Jools Oliver Minus nine to one

[compo]

Just finished reading this. It only took a couple of days and I really enjoyed. They seem to be a down-to-earth family. I don't like their choice of names though - 2 flowers in one family is more than enough!! Also noticed Mumsnet wasn't listed in the online resources page !!

[cupcakes]

Yes I wondered about that? Do you think it has just passed her by or has she been one and decided she didn't like it?!
I liked the book too - and I love her dd's names. But then I would use plenty of flower names as well.
The only annoying thing was the abundance of exclamation marks!!! Just read as way too excitable!!!

[bundle]

wot no mumsnet? knew her books was pants

[bosscat]

I'm only about 20 pages in and am finding it a bit boring. I love all the pics though and think its because I am not pg at the moment. I might skip all that bit and read the section on newborns and toddlers etc. I love her though and wish she'd do something on interior design as her house looks fab!

[compo]

She always looks so pretty even when she's had no sleep. Must be o hard to cope with Jamie away all the time

[Nbg]

I was just about to start a thread on this too!

I've nearly finished it and am quite enjoying it. She has been very honest which I admire her for.

Great recipes too.

[teeavee]

She probably got an interior designer in herself!

[Dalesgirl]

I thought this was self indulgent rubbish...so she's had a baby or two. Who cares. As a bookseller, my parenting section is stuffed with books by women (and sometimes men) who think they have something to enlighten us with. In reality you pay over your £12.99 or so only to discover that they don't, that they are really quite boring and their experiences are not as interesting as our own!! Don't be tempted girls....
Books that really help are the cookery ones - Ms Karmel's is still a classic. If you need pregnancy guidance then Kaz Cooke's Rough Guide is excellent...and unless you want to get really depressed don't go anywhere near Life After Birth by Kate Figes. I've gone off on a tandem I think!!! (or is that tangent...no, it's a tandem)

[charleepeters]

i wouldnt mind coping with Jamie all the time

[velcrobott]

Dalesgirl... Karmel is rubbish... get Suzannah Olivier "What should I feed my baby"... THERE you'll learn something if that's what you want to do!
Karmel is too much on pretty food.... EDUCATION is more important IMO.

[Dalesgirl]

If I am correct, the Susannah Oliver book is linked to the Optimum Nutrition group that Patrick Holford runs so she is towing a party line and may not exactly be an independant nutritional voice. Some of my customers, myself included, found her style too prescriptive and opted for a more 'general' and 'simple' cookery book.
I can't say I know what 'pretty food' is, although don't you think food should be pretty? Fun, exciting and inspirational...
Now I am ranting....I need a cup of coffee and a chocolate bar...

[velcrobott]

What do you mean "my customers"?
I think she offers good nutritional info, offers new ideas to the regular stuff... and personally I feel that's important... making hedgehogs with food is not... but hey if it works for some

Off to make myself a cup of dandelion tea

[Dalesgirl]

Sorry, 'my customers' is a technical term used in retail. I should have mentioned that but good service in the reatil industry is not something I will go into right now...I am only a week away from my due date and I don't fancy an early delivery brought on by anxiety!
Off to make beans on toast, possibly cutting the toast into a hedgehog shape...nice chatting to you.

[leosmummy]

waiting to be read. on the bottom shelve of changing table.

[Hermione1]

my son is called leo.

[Mojomummy]

Oooh someone else who thinks Karmel is rubbish

Just checking out Suzannah Oliver on amazon....

[compo]

just saw this. I'm really surprised you think that Dalesgirl. Sometimes it's nice just to read about someone else's experience written in a down-to-earth manner.

[compo]

I thought the Suzannah Oliver book was very good too

[jasper]

agree 100% dalesgirl.
Can't bear the way women who are remotely "famous" write books about becoming mothers.

[jasper]

in fact she is not famous, her husband is.

[Nbg]

I can't believe the reaction this book is getting.

I think it's refreshing that people can give honest accounts of childbirth. There's not many books that do that.

[suzywong]

has this thing kicked off yet?

[Nbg]

Lol!


I don't think this a subject to create arguments... Surely???

[geranium]

Just have to agree that this book is so rubbish. I read extracts from the serialisation of the book in a newspapers (can't remember which one but I think she's managed to get money off several papers for this book). The book sounded like it could be interesting but actually is all about some women saying she had two kids and her husband isn't around much. Big deal. It is also soooo badly written - 6 year old stuff. I couldn't believe it had been printed even if she is a famous name. I was particularly hoping to read something useful/interesting on the trying to conceive front but that didn't have any ideas/analysis/style/information. It was all along the lines of "I really wanted to get pregnant. It was really hard. Then suddenly I got pregnant". Terrible stuff.

Sorry to let off steam but I was really incensed that the paper had paid (presumably) to serialise that rubbish. She must be laughing all the way to the bank.

[aloha]

Bosscat, I absolutely agree re her house. Very pretty. Far, far more interesting than her "I wanted a babee and then I got pregnant and had a lovelee babee!!' schtick.