Reviews (58)

Not what I expected
I'd seen this book referenced too many times to count, but never picked it up until recently. However, I was disappointed with it in comparison to Ridley's others (Agile Gene, and Genome). Although he seems to dazzle people with evolutionary psychology (Just as Miller does in The Mating Mind, Wright does in Moral Animal, and Buss does in his books), Ridley falls into the same Evo Psyche troubles as the others listed above do.
Dang it Ridley, you ruined everything!
Ok this book is awesome. However, whenever I see an attractive girl, I no longer think "wow, she is gorgeous". Now I think "hmm, the only reason i think she has great legs, a nice booty and pretty face is because my genes are programed to like that." Although, I will admit that it is REALLY interesting to know why certain traits are considered attractive and how evolution shaped our idea of beauty.
I'm Speechless
This book turns the entire concept of intelligence inside out. Seriously mind-blowing. Excellent exercise in extended mental gymnastics. You won't be disappointed. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Human Reproduction    2. Human evolution    3. Life Sciences - Biology - General    4. Life Sciences - Evolution    5. Life Sciences - Evolution - Human    6. Physiology Of Reproduction    7. Science    8. Science/Mathematics    9. Sex    10. Social evolution    11. Science / Biology   

Subjects:  1. Andrology    2. Atlases    3. Essays    4. Generative organs, Male    5. Genitalia, Male    6. Medical    7. Medical / Nursing    8. Reproduction    9. Reproductive Medicine & Technology    10. Urology    11. Human reproduction, growth & development    12. Medical / Reproductive Medicine & Technology   

Subjects:  1. Aging    2. Aging - General    3. Family / Parenting / Childbirth    4. Geriatrics    5. Gerontology    6. Life Sciences - Biology - Molecular Biology    7. Medical    8. Physiological aspects    9. Sociology    10. physiology    11. Geriatric medicine    12. Human reproduction, growth & development    13. Medical / Geriatrics   

Subjects:  1. Human Reproduction    2. Life Sciences - Biology - General    3. Life Sciences - Human Anatomy & Physiology    4. Medical    5. Medical / Nursing    6. Physiology    7. Science    8. Biology, Life Sciences    9. Science / Biology   

Reviews (3)

Excellent textbook
I've been using this book for several years as a recommended text in my gerontology classes. It is really excellent. It's quite readable and very helpful for the layperson or the health care provider.

Excellent textbook
I've been using this book for several years as a recommended text in my gerontology classes. It is really excellent. It's quite readable and very helpful for the layperson or the health care provider.

A textbook with mass appeal
Originally designed as a text for those who want to work with those over65 years, this softcover book is a comprehensive, well-referenced guide toissues and concerns of the growing elder population. Chapters coverdemographics, theories of why and how we age, how age affects each bodysystem and common illnesses. Also included are discussions of diet,exercise, sexuality, medications, health care, nursing home care and deathand dying. Excellent, up-to-date reference. Written by a mother-daughterteam (gerontologist and physician), the book provides a lot of informationin a format that is easy to understand and presents a holistic approach tosuccessful aging. A third edition is in the works. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Gerontology    2. Health/Fitness    3. Medical    4. Medical / Nursing    5. Human reproduction, growth & development    6. Medical / Geriatrics   

Reviews (19)

Great info and easy reading!
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and it was packed with so many facts I didn't know. I especially enjoyed the sections on eye color and blood type. This book was very well written and packed with information and personal experiences from the doctor, which made it much more interesting to read. I would recommend this book to any new mom...and I already have one child, just didn't realize I still had so much to learn.
The best book on pregnancy and the first year of your baby!Look no furthur.
We're expecting our third child and I picked up this book because I liked the title.I figured almost two years worth of information in one book would be nice since we already kind of know about preganacy and the baby's first year.I wouldn't have to read too much with my busy schedule and maybe get one or two good tips I didn't get before.Was I wrong!
Where Was This Book when We Were Expecting???
Dr. Greene has put together a remarkable guideline that takes expecting couple from pregnancy through toddlerhood.Much like his award-winning children's health website, DrGreene.com, he does this in an engaging style with well-researched information.
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Subjects:  1. Care    2. Child Development    3. Development    4. Family & Relationships    5. Family / Parenting / Childbirth    6. Family And Child Development    7. Family/Marriage    8. Human Reproduction    9. Infants    10. Infants & Toddlers - Infants    11. Life Sciences - Human Anatomy & Physiology    12. Life Stages - Infants & Toddlers/General    13. Parenting - Child Rearing    14. Pregnancy & Childbirth    15. Health & Fitness / Pregnancy & Childbirth    16. Pregnancy, birth & baby care   

