I have managed to get a bit of reading done, at the expense of being an absolute vegetable.
My Lady Scandalous by Jo Manning - Christmas gift from my mother, a biography of Grace Dalrymple Elliot. She's one of the "bad girls" of the eighteenth century - married to a husband much her senior, got caught having an affair with a certified rake (to be mild), being divorced by said husband, possibly being the mother of one of George III's 56 illegitimate grandchildren by Prinny, and almost getting herself guillotined during the Terror (still around during the Regency, but not really causing problems). Caveat: she is a Regency romance author. However, this is definitely a book I would recommend to a reader who is not super-familiar with the Georgian or Regency areas (like, if you're wondering what the hell I'm talking about now). She tells the story of an interesting woman with flair, there's a lot of gorgeous illustrations (portraits, drawings of areas), and a lot of historical sidebars that cover something she's touched on in the text. While some of the sidebars got to be a bit annoying, as a primer for this period and the issues affecting women, I think it's an excellent book.
Spilled Milk by Andy Steiner is a collection of stories/advice from real breastfeeding moms. If you're feeling a little over/underwhelemed by some of the rosier-colored views, this is a refreshing wake up call (from the POV of a first time pregnant woman). It acknowledges that breast is best for baby, but keeps an eye on Mom's sanity as well. Also, nifty list of recommended reads in the back.
The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. I like his How to Cook Everything, and this is a nice, if hefty, look at recipes and cuisines around the world. The cooking approaches are also fairly minimalistic. Some basic recipes seem to be retreads from How to Cook Everything, and some of the recipes have a "fusion" feeling to them. Still, I plan to have fun with it.
The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding by La Leche League. I understand now why other women have said LLL is useful, and can be very helpful if you're having practical issues with breastfeeding, but there is definitely a "granola" feel about it that really annoys me in some places. There was another book rec'd in the back of Spilled Milk that is supposed to have good info for working moms.
Inside the Victorian Home by Judith Flanders. Hi, yes, if you're a Brit history fan, you may enjoy this book. There's a lot of little domesticity details, not just how each room was furnished. Lots of pics and anecdotes. Obviously, I would recommend that you be at least interested in the Victorians in general.
Teachers Have It Easy by a trio of young educational professionals (Calegari, Eggers, and Moultrop) has a very tongue-in-cheek title. It looks not just at the issues facing American teachers (most notably, pay or lack therof) but also showcases a few schools/districts that have made unique steps at trying to fix the problem.
Yes, the further along the pregnancy goes, the more books about it will be featured in the reviews.
DV
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
