Book Love: "Having Faith"

I love to read. You know, the way that other people love to breathe. I read way too late at night, and I steal moments during the day to get my fix. I have become friends with the librarians in every city I've lived in.

Sometimes I want a happy fictional ending to smooth off the edges of my day before I sleep; sometimes I want some great non-fiction to sink my teeth into. Mostly, I just want the heft of a book in my hand, and the look of typeface at eye level. I want to be engaged in reading and to learn something new.

The way I see it, a good book about women's health is a gift from above, an unbeatable combination that feeds my mind and soul. So when I read a book that makes me say "Thank you, thank you for writing this!", I figure I should share the booty.

Sandra Steingraber is an ecologist. In her book "Having Faith" she describes her pregnancy, birth and postpartum experiences. She also leads us on an exploration of these from the scientific perspective of a biologist. A woman's body is, as she reminds us, a baby's first environment. She describes the impact of toxicity in the world on pregnant mothers and babies in a writing style both compelling and poetic. She writes with hope, and, of course, faith.

"Having Faith" is more important, more interesting and more illuminating than any mainstream pregnancy book. This one is the real deal. You'll be glad you read it, and it might just change your life.

(photo credit: http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1184809)