Rating: 
Summary: What about overpopulation?
Review: Thin, vapid pop psychology that does not even mention such concerns as global overpopulation and the ensuing ecological collapse of our planet. The decision whether or not to have a child is the biggest decision most of us will ever make, and it requires the thoughtful person to consider factors other than their own small life. This book won't help you with the bigger issues. Very superficial. Check out Bill McKibben's Maybe One or the Society for Voluntary Human Extinction for more provocative, subversive food for thought.
Rating: 
Summary: Excellent!
Review: This book is fascinating. It talks about the very taboo subject that maybe some people just don't want to have children! It's a very practical guide to understanding yourself, your values and whether or not you genuinely want children for yourself or are being pressured into it by family, friends and society.
It helped me make peace with the decision not to have children.
Rating:
Summary: Helpful, practical information we all need to think about
Review: This book points out basic and obvious questions we should all ask ourselves before taking on the enormous task of parenthood. Unfortunately, virtually no one asks these questions of themselves or their friends and loved ones. When I have voiced my ambivalence about having children, I am often told "you're never ready, you just have to do it." Well, maybe some people aren't meant to have children and have another purpose!High school curriculum should include a course on parenting and this book should be part of it. Makes a great wedding present!
Rating:
Summary: This should be mandatory reading in schools
Review: This book was excellent! I recommend it to everyone. I know I do not want children but my husband is wavering. I bought the book and highlighted passages for him to read and think about. I have loaned the book out and got great response on it as well. I always recommend this book to those who have the slightest question as to having kids. For me it even more confirmed my chosen childfree life. This book will help you decide if you are ready for kids now, in the future or ever.
Rating: 
Summary: good exercises, precious little data
Review: While our ability for logic and reasoning put us at the top of the food chain, we human beings are notorious for making decisions based on emotion. How can we not? We're human, after all.
I was looking for something to counterbalance the "emotional" side of making the decision to have children. I knew the reasons that were leaning me toward doing it, but I also knew that I was forgoing the practical perspective.
This book did a bang-up job at making you face the reality of being a parent. None of that "Kodak Moment" family crap. The author asks tough questions and makes you (and your mate) write out lists to consider how you'd handle certain situations.
The questions that are posed and your reactions to them are invaluable. They quickly dispel those idealized notions of the endless joys of parenting. The vignettes she provides about her patient experiences are quite eye-opening and thought-provoking. I started more than once at the pain of the conflicting feelings the parents were expressing.
I do wish the author was a bit more scientific in her approach. Other than offhand quote of one or two longitudinal studies, there were no real articles, references, studies, or data to strengthen her attestations. While I don't doubt the veracity of what she's said in the least, I prefer having these claims substantiated with some research. Ideally, this book would have included evidence on the effect of children on financial bearings, one's sex life, one satisfaction and fullfillment with their marriage, one's general state of satisfaction, and the like.
I'd highly recommend it. This book, I believe, would be most useful for people who perceive of the parenting experience in a very idealistic manner (i.e., it's all sunshine and roses). I fear it's these women (yes, women in particular) who have the most to suffer when they find out it ain't all it's cracked up to be. While I'm sure many of them might react with "that will never happen to me!" at least later when it does happen to them they can take comfort that they're not alone.
Overall rating would be 3.5 stars, but I rounded up since that wasn't an option!
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