Reviews (5)

Mere markets?
The fact that this book is published by the Harvard Business School and the author is a professor there tells us much about how this topic is broached. The main focus of the book is on how the infertility industry (the baby business) and the market interact. Other vital elements, such as moral considerations, are barely mentioned. And this is where the book breaks down. Yes, the market side to the question is very important, and rightly needs to be explored, but taken out of a bigger social and ethical context, the approach comes across barren and empty (no pun intended).
The Birth of the Scholarly Page Turner
This is good stuff-if not juicy, and Spar casts a wide net that doesn't miss a thing: conception techniques, fertility markets, surrogacy, designer babies, human cloning, and adoption.The writer also has the guts to have a lucid, constructive point of view-never backing away from the controversial subjects many would balk about discussing.This book is a must read for anyone who might, is, or has gone through any of the processes above, and for the rest of us like me, just a great eye-opening read.In fact, I kept thinking as the pages turned: "I had no idea..."As a piece of scholarly writing it is immaculate (check out the pages of footnotes!), but more impressive is the fact that Spar's writing style is trenchant, entertaining and unwavering in it's ability to present a point of view to the reader.I wasn't expecting it, but Spar continually challenges and provokes as she weaves her riveting tale of the dynamics of a topic-both moral and technical-that is dear to the hearts of us all: babies.Wow.A scholarly page-turner!?Shouldn't there be an award for that? It's great read, and I highly recommend it.

Informative book, but problems in adoption industry overlooked
This was a very informative book, and I'm glad I bought it.However, the chapter on adoption glossed over the serious problems with the U.S. adoption industry.The book says that "adoption works."It may work for the baby-buyers and baby-sellers, but evidence shows it does not work well for mothers who are separated from their children by adoption.The book also implies that mothers choose to surrender their children for adoption, when in fact, most mothers who surrender their children to adoption believe that they have no other options, are uninformed about their options for keeping their child, are uninformed about the consequences of adoption, and/or are pressured or coerced to surrender.While the adoption industry provides privileged women with the choice of aquiring someone else's baby, it takes away poor women's choice to keep their child.See www.OriginsUSA.org and http://www.originscanada.org/adoption_coercion.html ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Consumer Behavior - General    5. Economic aspects    6. General    7. Human Genetic Engineering    8. Human Reproduction    9. Human reproductive technology    10. Infertility    11. Marketing - General    12. Surrogate motherhood    13. Treatment    14. Economics    15. Parenthood   

Subjects:  1. Administration    2. Ethics    3. Ethics & Moral Philosophy    4. Human reproduction    5. Human reproductive technology    6. Medical ethics    7. Moral and ethical aspects    8. Philosophy    9. Birth control, contraception, family planning    10. Medicolegal issues    11. Philosophy / Ethics & Moral Philosophy    12. Philosophy | Ethics & Moral Philosophy | Biomedical Ethics    13. Reproductive medicine   

Subjects:  1. Gynecology & Obstetrics    2. Human reproduction    3. Medical    4. Medical / Nursing    5. Physiology    6. Reproduction    7. Reproductive Medicine & Technology    8. Sex    9. Human reproduction, growth & development    10. Science / Developmental Biology   

Subjects:  1. Diseases - Diabetes    2. Endocrinology & Metabolism    3. Growth hormone releasing facto    4. Growth hormone releasing factor    5. Hormones    6. Life Sciences - Biochemistry    7. Medical / Nursing    8. Metabolism    9. Pathophysiology    10. Physiological effect    11. Science    12. Science/Mathematics    13. Somatotropin    14. Endocrinology    15. Human reproduction, growth & development   

Reviews (3)

A look at the future
The accomplishments of Baker & Bellis, summarized nicely in this textbook treatment, are stunning and underappreciated.B&B present a strong case that our reproductive physiology and behavior evidence a degreeof adaptive, strategic sophistication that should both thrill and embarassanyone who holds an evolutionary view of human behavior. Very stimulating
An absoluting fascinating book.Although not all the conclusions and suggestions are entirely plausible (or at least not well explicated), the thrust of the book makes itself felt.So to speak.

