White blood A history of human milk

The history of human milk as a food source is deeply rich and interwoven into the fabric of civilization on planet Earth. A specialist in nutrition and infant health, Weaver (Univ. of Glasgow) takes readers on a detailed, 2000-year journey through the biology, technology, medicalization, and truth of the distribution of human milk to babies and young children. The book reads much like a well-thought-out article in The New Yorker, cumulatively building reader interest, every turn of the page revealing more new information. The text is "bulk referenced" in endnotes at the back of the book, whereas many scholars might prefer in-text (more journal-style) references to help build their expertise and advance their research on chestfeeding and human milk. The volume includes a variety of visual enhancements including color photographs and medical drawings that support the surrounding content. Although some of Weaver's health claims are not directly referenced (including a few still considered controversial or in need of additional studies), this is definitely a source not to be overlooked by readers who want a comprehensive historical depiction of human milk as the vital nutritional resource for babies worldwide. Summing Up: Recommended, with reservations. Upper-division undergraduates. Graduate students, faculty and professionals. General readers. --Erin Marie McKinley, Louisiana State University