre-deadline deadline."
One section of the book consists of science based information to enable students to make wiser decisions about their diet, alcohol consumption and other health related topics. As a medical doctor and educator, I feel particularly qualified to discuss these issues. My goal in these chapters is to be accurate and therefore credible, to neither exaggerate nor minimize the risks that students face.
Kenny shared the book with his friends and later with students at the University of Washington, when he became an instructor in their freshman orientation program. I received lots of useful and encouraging feedback. I added sections and modified others to update the book. Kenny graduated in four years, cum laude with distinction.
College Life 102, The No-Bull Guide to a Great Freshman Year, contains information I wish I had before I started college. Why 102 instead of 101? This is a more advanced course. It teaches students not to survive but to thrive. Carpe diem!

Yet another student life book written by an old man out of touch with the reality of the contemporary college experience. I mean come on, who are these grey-haired authors kidding? Are we really to expect anything more than superficial advice from someone who graduated from college twenty-five years ago? Sure, some things never change. But there are many things that have changed over the years, and unless you lived it, you can't accurately explain it to people. If you want to read a book that offers more than generic student advice, then read Goat: A Memoir or COLLEGE LIFE EXTREME: Lies, Sex, Drugs and Violence. Both these books are memoirs from students who attended big party schools and have crazy-true stories to share.

Dr Shannon waited decades to explain his resignation from the priesthood and from the Roman Catholic hierarchy. The story is well written and honest. Rome no longer appoints such young priests to the bishopric and this might be an example of the earlier error.

I found this autobiography among the best 5% of books that I have ever read. The author has spent his life as a highly motivated, dedicated idealist. His insights are valuable to me in my own development. His unusual abilities and remarkable personal humility are an unusual combination. As a Roman Catholic, I found that he dealt with some of the Roman Catholics' most difficult problems with the church hierarchy in a charitable and inspiring fashion. His enthusiasm, courage, and optimism in the face of unexpected attacks on his work from his own church should lead us all to an enthusiasm and vision of the church which is positive for the world, the church, and ourselves.

Very confusing timeline. It is difficult to understand exactly what transpired in his mind, and how the whole story fits together.

The story of a deep tragedy, of a man who had so much working in his favor, and then couldn't understand the beauty God gave us in marital relations. The story of a man who has joined the culture of death.

I heard Dr. Shannon speak at Wayzata Community Church on Nov. 3, and found that when I asked him questions about how the medical facts of the pill work, he was unable to discuss the matter, apparaently from a lack of knowledge. He supports birth control, but has no idea how the primary effect of the pill is to keep the fertilized egg from implanting on the uterus, which is an abortion that is usually unknown to the woman as it will not cause a disruption in her cycle.

Very good book for when you are trying to conceive. This book was recommended to us when we were trying to conceive our first child. It truly worked on the first try, and we were both amazed and shocked to have gotten pregnant with him so quicky. Good buy.

Dr. Billings' book is quite repetitive, which for some people may help them grasp the important concepts of the method (it is the most important concepts that are repeated over and over and over again). I found the question-and-answer format of one of the larger chapters made it difficult to locate the information relevant to my situation.

This book provides enough information to use the method, but I found Taking Charge of Your Fertility by Toni Weschler to be more comprehensive, easier to read and understand, and easier to refer back to.

I was interested in natural family planning before, but the birth control pill seemed like an easier method as a newlywed. Well, after an unplanned pregnancy (while on the pill) that ended in miscarriage, I could not bring myself to go back to using the pill. My husband and I wanted a birth control that would be safe and reliable for us. I started researching the Billings Method, saw that it was highly effective and totally natural, but didn't find much information on how to use the method. Then I purchased this book.
I learned so much about my own cycle--about reproductive health in general. The biggest thing I learned is that by simple everyday observations, a woman can know her own times of fertility, in order to either achieve or prevent pregnancy. Dr. Billings describes exactly how to use the Ovulation Method, and after reading the book I was confident about using this as our brith control. Everything was explained clearly, and I keep the book on hand if I have questions. So far, this has worked out well for us, and we are happy.
I recommend this book to anyone who has had trouble with other forms of birth control or is looking for a natural alternative.

