Book Reviews
Yvette O’Dowd has been a passionate reader since childhood. Her first pregnancy in the early 1980s saw her consuming the local library collection of books about pregnancy, childbirth, child development and child care. Having ignited a life-long interest in these subjects, Yvette went on to work at Merrily Merrily Enterprises [the retail arm of the Nursing Mothers’ Association of Australia (now known as The Australian Breastfeeding Association)] from 1995 - 2000. This included the recommendation and sale of books on breastfeeding and human lactation, parenting and related titles to both parents and health professionals.
From 2008 - 2013, Yvette ran The Breastfeeding Centre In Dandenong, Victoria - the Victorian Branch Office of the Australian Breastfeeding Association. Here she curated and maintained an extensive library of books available to both members and volunteers. When establishing the Southern Natural Parenting Network in 2014, Yvette had a vision of a collection of books available to members and the wider community, establishing a community library on wheels available at meets and events. Yvette’ family are resigned to her extensive personal collection, however the invention of audio and digital formats has limited the physical space required somewhat!
Yvette also has a passion for children’s books - particularly picture books - and her collection expanded as her family has. Books for children about babies are of particular interest.
Browse Yvette’s recommendations:
The Anthropology of Childhood
In this sweeping cross-cultural exploration, anthropologist David Lancy examines how children are raised across the globe — and how Western norms are far from universal. He challenges ideas of intensive parenting, early independence, and over-scheduling, showing instead how many societies allow children greater autonomy, responsibility, and community integration from an early age.
The World Until Yesterday – Jared Diamond
In this sweeping cross-cultural analysis, Pulitzer Prize–winning author Jared Diamond draws on decades of fieldwork to examine how traditional societies manage childcare, elder care, conflict, diet, and more. He explores what modern, industrialised cultures can learn from Indigenous and ancestral ways of life — without romanticising or oversimplifying them.