Well, it's been ages. Is anyone up for another Book Menage*?
For those of you who have never joined us, our Book Menages are where we pick two books and then discuss them in the comments over the course of a week (2 books + 1 reader=Book Menage!). Everybody who participates is entered in the drawing to win the two books for the next Menage absolutely free! (You don't see this part, but my lovely assistant Mr. CR draws the winning name out of a hat. It's very glamorous.)
Because I'm feeling bossy lately, I'm going to go ahead and pick the two books; next time we'll return to doing things more democratically where we discuss and vote on which books to read. But now? The books:
The Birth of Love, a novel by Joanna Kavenna; and
The Doctors' Plague: Germs, Childbed Fever, and the Strange Story of Ignac Semmelweis, by Sherwin Nuland.
Yes, they're both books about childbirth. This is what you get for letting the woman who had a baby a few months ago pick the books. I'll contact the winner of these two books, and what do you think we should do for schedule? Start discussing them toward the end of May, the week of May 23?
*My gosh, it's been a YEAR since we did a Book Menage. High time we got back to it!
I lurked through the last two, but I've requested the books and will plan on participating through the coming one. Looking forward to it!
Posted by: Jessi | 17 April 2011 at 02:28 PM
I'm in, too. Had to place an ILL for Birth of Love so hopefully it won't take too long to arrive.
Posted by: Angelique | 17 April 2011 at 07:30 PM
Yay! Finally a Book Menage where my library has both books. I can stop being a Book Menage observer and participate :)
Posted by: Lu | 17 April 2011 at 07:39 PM
I'm in! My public library also had both books!!
Posted by: Venta | 18 April 2011 at 09:09 AM
Well, my local library has the Nuland, but neither them nor the library work at has the Kavenna. So I shall ILL it, because I'm very excited for a menage. YAY!
Posted by: Beth | 18 April 2011 at 09:21 AM
Hi all!
Sorry to have once again picked at least one book that had to be ILL'ed. Kavenna's not a well-known author but she's interesting, I think. So glad you're all in; can't wait for the menage!!
Posted by: Citizen Reader | 18 April 2011 at 10:19 AM
My library owns both, and they're both available! I'm in!
(And, I'm a new(ish) mother as well, so I totally get the appeal of books involving childbirth).
Posted by: Mandy All | 18 April 2011 at 04:02 PM
*GROAN* Only because it is you, CR. Count me in. I couldn't be less enthused by the subject, but at least one is fiction. Who knows, maybe I will be happily surprised? My library has the one NF book and I just ordered the Kavenna from Powells (hope you get your %).
Posted by: Ruthiella | 18 April 2011 at 07:47 PM
Mandy,
Fantastic. The more the merrier!
Ruthiella,
I'm so glad you'll be joining us. I'm sorry if the topic is one you're sick of, but these are not your typical childbirth books. (At least I didn't think they were; I read both of them pre-CRjr, so I'm really excited to re-read them.) Thank you for ordering from Powell's--both for my kickback and for your support of an indie bookseller. I just hope you aren't too disappointed in them! After this, no parenting books for any future Menages, I promise.
Posted by: Citizen Reader | 18 April 2011 at 08:12 PM
My library has both, as well! Count me in.
Posted by: Care | 20 April 2011 at 12:22 PM