Within one month of implementing this method to avoid pregnancy we were pregnant. We followed my cycle for a full 6 months without having intercourse - very difficult but important since we were not ready to have children. As a scientist, I fell for all of the evidence listed in the book, but unlike a scientist, I failed to question it. There is a lot more evidence out there that this method does not work. Be on guard, do your research, and be prepared!

This is a great resource for really getting to know your body and cycle. What I love is that it includes all the scientific research and studies it's based on, so you can objectively judge the evidence yourself.

My only issue is that it seems written more from the perspective of preventing pregnancy- if you are trying to conceive, it doesn't give any clues as to how things change if you DO conceive. All in all, great resource and a very easy method to follow. Only took about an hour to read the main portions too, so it's not like it takes intense studying and measuring.

The author of this book makes an almost moving case for keeping abortion legal. Still, she never really adresses the life of the unborn child. She gives a lot of anecdotes which basically make a point that every thinking person has already thought about and never addresses the dilemma of the life of the unborn human. Pro-life people don't doubt that "behind every choice is a story," nor do they doubt the difficulty of the choices that people have to make. Rather, pro-lifers believe that while no outcome is ideal, the unborn human has the right to a chance at life.

Like most pro-choice authors, this author fails to make any comment on that pivotal issue in the debate. Like too many commentators on both sides of the abortion argument, Gloria Feldt make a lot of emotional appeals while dodging any ideas which might be inconvenient to her side of the issue.

Anyone who is interested in this topic, whether pro-choice or pro-life, should (needs) to read this book. It is written by Goria Feldt, the president of Planned Parenthood so there is a bias. Yes, this would be considered a "prochoice" book. However, it transcends the whole debate because it shows that every choice is a story. This book consists of average women telling their various and very different stories about abortion. Why they had one, the emotions they went through, etc. It is a very useful book, especially since the abortion debate is a hot topic. A must read for everyone!!! It will open your eyes to the debate because it puts real stories to a sometimes obscure topic.

I have never read a book as insightful and human than this book, and what it expressed.
It doesn't press the ideals of pro-choicers (for those of you who are pro-life), but instead, it gives a face to the people affected by these vary issues that so many people argue about today; people who have never and will never go through what so many woman have gone through.
All too often we forget that there are people (and their stories) behind such things as abortion, adoption, birth control, health care, child care, ecetera.
[...]
This book give a voice and a familiar face to the millions of women (the "common everyday woman")who you never get to hear speak on or during political debates.
It's a must for anyone who wants to understand the real dynamics of issues that pertain to, and affect women.

This book really showed why choice is important. Not only did it talk about abortion rights, it talked about making sure women have access to contraception to abortion as rare as possible. Basically, the pro-choice philosophy is this: Give people the education and access to contraception needed to prevent pregnancies that are not wanted. Also, treat sex as what it is: a normal part of life. Doing this will reduce unintended pregnancies, which will reduce abortions and give children a better quality of life overall because they were wanted and/or planned. The government has no right to tell you when to carry a pregnancy to term, just as they have no right to tell you to abort.
There were a few things about the book I didn't like:
1. I thought each chapter was going to be a separate story from a woman who faced an unplanned pregnancy. Instead, the book is mostly writings about Gloria's life and things relating to the pro-choice philosophy. There are many quotes in between where women talk about their choices.

