Breeder: Real-Life Stories from the New Generation of Mothers

Rating:
Summary: Stories for ALL mothers
Review: Despite reading the 'anti' reviews, I bought myself a copy. I soon realised that the people who posted such vitriolic reviews had were merely posting as an excuse to air their anti-child views. Whatever. I am a suburban 40 year old mother with a child. I would say that I am 'less than hip' and probably fall outside the marketing target for this book. But I found the stories to be insightful, engaging and full of humour. I nodded my head many times in understanding and have recommended it to mothers in my circle of friends as a way to open up discussion. The beauty of this book is that it is universally appealing to all women who have had children. The stories are fresh and witty - and make you feel that you are not alone. I highly recommend it to any woman who is thinking of having children, or who already has them. You don't have to be hip to love this book.

Rating:
Summary: Making me proud
Review: Every single word in this book is about the freedom to become what you are as a mother, parent, individual interacting with a child and with this world. There is warmth, there is strength, there is fear, there is true beauty throughout. This book has given me the courage to redefine how I parent and how I love. And it is a gift that I will read and enjoy throughout my life, both as a reference and a resource. Makes me proud to be raising up the next generation along with these beautiful Breeders and for being a part of this revolution. Amen, Bee and Ariel!! What a gift!

Rating:
Summary: Laughing and Crying at the same time
Review: Finally a book I can relate to. This is an excellant choice for any mother or mother to be. I loved this book.

Rating:
Summary: sigh
Review: From reading the pages of this book that are posted here, all I can do is say "groan." I am a "gen-x-er" and am so tired of the self-indulgent, me-focus of "my" generation. This book looks ridiculous.

Rating:
Summary: GREAT READ
Review: I can't express how much this book meant to me. I highly recommend it to all the women and men out there who are raising our future generation. I came away from this book feeling like I made a whole new group of best friends...wonderful stories.

Rating:
Summary: Read this
Review: I can't get over the guilt or whining of some of the soccer moms. The majority of the parenting books cater to YOU! This book was a refreshing anthology of different mamas, different breeders. I usually buy this book and _Mothers Who Think_ for my pregnant friends under about 35. I think this book speaks to various people and not just the mini-van crowd, who have shelves of books to choose from in any bookstore!

Rating:
Summary: Read this
Review: I can't say that some of the essays weren't well-written, because they were. My problem was the content. I'm not Mrs. Brady by a long shot, I thought I was forward-thinking, a feminist, a hip-mama, but apparently, if you want to stick to the confines of this collection, if you aren't on welfare, a single-mom, or a teenager, in an alternative relationship or all of the above, you aren't from the "New Generation of Mothers". Personally, that's okay with me. I'll just go on being a good mother with a secret punk rock past & realise that by having planned out my pregnancy with my husband when we could afford it that I'm just one of those supposed-SUV driving soccer moms that all the other parenting books cater to. Shame on Ariel Gore for being so narrow-minded in her view of the new generation of mothers. Shame on these supposive feminists for being irresponisble in their breeding & then claiming it a victory for feminism.

Rating:
Summary: I guess being unprepared for having kids makes you hip.
Review: I can't say that some of the essays weren't well-written, because they were. My problem was the content. I'm not Mrs. Brady by a long shot, I thought I was forward-thinking, a feminist, a hip-mama, but apparently, if you want to stick to the confines of this collection, if you aren't on welfare, a single-mom, or a teenager, in an alternative relationship or all of the above, you aren't from the "New Generation of Mothers". Personally, that's okay with me. I'll just go on being a good mother with a secret punk rock past & realise that by having planned out my pregnancy with my husband when we could afford it that I'm just one of those supposed-SUV driving soccer moms that all the other parenting books cater to. Shame on Ariel Gore for being so narrow-minded in her view of the new generation of mothers. Shame on these supposive feminists for being irresponisble in their breeding & then claiming it a victory for feminism.

Rating:
Summary: an honest take on motherhood
Review: I couldn't put this book down. Having, like any mother, been inundated with parenting magazines and books which seem always to be trying to sell me a white bread life and not even to consider that some mothers may not aspire to be a Katie Couric lookalike, it is such a relief to read about the "other" mothers, the ones who didn't sell out at conception and still haven't. My husband and I both cried when I read Ayun Halliday's essay, "Neonatal Sweet Potato" aloud, remembering our NICU experiences and overwhelmed by the insight and accuracy of her words. Tales of homebirths, teenage motherhood, and every kind of family imaginable are so well written and engaging that it only took me a day to read the whole thing. Add insightful blurbs from hipmama community members and great illustrations and the whole is a book that is as enjoyable as it is political. I highly recommend this for anyone who has ever been shunned at gymboree.

Rating:
Summary: My New Favorite Book!
Review: I got this book on Sunday and could not put it down. I love it! Inspiring stories, and so diverse in the approaches and attitudes towards having children. This book makes me feel like I am a member of a new tribe of mothers instead of the ugly freak-nothing my in-laws seem to think I am. Dan Savage's forward is heart-warming. The list of Breeder Rights of Passage is hilarious and hits close to home with items like 'first Judy Blume book,' 'first zine,' 'first stalker,' and 'first trip to Nepal.' My favorite stories were NeoNatal SweetPotato about a babies in the neonatal ICU--I couldn't stop crying. And Bread and Roses--finally the truth about true love (it's hard work!) And also one called 'Baby Vibe' about the time the writer's child got ahold of her vibrator--I couldn't stop laughing! It says in the introduction: "Our lives are intense, chaotic, excellent. We don't know too much about 'settling down,' but we are finding, after a long ramble, ways to mother soulfully in this world--the one we swore we would never bring children into, the one that spawned our cynicism and the one that, ultimately, nourishes out hope. Rock on, breeder chicks!" I especially like that the writers in this book don't claim that motherhood changes so dramatically with each new generation, but that the ways we are able to talk about it (without defensiveness or endless explanations) have expanded exponentially. The themes in this book are universal, but the voices are decidedly "Generation X."