Birth: The Surprising History of How We Are Born By Tina Cassidy
Released: September 2006
AWESSSSSSSSSSOME! I put off reading this book for a long time because I thought it was more mechanics, nature, etc. OMG it’s not. Well, the first chapter is mechanics and how we differ from other animals but the rest is how human birth has been handled and mishandled across time and cultures by human peoples. There’s a whole chapter on tools and fads! TOOLS!!! With pictures! This is not the kind of book that favors any particular way of going about it, like books that favor midwives over obstetricians, etc. This one merely lays down, der, the history of childbirth management, although she does of course mention what worked and what didn’t.
Also it’s funny and has pictures throughout, which is pretty much the best way to organize a history book ever, if you can afford it. Everybody read it!
