Two book reviews: Good Eggs and Waiting for Daisy

In April, I read two books about infertility. I thought I’d review them here for your benefit.

 

--

Good Eggs: A Memoir by Phoebe Potts

 

This was a whimsical book with adorable illustrations. It was my initiation into the graphic novel genre and it was an enjoyable experience. My favorite thing about it is that she rewards you for looking closely at the drawings – you’ll know what I mean when you read it.

 

I liked reading about Potts’s journey through depression and infertility. My only complaint about this book is that it is touted as a memoir about infertility, and really, she doesn’t say all that much about it. I’d say half or slightly less of the book is infertility-related. I was hoping for a little more subject matter on the topic.

 

Overall though, it’s a fun book, charming, a quick read, and you won’t want to put it down. The Huffington post has a nice little slideshow about the book here.

 

--

Waiting for Daisy: A Tale of Two Continents, Three Religions, Five Infertility Doctors, an Oscar, an Atomic Bomb, a Romantic Night, and One Woman's Quest to Become a Mother by Peggy Orenstein

 

I enjoyed this book immensely. Orenstein’s writing style is familiar and easy to read. Her journey is so real and heartfelt. I would say the majority of this book is about infertility, although it’s not without its tangents.

 

My favorite part of the book comes while Orenstein is in Japan suffering yet another miscarriage. She points out that Japanese has a word for aborted, miscarried, and stillborn children, while in English we just call them “my lost baby” or “the baby I miscarried” or “my child born sleeping.” I thought it was fascinating that we literally deny the existence of these losses my refusing to give the children a name. Equally fascinating is the relationship Japan has with abortion.

 

I would recommend this book to any and all of you.