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Reading/Play Room

Okay, please don't think I'm selling out here, but I wanted to put together a list of books and toys that I have gotten from Amazon.com or otherwise enjoyed. I have been extremely pleased with the service I've received from Amazon, and highly recommend ordering from them. For me, it's a bit of an addiction right now :)

Family and Parenting:

	Taking Charge of Your Fertility by Toni Weschler: Every woman should own this book, the quintessential reference for contraception, conception, menopause, and fertility in general. If you have a uterus, you need this book! If you don't have a uterus, you may know someone who does and who could use this information... and you may find it fascinating yourself!
	The Baby Book by William and Martha Sears: A fantastic reference for the first two years. I have used this constantly during Stephen's first months, and suspect it will come in handy for years to come. If you're interested in attachment parenting, this is the book to get.
	Parenting the Fussy Baby and the High-Need Child by William and Martha Sears: I never thought I'd have a fussy baby... but Stephen surprised us all. This book helped me understand why he might be why he is, and gave practical suggestions for dealing with the moods.
	The Birth Book by William and Martha Sears: A terrific reference for pregnant women and their partners. The focus is on natural childbirth, but is valuable even if you are planning on having drugs or a c-section.
	News flash! I have some brand-new copies of The Birth Book, and will send them, postage included, for $10 each. Volume The Fussy Baby BookThe Birth Book This is far below the retail price at Amazon.com or at any unused bookstore. See also my Sling page for a special offer! (The books are from Edward R. Hamilton and are in perfect condition.The Birth Book has an older cover, but is the same inside.)

Great Sci-Fi and Fantasy Authors: (Clicking on the name returns a search result)

• Kim Stanley Robinson. Absolutely incredible stuff -- the best I've read in years. He does so much research before writing, I feel like I've been immersed in the subject after reading. These are books to savour -- amazing characters, great stories, tons of information. These are the big standouts:
  • Red Mars
  • Green Mars
  • Blue Mars
  • The Martians
  • Antarctica
• Sheri S. Tepper Recommended to me by my sister. Long reads, but very satisfying. I have enjoyed everything I've read so far; she has fantastic settings and very believable characters. Amazon doesn't have a lot of her stuff (seems to be out of print), but try your local library or used book stores.
• Ben Bova. Quick reads, very character-driven, highly accessible writing. I recommend:
  • Mars
  • Return to Mars
  • Moonrise
  • Moonwar
• Orson Scott Card Also quick reads; Card knows people well, and it shows. Terrific stories that stick with you for weeks. I recommend (clicking goes to first book in series):
  • The Ender series
  • The Homecoming series
  • The Tales of Alvin Maker

Great Toys:

These are toys I've gotten for Stephen and that we enjoy. I have reviews for some of them on Amazon. (Click on picutres for buying info)

Circle rattle	Girali "worm"	Great teether	Shape sorter	Stackingrings
Lively links (can't have enough of these!)	The coolest rattler ever!	Cloth grabby thingy	Baby abacus

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