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239th out of 447 books
—
829 voters
The Hip Mama Survival Guide: Advice from the Trenches on Pregnancy, Childbirth, Cool Names, Clueless Doctors, Potty Training, and Toddler Avengers
by
Ariel Gore
"The Gen-X Dr. Spock" and the founder of "Hip Mama: The Parenting 'Zine" gives readers advice from the trenches on pregnancy, childbirth, cool names, clueless doctors, potty training, domestic mayhem, right-wing losers, the evil patriarchy, nervous breakdowns, and way more. Line drawings.
Paperback, 288 pages
Published
May 1st 1998
by Hyperion
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I have always wondered what people think when they see me with the girls. I hope they see a confident hip mama who has everything under control. But really they probably see me as I am. Barely contained frustration, frazzled mom with the dirty kids. Or maybe they think I'm the nanny?
I use to worry about it a lot more, I use to think people would think I was a bad mom. But I've learned that everyone has those moments. The kid whose been potty trained for over a year, out of nowhere has an acciden...more
I use to worry about it a lot more, I use to think people would think I was a bad mom. But I've learned that everyone has those moments. The kid whose been potty trained for over a year, out of nowhere has an acciden...more
This book was one of the first books I bought on parenting. I got it at a feminist bookstore in Toledo, Ohio, right after I found out I was pregnant, and it was absolutely the right book for me to buy at that point in my life! It's not your traditional parenting book, for sure, but for me, it was perfect-- there's an optimism throughout the book that even if you're not settled down behind a white picket fence, you too can be a really great (and hip) mama.
I have been spending entirely too much time checking the blogs of perfect blissed-out hippy women who become wealthy from people following along on their bliss about life, motherhood and crafts. Lisa, get a life and come back to planet earth. The Hip Mama Survival Guide rocked. This chick ROCKS!!!! Crafts are good I guess but I'm not so sure crafts are really that important when you're spending your nights on the internet trying to figure out if you qualify for food stamps or what will really ha...more
There aren't very many parenting books that make me laugh out loud, but this book is totally funny. It also served to help me feel relaxed and empowered with my status as a mother and a non-perfect human being. This is something I can always use.
Still, I don't think I fit into the intended audience for this book. It was intended as a guide for nontraditional moms or moms-to-be who feel alone in a world of traditional families. There are tons of those moms, and I'm really glad that this book was...more
Still, I don't think I fit into the intended audience for this book. It was intended as a guide for nontraditional moms or moms-to-be who feel alone in a world of traditional families. There are tons of those moms, and I'm really glad that this book was...more
I gave a copy of this book to my sister when my nephew was little, and I read it too.
My favorite parts were as list of "music to divorce by" and the advice that if anyone gives a mamma a dirty look for nursing her toddler in public, she should "squirt 'em in the eye."
This book is sassy and spunky and cool. Do your breeder friends a favor and give them a copy of this book.
The following it the review that I wrote for the September/October 1998 issue of the Minnesota Social Responsibility Round Tab...more
My favorite parts were as list of "music to divorce by" and the advice that if anyone gives a mamma a dirty look for nursing her toddler in public, she should "squirt 'em in the eye."
This book is sassy and spunky and cool. Do your breeder friends a favor and give them a copy of this book.
The following it the review that I wrote for the September/October 1998 issue of the Minnesota Social Responsibility Round Tab...more
I didn't read all the sections in this book because either they didn't apply to me, or I had already experienced that aspect of pregnancy/parenting already and just didn't feel the need to read or revisit. Overall poor writing, really dated references, and the "expert moms" interview sections were neither inspiring or interesting to me. A few chapters were okay ("Finding Your Village" and "Beauty and the Gender Beast") but these days one can find entire books or online resources which are more r...more
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Ariel's voice is very straightforward, but humorous at the same time. Sometimes the anarchy/protest/screw all conservatives gets a bit much at times, but then again, you can tell that her anger stems from policies and experiences that aren't always in the best interests of families and kids. A good antidote to supermom-type attitudes.
I was excited that this book was recommended by the gang at Offbeatmamma.com but I could barely make it past the first chapter, it was badly written, hard to follow, the advice was outdated and at times truly odd.
Would not recommend it to anyone wanting any kind of strong advice about pregnancy
Would not recommend it to anyone wanting any kind of strong advice about pregnancy
This is the first baby/parenting book I read cover to cover. It was a great introduction to what motherhood might be like, even for someone who once thought she would never want kids! I highly recommend it to anyone considering having a baby.
