Rating: 
Summary: Challenging, thought provoking and polarizing
Review: It's been interesting to see the reactions to this book, both here at Amazon and at other Childfree and childed sites on the net. Certainly, Burkett makes a compelling case. She argues, quite correctly IMHO, that we have evolved to an era of, what she calls, "affirmative action for parents." She simply asks why that is, and why that should be. Sometimes, however, she does so in exceedingly strident tones (which is why the four star, not five star, rating). At times, then, the book can seem as self-centered as the affluent boomers she seeks to skewer. As a forty-plus childfree baby boomer, this book echoed much of the resentment I feel, both in the workplace and with our elected officials. However, Burkett moves beyond this. She talks about the poor, whose children reap little of the government's largesse, and, to a lesser extent, the elderly and older empty-nesters, who received no such assistance. In fact, I wish she would have addressed the older age cohort a little more. People my parents age, or even grandparent ages, who raised larger families, generally on one income, in times more difficult than those we live in today. One wonders what they would say about affluent boomer parent selfishness. One wonders what they would say about their children feeling the government owed them something just for having children. I don't think their words would be terribly kind. Burkett does us a favor by questioning these "family friendly" assumptions. She forces the argument. The best chapter, "No Kidding," should be required reading for both parties on the parenting fence. Maybe then parents will realize what life is like for those of us who have chosen to be childfree. Maybe then parents will realize that a world exists beyond just their own children.
Rating: 
Summary: The child-burdened just don't get it...
Review: Ms. Burkett's central thesis is not: "I don't want you to have any perks!" *whine whine*. It's: "The perks given are a bone thrown to keep parents complacent." Things like unpaid medical leave and tax breaks are viable benefits only for the middle and upper-middle classes. These benefits do little to actually offset the costs of childrearing. Thus, people think they're getting something for their "sacrifice", but it's ephemeral. The poor, who really need help feeding their children, much less buying them the latest toys, have nothing, especially with the current Welfare "reform". Tax breaks mean nothing to someone living below the poverty line, and the poor can't afford to take unpaid leave.According to her research, "family-friendly" policies aren't keeping workers around and happy, either, which seems to indicate that my taxes aren't just subsidizing others' choices, but that it's a wasted subsidy. I also find it interesting that my co-workers who pop a sprog are given weeks of leave for their contribution to society, and have a guaranteed job when they return. If I chose to head up North to one of the Reservations and help build a better medical clinic or school, I would not have a job guaranteed to me upon my return, even though I had just made a huge contribution to society. Despite the anger of her book, which many threatened parents cannot see past, her point is clear: these benefits are not doing anything, just fostering senses of entitlement and resentment. I think new parents _should_ be able to take leave, but then so should I. I think parents _should_ be able to leave when their kids get sick, but then I should receive higher pay and faster promotions for taking up any slack. And we should stop feeling pressured to work 60 hours a week, no matter what our parenting status. The resentment myself and other childless/childfree workers feel is a symptom of a BIG problem, and Ms. Burkett's book is an important step towards finding the cure.
Rating: 
Summary: who told you that America is child-friendly?!
Review: Raising children is a very hard work, but, as most other industrialzied countries have realized, it is one of the most important jobs outthere. Our children will be the ones taking care of us, curing us, cooking for us, making our clothes etc. and most importantly moving the economy forward so that we ALL can enjoy a retirement. It is only fair, that those who do not raise their own children chip in to help those who do. United States is NOT family-friendly. It is the only industrialized country with NO maternity leave, and daycare costs are higher than college tuition. The child tax-credit is ridiculous and doesn't help all that much. Stop whining and thank those who choose to have children inspite of all of the difficulties and costs involved.
Rating:
Summary: The truth has been told!
Review: This book is a pure logic masterpiece. Simple straight-forward arguments that cut through the BS of our brat-centric culture. For any childfree person, a must have for their library. However, it runs into problems in the last chapter. A lot of opinions voiced, I strongly don't agree with. (I give it a 95%.) Although it's slightly dated with respect to the childfree movement, GO OUT GET THIS BOOK!
Rating:
Summary: Parents deserve equal treatment, not priviledged treatment
Review: What a delightfully fiendish little book. On completing "The Baby Boon", I just had to run out and read the comments on Amazon. It never even dawned on me that people would even be allowed to think such politically incorrect thoughts about the spawners (I mean parents). The book is vague enough, that different groups can take away whatever they want from the book. There is enough whining in the book, that the people who love all the special perks will be able to label it as feminist whining. The childless can find self validation, etc.. The book has many hidden gems. I was especially intrigued with the way that Bill Clinton sold out the traditional support base of the Democratic Party and bought the Baby Boom vote with the promise of special treatment for Baby Booming parents. It is also interesting to see how quick Republican, who had been arguing for lower taxes and fiscal constraint, were willing to sell out when handed bags of special little perks. If you are wondering. I happen to be childless. I was born at the end of the Baby Boom. My particular whine is that Reagan cancelled the scholarship program I needed to finish college. The government slashed spending on college education right after the boomers. I borrowed heavily into my senior year. The loans gave out before my last quarter's tuition. My life is a simple equation of massive student loans and no degree. Consequently, the people I care about the most are students. If the book really wanted to make an impact. It would have mentioned the great burden put on the youth of this nation by all the perks dished out today. Today's students are coming out of College in to a dreadful labor market with record setting college loans and credit card debt. The US is setting record deficits, and there is an expectation that our children will somehow make enough in their lives to pay the generous Social Security benefits that the Baby Boomers will demand while pay back the six trillion dollar deficit that the boomers ran up. Responsible students put off children until they have their finances in order. So the tax breaks work against people hoping to start families. Many students today come out of college with $100,000 plus in credit card debt and loans. The perks hurt the responsible young students who work off their debt. As such, responsible graduates will put off children even longer. The baby boomers tax grants aren't simply a transfer of wealth from the single to the married. It is a massive transfer of wealth and potential from young couple trying to get a toehold in the world to the established middle class. Ultimately, it is a tax that penalizes those who are responsible in planning for a family to those that drop kids without thinking. I think "Baby Boon" is an important read because it shows us how the dialogue in American politics gets turned, spun and twisted until it is impossible to say which way is left or right. The only real conclusion is that mass transfers of wealth by the government has losers as well as winners. (We will always have whiners) Personally, I have no faith in the government's ability to decide which groups should be the winners and losers. The law of unintended consequences usually catch up with all government mandated wealth transfers.
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