The genetic basis for human behaviour demonstrated!
Suddenly sociobiology comes to life! If you had any doubts about human sexual behaviour, or suffered from political correctness, this will set you to rights. It is indeed a seminal book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Evolution    2. Gynecology & Obstetrics    3. Human Reproduction    4. Human evolution    5. Life Sciences - Human Anatomy & Physiology    6. Medical / Nursing    7. Reference    8. Science    9. Science/Mathematics    10. Sex (Biology)    11. Human reproduction, growth & development    12. Science / Biology   

Reviews (1)

Bio: Old but Good
I am a little surprised that my instructor used this book seeing as it is about 4 editions old.Other than that it is a good book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Aging    2. Aging (Biology)    3. Gerontology    4. Human Aging    5. Life Sciences - Biology - General    6. Life Sciences - Human Anatomy & Physiology    7. Medical    8. Physical Education    9. Physiological aspects    10. Science    11. Human biology    12. Human reproduction, growth & development    13. Science / Biology   

Subjects:  1. Asperger's syndrome    2. Autism    3. Children with Special Needs    4. Family / Parenting / Childbirth    5. Health & Fitness    6. Health/Fitness    7. Life Stages - Adolescence - Sexuality    8. Sexuality    9. Abnormal psychology    10. Coping with disability    11. Human reproduction, growth & development    12. Popular medicine    13. Sex & sexuality   

Reviews (16)

Good, if you are mainstream...
... but if you are planning an out of hospital birth or a birth with midwives, it's not quite as peachy. There is an illustration of mom at the doctor's office getting checked out early on, a reference in the text to her seeing the doc when baby drops, and then she rushes off to the hospital to push and push in the final pages. No room for birth center or homebirth,the midwifery model of care or self-care. Good for toddlers
Our 2 1/2 year old loves it.It's the only good book we've found that demonstrates what's going on during the pregnancy, as opposed to when the child is already old enough to play with the sibling.

Not the best book for preparing toddlers
I ordered this book, along with several others, to help prepare my 2-year old daughter for the arrival of her new baby sister. While the illustrations are charming and the text is cute, this book is much better suited for the older child, of the amusement of adults. It simply does not hold my toddler's attention. ... ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Nonfiction    2. Children: Grades 2-3    3. Embryology, Human    4. Family - New Baby    5. Health & Daily Living - Sexuality & Pregnancy    6. Juvenile Nonfiction    7. Juvenile literature    8. Pregnancy    9. Specimens    10. Toy and movable books    11. Human biology    12. Human reproduction, growth & development    13. Juvenile Nonfiction / Health / Sexuality & Pregnancy    14. Medicine & nursing    15. Pop-up & lift-the-flap books    16. Ages 3-6    17. FAMILY/PARENTING/CHILDBIRTH   

Reviews (1)

the only work of its kind?
This book by John T. Manning, who is apparently the leading authority on digit ratio and its biological/hormonal causes.
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Subjects:  1. Embryology, Human    2. Fingers    3. Gender Studies    4. Life Sciences - Biology - General    5. Life Sciences - Human Anatomy & Physiology    6. Science    7. Science/Mathematics    8. Sex differences    9. Sex differentiation    10. Evolution    11. Genetics (non-medical)    12. Human reproduction, growth & development   

Reviews (9)

PrettyGoodBook
Ithoughtitwasagoodbook,andthatitreallytaught meaboutmyprivateparts, butIthinkitwasreallymeantfor kidsyoungerthanmeonlybecauseI'm8yearsold.

Great
Both my children enjoy this book. It helped answer some concerning questions in our house. I think the part of the ovaries and the male insides could have been left out. I thought that was a little over board. All in all they do enjoy reading and looking the pictures.

great book for my curious 4-yr-old!!
My 4-yr-old learned that boys and girls have different body parts a few months back and with his discovery came a slew of questions that became increasingly more difficult for me to answer.This book helped SO much.It talks about the reproductive organs of boys and girls in a very simple, direct manner and also has simple illustrations for kids to better understand.
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Subjects:  1. Boys & Men    2. Children's 9-12 - Medical    3. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Nonfiction    4. Children: Kindergarten    5. Generative organs    6. Girls & Women    7. Human reproduction    8. Juvenile Health Sciences    9. Juvenile Nonfiction    10. Juvenile literature    11. Physiology    12. Science & Nature - Anatomy & Physiology   

