A Few Good Eggs: Two Chicks Dish on Overcoming the Insanity of Infertility (Hardcover)

by Julie Vargo (Author), Maureen Regan (Author)
Key Phrases: fighting infertility, fertility challenges, facing infertility, New York, Mother Nature, Long Island (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
The comprehensiveness of this accessible guide to managing infertility reflects the somewhat obsessive approach of the authors, who have both undergone years of infertility treatment and whose anecdotes frame each chapter. In plain language, journalist Vargo and literary agent Regan (sister of publisher Judith) detail the impact of a variety of factors (age, weight, stress, exercise, nutrition, STDs, pharmaceuticals, recreational drugs, pollution) on both female and male infertility. They provide solid tips on finding a fertility specialist and navigating the wide variety of questions, tests and treatments readers can expect to go through, and frankly discuss the difficult choices (medical, ethical, legal, financial and emotional) parental hopefuls will have to make. Vargo and Regan believe motherhood is a woman's highest priority and most satisfying life choice, and quietly dismiss projects outside of conception; readers who don't fully embrace the authors' opinions may thus miss the plethora of useful information. Oversimplified gender stereotypes also hinder the authors' discussion of communication between partners and reflect the larger interference of the authors' neo-traditional values with the otherwise direct treatment of the complicated situations infertile women face. Still, the infusion of personality with facts makes for an engaging guide for those who share Vargo and Regan's beliefs. (June)
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Review
"Surprisingly gutsy and no-nonsense—an Our Bodies, Ourselves for the Sex and the City generation." -- New York magazine

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 416 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow (May 31, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060776811
• ISBN-13: 978-0060776817
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.2 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (68 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #391,595 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

41 of 44 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Interesting, but..., July 1, 2005

By	Infertile & Learning (Southwest USA) - See all my reviews

This book was good, but not what I expected based on all the reviews I read on Amazon about it. I was expecting GREAT, not simply good. No big slam, just not worth the hype. Not much different, really, than what is already out there on the bookshelves... which is OK, but I was hoping for something more earth-shattering --not just another non-medical perspective and all the same medical techniques described, blah, blah, blah.

Truth is, I should have checked this book out first at the bookstore to see if it was right for me. It wasn't a total waste of money, but didn't really address what I was looking for. I will pass it along to a friend who is getting ready to IVF...

Bottom line -- I guess you shouldn't buy a book just based on reviews. Do some investigation first.

49 of 54 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars disappointing is right!, June 7, 2005

By	an infertile dad (connecticut) - See all my reviews

i was so hoping this book would enlighten me and maybe make me laugh. it did neither; i was angry and depressed when i finished it. my wife and i spent years trying to conceive and even though we have the family we always dreamed of, we are facing the issues again trying to have another baby. i have been doing a lot of reading to learn about the new technologies and treatments available to us and this book was useless and somewhat offensive. if you want a book that really helps look to authors like geoffrey sher, md, elizabeth swire-falker and lisa charlesworth. they published books that are worth spending precious dollars on . . . this one is not.

49 of 54 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing, June 5, 2005

By	Brenda M (NYC) - See all my reviews

After seeing these two on the Today Show, I ordered the book immediately. But I was extremely disappointed in the way they positioned the whole infertility process.

I've been trying to conceive for almost 3 years, and have read nearly every book there is on the subject. This one insulted me, and made me feel that my infertility was something to laugh about.

I agree with other comments here . . . don't waste your money on this one. Try the books by Richard Marrs, Daniel Potter, or Sherman Silber. These are written by experts that will help you understand the processes you might go through in a comforting and supportive way. The newest one is by Dr. Potter, and is probably the best of the three.