Customer Reviews

Choosing You: Deciding to Have a Baby on My Own

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

It's not the author's fault, certainly, but Amazon very much groups this book in with other books that contain practical information on going about becoming a single Mom. There is almost no info of any practical kind in Choosing You, however; she basically picks her first option and has no problems with it. ("I Googled for sperm" is, in fact, pretty much all the info you get.) Instead, it's a memoir of the "confessional" type, where, after decades of therapy, she shares first-hand her issues with her weight, her issues with her mom, her issues with sex, her issues with boyfriends... but, instead of her paying her therapist to listen, you're paying her to read about it. A lot of people seem to have adored this, but I got it for a friend who's trying to understand some of the practical challenges and options ahead of her, and there's nothing here for that. Just know what you're getting and you won't be as disappointed as we were.

As a first time expectant single mother I purchased this book b/c it's one of the few resources for single mothers to be. Ms. Soiseth is a very good and entertaining writer, and this book mixes humor, sensitivity with basic information for women seeking information on the topics at hand. However, a word of caution is in order....as the content goes, as wonderful as it was that the author was able to get pregnant in such an easy way with a few dollars and in the midst of depression, the crude reality of women going through similar processes, from personal experience, is that getting pregnant is a VERY costly procedure [financially, emotionally and psychologically] and comes with responsibilities that are NOT to be taken lightly as it is often presented in the narrative of this book. Other than that, very nice reading!!!

I sat down several hours ago to start reading this book and could not put it down. As a single woman considering becoming a mother, I found Ms. Soiseth's book heartwarming, funny and marvelously honest. Many of the books on this subject that I have read seem to gloss over the "scary bits" - the doubt, the challenges, etc. Her story was a complete picture of the experience, in all its wonderful, scary, and ultimately joyful glory!

This fascinating and painfully honest book takes you on a journey with one brave woman as she "chooses" her child. As she tackles head-on the thorny problems surrounding such a choice ("googling for sperm"!) the reader goes with her. It's for everyone who wants children, who has children, who has decided against having children because the soul-searching and practical implications touch us all - men included. Highly recommended!

IM ON A JOURNEY PREPARING MYSELF TO BE A SINGLE MOM AND THIS BOOK WAS VERY EYEOPENER TO READ. SHE REALLY GETS YOU DOWN TO EARTH AND I LIKED THAT A LOT!! THERE IS ALSO THE BEAUTY ON IT YES...BUT SEEING IT FROM A MOM POINT OF VIEW IS GREAT.
ILL BE READING AGAIN DURING MY PREGNANCY.

As a single woman, this book really stirred me. I absolutely LOVE the way that Alexandra chronicled her journey to single motherhood. Having been raised by a single mother, I believe that Alexandra totally addresses every concern that my own wonderful mother had for me as a child. A great read about a woman's quest for motherhood, and all of the events, funny or not-so-funny, that ensue.

I really enjoyed reading this book. It brought up a few good questions during my early/beginning decision making of whether to have a baby on my own.

This was a well written and charming book that I felt as if I was there on the journey with Alex too. She was quite honest not only about the happy times but also the not so happy times and the fears and emotions she went through before, during and after the birth of her child.

As a woman who is about to embark on the SMC venture herself, I found this book to be very entertaining. I really liked it because it wasn't a step by step plan she followed. She jumped in and lived it and it worked out.

I recently read a wonderful interview with the late Grace Paley. She said, "I struggle to be truthful to myself. I think that's what literature is about; it's the struggle for truth. It's the struggle for what you don't understand." These words came to me again and again as I read Alexandra Soieth's book because although it is a clear and focused work on the decision to have a baby, it also exhibits the mark of the best kind of writing: the author seeks, explores and celebrates truth. Honest, forthright and entirely readable, this book made me proud to be a woman. It captures all the fluctuations of self-esteem and self-love we face, all the courage and cowardice we experience, all the depth in the recognition of our power to make life. I am officially inspired.