Announcing a brand new, cover-to-cover revision of America's pregnancy bible. What to Expect When You're Expecting is a perennial New York Times bestseller and one of USA Today's 25 most influential books of the past 25 years. It's read by more than 90% of pregnant women who read a pregnancy book--the most iconic, must-have book for parents-to-be, with over 14.5 million copies in print.
Now comes the Fourth Edition, a new book for a new generation of expectant moms--featuring a new look, a fresh perspective, and a friendlier-than-ever voice. It's filled with the most up-to-date information reflecting not only what's new in pregnancy, but what's relevant to pregnant women. Heidi Murkoff has rewritten every section of the book, answering dozens of new questions and including loads of new asked-for material, such as a detailed week-by-week fetal development section in each of the monthly chapters, an expanded chapter on pre-conception, and a brand new one on carrying multiples.
More comprehensive, reassuring, and empathetic than ever, the Fourth Edition incorporates the most recent developments in obstetrics and addresses the most current lifestyle trends (from tattooing and belly piercing to Botox and aromatherapy). There's more than ever on pregnancy matters practical (including an expanded section on workplace concerns), physical (with more symptoms, more solutions), emotional (more advice on riding the mood roller coaster), nutritional (from low-carb to vegan, from junk food–dependent to caffeine-addicted), and sexual (what's hot and what's not in pregnant lovemaking), as well as much more support for that very important partner in parenting, the dad-to-be.
Overflowing with tips, helpful hints, and humor (a pregnant woman's best friend), this new edition is more accessible and easier to use than ever before. It's everything parents-to-be have come to expect from What to Expect... only better.
Dismas Okombo –
Munira’s writing in Highland Cactus is emotive, charged, and lyrically gentle. Throughout the nine stories -Highland Cactus is a collection of short stories-, I felt the author was sitting beside me, that she was an understanding old friend; one who’s had the courage to face the hard questions of life, one who’s had the strength to dance in the chaos, and now she was telling me those stories personally.
Where the theme demands gentle handling -themes such as trauma, search for life’s meaning and complicated friendships-, her style of narration is rooted in a kind understanding of the human condition. An understanding of the strength it takes to find love within us, an understanding of our search for direction. Here is an insight she offers in Mother, Wake Up that will eternally stay with me: ‘There are no maps to life, so you will sail and find direction by losing it all the time.’
Where the theme demands stern handling -themes such as rape, corruption, tribalism, oppression-, she has the courage to hit the mark. One of my favourite stories from the collection (and I know it will easily be your favourite too) is Room 15. In the story, you will get to experience Halima’s frustrations and disappointments as she tries to secure a visa. Just because she has a Muslim name. Halima’s mother is forced to travel over 700 km to come and verify Halima’s identity and even that is not enough! This story deeply agitates, I strongly recommend not to read it on an empty stomach. 😅
And to make your reading thoroughly enjoyable, Munira has interspersed the stories with poetry. Highland Cactus is definitely one of Kenyan’s contemporary classic reads.