Book Reviews

Diary of a Fat Housewife
I'm currently in the middle of reading this. It's a no-holds-barred, no-punches-pulled, gut-wrenchingly honest look at life from the inside of a woman's struggle with weight. Being pregnant and hormonal, I'm surprised this book hasn't had me in tears already. It's definitely had me chuckling several times. I can't relate to all of it - I've been overweight for years but not to the extent of the author, and I haven't had to battle the overwhelming compulsions she talks about. But I love her honesty and her willingness to share her entire story (not just the successful parts). Written with sincerity, and at times very real, very raw emotion, this diary is a bit of a roller coaster, and I'd call it a must read for anyone who is struggling to lose weight and feels like they're alone in their plight.

The Surrendered Wife
It's challenging, it's controversial, and boy, do eyebrows go up when you start talking about this author's approach to a successful marriage! Setting aside the need to control, to be in charge, to take care of everything - it's a tall order, especially in this day and age when we have been raised to embrace the "do it all" dream. It's difficult to step away from years of one way of thinking and start embracing what feels like the opposite. To stop nagging, controlling, and micro-managing when you've been in that place long enough that it just comes out unconsciously, to hand over the reins to your husband and let him take the lead, it can feel so foreign, but yet so refreshing! Highly recommended.

Hush, Little Ones
Quite possibly a perfect bedtime story. Very soothing, rhythmic and repetitive, this book goes along softly saying goodnight to animals around the world. Also a great book for teaching some animal lessons, as each animal family is pictured in its natural habitat - nests, dens, burrows, fields. My two year old loves it but I think it would be a keeper for several years.

Down by the Station
This must be C's favorite book right now. A great little rhyme laid out beautifully in a book where each turn of the page reveals something new through peek-a-boo holes in the pages. On the right is a picture of the station and on the left appear all the sounds of the various trains, buses, tractors etc. C has been walking around the house "reading" this one to herself for days now, "chug chug chug, off we go!