Wedlock and Sex Talk
For many a bride-to-be, "gown by Vera Wang" conjures an image of style and luxury and above all a feeling of elegance. Vera Wang on Weddings is an examination and explanation of the whole event. from proposal to honeymoon, full of advice and anecdotes. The designer and former Vogue editor says that even though the tradition is centuries old, each wedding is an individual event shaped by those involved, and anything is possible today. Her gowns and design ideas are splendidly displayed in Paolo Roversi's photography, and the photos from her own and other weddings add to the luxurious, intimate feeling of the book. Foreword by Anna Wintour. (HarperCollins, $60 240p ISBN 0-688-16256-8; on-sale: Oct. 23)
In Pucker Up: A Hands-On Guide to Ecstatic Sex, sexpert Tristan Taormino (The Ultimate Guide to Anal Sex for Women), who has appeared in Entertainment Weekly, New York, Spin, Playboy and on The Howard Stern Show and the Discovery Channel, combines know-how, enthusiasm, practicalities, compassion and humor to spread the joy of an aspect of our lives "still trivialized, marginalized, and denigrated by most of our cultural institutions." Imparting wisdom on anatomy, communication, safe sex, anal sex, "the basics" (hand jobs and oral sex), toys, tools, erotica, role-playing—you name it (don't be shy!), Taormino inspires confidence that all things are possible, not to mention desirable. Illus. (Regan Books, $25 272p ISBN 0-06-039415-3; Sept.)
From Conception to Kindergarten
Over the last 25 years, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of couples seeking treatment for infertility; as many as one in six couples of childbearing age has difficulty conceiving. The third edition of The Couple's Guide to Fertility: Entirely Revised and Updated with the Newest Scientific Techniques to Help You Have a Baby offers a helpful survey of a couple's options, including hormone therapies, surgery, in vitro fertilization, sperm injection, egg and sperm donors, adoption, surrogate motherhood and alternative therapies. The book was collaborated on by journalist Mark Fuerst, Chapel Hill Fertility Center director Gary S. Berger, M.D. (an expert on female microsurgery), and urologist Marc Goldstein, director of the Center for Male Reproduction and Microsurgery. Given the diverse causes and sufferers of infertility, and the authors' sensitivity to both men and women's conception woes, this book should have no trouble finding its audience. (Broadway, $17.95 paper 512p ISBN 0-7679-0548-2; on-sale: Sept. 18)
In Ready... Start... School! Nurturing and Guiding Your Child Through Preschool & Kindergarten, Sandra F. Rief emphasizes that "[t]he message of this book is to enjoy your young child." This educator, who specializes in learning disabilities, concentrates on the crucial years from three to five, when great brain activity occurs and kids absorb enormous amounts of information. The most important thing is learning language, which facilitates reading, and each child develops individually within predictable stages. Enrolling a child in preschool or kindergarten can be a difficult decision and depends on the readiness of the individual child. Rief offers reassurance in short simple sections with checklists for each stage of development and an emphasis on talking with children and listening to them. She also provides ideas for developing cognitive and math skills, lists of resources and advice on what to do if there are signs of disabilities or difficulties. (Prentice Hall Press, $15 paper 256p ISBN 0-7352-0299-0; Sept.)
