Click Book Cover to See Trailer!
Read an Excerpt
Press Release
Other Media
Reviews
For UK Readers

Springing from a lively, personal introduction in which Tina Cassidy describes her grandmother's, her mother's and her own experiences of giving birth, readers are taken on an astounding journey into the history of childbirth. From evolution to the epidural and beyond, Tina Cassidy presents an intelligent, enlightening and impeccably researched cultural history of how and why we are born the way we are.

Women have been giving birth for millennia but that's about the only constant in the final stage of the great process that is human reproduction. Why is it that every culture—and every generation—seems to have its own ideas about the best way to get a baby born? This book explores the physical, anthropological, political and religious factors that have and will continue to influence how women bring new life into the world. Among the topics that Tina Cassidy looks at are:why birth can be so difficult (blame our ability to walk on two legs); where women deliver (a hut, a home or a hospital); how they have handled pain; the role of men at the moment of birth; how the perception of midwives has changed (they were once burned as witches); the lives of some famous obstetricians (Lamaze was a womanizer); how cesareans have evolved, and the many ways childbirth has been deadly (lots of blame to go around). Birth is full of quirky details, startling facts and tales both humorous and disturbing—from men disguising themselves as women to gain access to the delivery room to a recent news flash about a Mexican woman who gave herself a c-section. And while the history may be shocking, it's even more amazing that we're still trying to figure out the safest and most gratifying way to have babies.

Now in paperback!

Book Clubs: If you would like Tina to make an author appearance at your book club, by phone or in person, please email birth@tinacassidy.net

 

Birth is available from many local independent booksellers at www.booksense.com, as well as
such online bookstores Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble.com, Borders, Books-a-Million.com, and Powell's.com.

   
  birth@tinacassidy.net | ©2006 Tina Cassidy | Read Tina Cassidy's Blog | Website: Mia Pearlman Design | Trailer: Mantra Media Design
About the Author Birth: The Surprising History of How We Are Born Appearances Other Writing Links


About the Author Birth: The Surprising History of How We Are Born Appearances Other Writing Links