Subjects:  1. Aging    2. Gerontology    3. Handbooks, manuals, etc    4. Medical    5. Medical / Nursing    6. Models, Biological    7. Oncology    8. Human reproduction, growth & development    9. Medical / Geriatrics   

Subjects:  1. Aging    2. Aging - General    3. Family / Parenting / Childbirth    4. General    5. Gerontology    6. Health & Fitness    7. Health/Fitness    8. Human reproduction, growth & development    9. Medicine: General Issues    10. Psychology    11. Social Science / Gerontology   

Subjects:  1. Anthropometry    2. Developmental psychology    3. Growth    4. Human Development    5. Human growth    6. Life Sciences - Anatomy & Physiology    7. Life Sciences - Biology - Developmental Biology    8. Life Sciences - Human Anatomy & Physiology    9. Medical    10. Pathophysiology    11. Physiology    12. Science    13. Science/Mathematics    14. Human reproduction, growth & development    15. Science / Physiology   

Reviews (3)

bizzare but fascinating! :)
i hesitate to write a review of this book because it might appear 'pervy' just to comment ;) but in all fairness, this book is worth reading for anyone interested in science, biology, sex, or ourselves :) ..anyone who enjoys this book would also probably enjoy the weekly publication: NewScientist :)

a test to reach easter
If you want to be grossed out, amused and steeped in leading scholarship all at the same time, this may be your book.In a fun, concise and well structured book, Birkhead gives us an up-to-date account of sperm competition in animals.The examples used are wide-ranging, from bed bugs to people, and never fail to raise an eyebrow.A Doay sheep female copulated 163 times in five hours and a man eating sushi once learned that the wiggly things in his tongue owed their thanks to a squid spermatophore.Beyond these exemplars of bizarre, though, this book contains cogent arguments for the place of sperm competition.It kindly sandbags the sensational claims of Baker and Bellis (in their Human Sperm Competition), giving us a fairer treatment in its place, both with respect to humans (where sperm competition has been of relatively little recent importance, evidenced by the relatively small testes and poor sperm quality of males) and numerous other taxa.The section on female benefits to multi-male mating is also worth noting.Evidence is amassed for female benefits in obtaining sufficient sperm, resources and improving the genetic quality of their offspring (e.g. through pairing her genes with a good MHC complement).These last ideas on genetic benefits will continue to inspire new research, just as other ideas in the book should too (accessory glands such as the prostate may have originated in the evolutionary battle of the sexes).It could be stated that the book overstates the case for sexual conflict, when benign agreements have been reached; after all, it wouldn't pay over evolutionary time for the faithful California mouse or swan to employ cruel mechanisms at expense to a partner.Yet this book is worth the strange questions and looks you'll get on the bus when people see its cover and look over your should while reading it (just as happened to my yesterday).

Stranger-than-fiction sex book
"Promiscuity" is about sex.Well, I suppose that much is obvious.And sex always makes for great reading.We are all obsessed and entertained by it.Still, this book took me by surprise.It is not your typical book about sex: offering cheap thrills or mundane, overdigested sociopsychological chatter.It is a unique guided tour of the bizarre world of reproduction throughout the animal kingdom.It is also a glimpse into the odd world of evolutionary biologists, in this case those who spend their lives contemplating the meaning behind all of the bizarre variations on sex in the animal world.Apparently, these highly respected academic scholars go to work each day to figure out such things as why some fruitflies make sperm that are 20 times longer than their bodies and why others produce seminal fluids that are toxic to their mates, why some marine flatworms have dozens of penises, why certain slugs have a penis that is longer than their body and that occassionally become so horrifically tangled about their mate that they must be chewed off, why dunglfies sometimes drown their mates in wet dung, why females of one species of catfish fertilize their eggs by drinking sperm, and why deep-sea anglerfish males bite their mates and never let go.The list goes on and on, preparing me with remarkable ammunition for the next dinner party.Read more

Subjects:  1. Animal Reproduction    2. Human Reproduction    3. Life Sciences - Evolution    4. Life Sciences - Human Anatomy & Physiology    5. Life Sciences - Zoology - General    6. Promiscuity    7. Reproduction    8. Science    9. Science/Mathematics    10. Sexual selection in animals    11. Sperm competition    12. Science / Evolution    13. Sociology, Social Studies