2. I felt that some of the women quoted didn't know what they were talking about and made pro-choicers look bad. For instance, one woman said that at the age of 15 she became pregnant. She thought she was ready to be a parent, but she ended up having an abortion with her mother there to support her. Now she has a teen daughter, and her daughter knows that "teen pregnancy will not take place in this house." To me, that sounds like if the girl gets pregnant, she is going to try to make her have an abortion. That makes me a little upset because, the whole "choice" philosophy is to make the individual woman decide for herself.
Another woman said that she was in college and became pregnant and had an abortion. She became a doctor, and she says that without abortion, she wouldn't have been able to become a doctor. I find that upsetting too, because shouldn't women be able to have children and also be successful?
But I did keep in mind that these were individual opinions and not always what being pro-choice was all about. I recommend this book if you are unsure of what being pro-choice means, or if you want to hear personal accounts of people and their reproductive rights.

The best parts of this book are the discussions concerning parental conversations about sex and birth control-including problems getting insurance to cover it. The book provides excellent discussion on these topics.

For the rest of this book, I felt like it was one long advertisement for Planned Parenthood's abortion services.

There was a story where a woman who had previously had an abortion claimed that for her own children: "there would be no teen pregnancy in this house." What a scary thing to say! I'd recommend the book: The Girls Who Went Away: The Hidden History of Women Who Surrendered Children for Adoption in the Decades Before Roe v. Wade. This book details how society treated girls who were pregnant out of wedlock in the 40-50-60s. In most cases, girls were treated like outcasts and sent to maternity homes where they were hidden and then forced to surrender their newborns. Now, the comment in "Behind Every Choice is a Story" from the mother who claims she will have "no teenage pregnancy in her house" seems to have the same kind of thinking all over again. But, instead of forcing her child into the nearest Ann Crittenton home, she will hold her hand at the abortion clinic. The author said it herself that parental notification laws do nothing to stop minors from getting abortions-as many parents actually encourage it as a good thing. I really don't think abortion has solved many problems for women. I think women still feel pressure from everyone when faced with an unplanned pregnancy. The "choice" (especially for young women) is made by the person with the most persuasive case.

This book also came across as sounding very elitist in the discussions about poor women and their "large families." There were many comments about the world's growing (out of control) population. I understand some poor women do wish they could control their fertility. But, some don't. For some, large families are part of their cultural or religious beliefs. This book was fairly condescending. There was even a comment about a study that linked legalized abortion with declining crime rates (and this was written as something to brag about). If that isn't passing judgement about who is having abortions, I don't know what is! Is the author saying it was good all those women had abortions so we don't have to deal with their criminal children?

Now, the hands down, most disturbing part of this book was a story about a couple with the baby with low amniotic fluid and birth defects..how they got an abortion and had a moment of silence over the remains. What about delivering your baby naturally and letting him/her die with dignity in your arms? To me the story about the abortion "remains" was downright creepy. And, the rest of the story was just as odd...the clinic workers said they were doing "God's work." Hmmm..

Let's also have a reality check. The phrase "every child a wanted child" was used over and over in this book. 30+ years after Roe, this is still not a reality. There is still child abuse and neglect. Abortion is not going to make every child a wanted child. Resources, parent education, support networks, crisis nurserys, programs for poor women that let them parent their own children instead of shoving them into bad daycares, etc. are what will make a difference in making parenting an easier job-and a more "wanted" job. And please, be honest, you can plan all you want for a baby but until he/she is in your arms, you really don't know how you will respond to parenthood. Legalized abortion has not led to parenting bliss for everyone who has become a parent since 1973.

Feldt acts like everyone who is "anti choice" is building bombs with a hit list of people to kill. Get real. While she claims that she is so understanding of the other side (compared to the compassionless anti-choicers) she ends with this comment which negates all her talk about being so "accepting" of the other viewpoint: "were going to outlast the [...]" (meaning "anti choice" people).

The author says on the abortion scale she is a 10 meaning she favors unrestricted abortion rights. So, she okays abortion for sex selection, for Down Syndrome babies (there was a very disturbing story about this as well in the book), for any other "defect" that is "not good enough." What if we discover a gay gene that can be tested in utero? What about a cancer gene? How long will the abortion lines be then? Some countries already have very unbalanced female-male ratios due to abortion. We all need to think long and hard about these ethical issues and what we are really making "choices" about.