This is a great book for anyone not following the traditional pregnancy path, especially single mothers. Way better than what to expect (but what isn't?)
by far the best book i read when i was pregnant. F*CK what to expect when you're expecting (even though i read that, too), this is the real deal.
This just wasn't me. I was expecting a sort of chick lit style guide mama version. Anyone know of something like that?
So far I've only gotten through the chapters on birth and toddler-hood. I'm pleasantly surprised so far, because I was kind of put off by the plucky-but-scary-single-poor-mom vibe in the introduction (there's a little calendar in the front that has notations like "kids throw playdoh on ceiling. receive 48-hour notice for electricity shutoff."). I had to resolve to myself that if this book made me feel like having a kid was going to be this constant battle between delivering meaning to my life an...more
Every mom should read this book, not just alterna-moms!
What am I doing reading this? Ask me why I’ve read any number of things—because I like to learn about others and their experiences, even if I could never or will never have them. I won’t ever have kids, but this book was mostly awesome to read. Very little nonsense guide to pregnancy, coping, dealing with right-wingers, and much more. Recommended, especially for those who have or are about to have kids—or are maybe thinking about it.
Ariel Gore is a dream boat, and this book is fantastic. She chronicles her moments through being a (hip) mom and examining things such as: patriarchy, sexism, racism, gender, capitalism, etc...and its all with some form of humor. She speaks from the experience of being a single mom and being supported by her community. It's one of my favorites to give to new-mom's as a different/less traditional example of motherhood.
I think I'm just not that hip. This book just wasn't for my lifestyle but I can see it being good for those with a more alternative lifestyle.
I like Ariel Gore's fiction better than I like a lot of the hip mama stuff. I feel like this was an interesting read, but it probably won't end up on my shelf of fave books. The book is ten years old, and it reads like it. The world is a little different now, but a lot of the anecdotal sections are still valuable if you are the type to read out loud to your partner, which I am.
Thank you, Chanda!
This book rocks my mama world. It is sharp, witty, full of anecdotes, and has helped balance out my post-partum crazies. I recommend it to any new mother who is feeling overwhelmed by what this all really means and who doesn't feel comfortable falling in with the mainstream mama crowd.
This book rocks my mama world. It is sharp, witty, full of anecdotes, and has helped balance out my post-partum crazies. I recommend it to any new mother who is feeling overwhelmed by what this all really means and who doesn't feel comfortable falling in with the mainstream mama crowd.
Wish I had read this earlier in my career as a parent. Most, but not all, of her advice is pitched to het women, and her advice for family law disputes is clearly grounded in a negative experience.
Still, it's a valuable perspective on how to raise your kids in a non-traditional environment.
Still, it's a valuable perspective on how to raise your kids in a non-traditional environment.
i've only screened this book, but it looks pretty good. i like her attitude, despite her blanket hatred of republicans. she claims to want to "support" rather than "advise" with her guide. that seems a a good approach. useful for pregnancy on.
Great for helping single moms feel less "othered." Yeah, whatever your story, this author has heard it or lived it and helps readers to see how to get through it, not necessarily with a smile, but perhaps with less of a frown. I loved this book!
Eh. Feels a bit dated already (late 90s), due to the "edgy" voice that reads a lot like a Michelle Goodman book from Seal Press. Not a lot of new takeaways, but might have been a good primer, if it was the first book I ran into with these concepts.
Another gorilla rebel parenting book that I chose to read instead of blather from scientists conducting studies on herds of children. I found this much more compelling, entertaining and practical.
Another one that gives a leg-up on anti-Joan Crawford / anti-"Family Values" parenting with a lot of warmth, humor, and open-mindedness for families of all shapes, color and sizes!
The Hip Mama Survival Guide : Advice from the Trenches on Pregnancy, Childbirth, Cool Names, Clueless Doctors, Potty Training and Toddler Avengers by Ariel Gore (1998)
A hilarious look at childbirth and parenting, including how to write a bad check and following your dreams while chasing your munchkins.
The story of the birth of Maia is simultaneously one of the most scary, hilarious, and memorable stories I've read.
best no bull shit, no barfy-pastels-to-the-max baby and mama book i've read...hoorah!
Jun 24, 2009
Nicole
added it
I'm actually reading an earlier edition...in anyone was wondering.
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ARIEL GORE is the author of numerous books on parenting, the novel The Traveling Death and Resurrection Show, the memoir Atlas of the Human Heart, and the writer’s guide How to Become a Famous Writer Before You’re Dead. Farrar, Straus and Giroux will publish Bluebird: Women and the New Psychology of Happiness in January 2010.
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