This list contains books that I have read or am currently reading on the topics of pregnancy, labor and delivery, breastfeeding, and parenting, along with a short review of each book.
Pregnancy
What to Expect When You're Expecting by Heidi E. Murkoff, et al -- Not worth my time; causes more worry than relief; didn't find anything in it of particular help to me that I didn't find in many other, much better, books.
Planning Your Pregnancy and Birth by American College of Obstetrics & Gynecol -- This is the book given to us by our OB; has some neat graphics, but most of the info is run of the mill.
Your Pregnancy Week by Week by Glade B. Curtis, Judith Schuler -- A good book with okay information; best part is the detailed information on what the baby is doing during each week of the pregnancy. While I was pregnant it was exciting to get to each new week so I could read the chapter for that week!
The Mayo Clinic Book of Pregnancy and Baby's First Year -- Good info, nice detail. Good reference book.
The Complete Book of Pregnancy and Childbirth by Sheila Kitzinger -- Good info, well written, with a natural bent. A much better pregnancy book than The What to Expect Book.
Labor & Delivery
The Birth Book by Martha and William Sears -- Excellent intro to natural birth concepts; considers natural birth within the scope of a hopsital; does not view medication as evil, but rather as something that can be helpful under the right circumstances
The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth by Henci Goer -- An eye-opener; excellent resource for learning about the true risks of the traditional medically-managed pregnancy and hopsital birth.
Mothering the Mother: How a Doula Can Help You Have a Shorter, Easier, and Healthier Birth by Marshall H. Klaus, et al -- Good book on doulas; Klaus is one of the first to study the effects of doulas
Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way by Susan McCutcheon, et al -- Good resource for learning this childbirthing method; good exercises to practice
The Doula Advantage by Rachel Gurevich -- Another excellent informational book about doulas
Choosing Waterbirth by Lakshmi Bertram -- Some info about waterbirthing; primarily water birth stories
Birthing from Within by Pam England and Rob Horowitz -- A new-agey childbirth method/philosophy; I really liked this book, and will read again before having #2
Ina May's Guide to Childbirth by Ina May Gaskin -- Excellent book about childbirth from the perspective of an experienced midwife; first half is all birth stories.
Birth without Violence by Frederick Leboyer -- Poetical, makes you really think about how the baby feels during and immediately after birth. Makes you reconsider the traditional hospital birthing scene.
Gentle Childbirth Choices by Barbara Harper, Suzanne Arms -- A good, solid book on choosing gentle, non-violent options for your birth experience. It draws on the concepts promoted by Leboyer, Odent, and other "big names" in the childbirth revolution, bringing them all together in one concise text. It reads well, and summarizes the information thoroughly.
The Birth Partner by Penny Simkin -- An excellent book for fathers, doulas, or anyone who plans on attending a woman through childbirth. Contains explanations about each phase and stage of labor, as well as what can be expected by and from the laboring mother and by the partner. Also provides plenty of good, easy to understand comfort measures to try during labor.
Breastfeeding
The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding by LA Leche League International -- An absolute requirement for any breastfeeding mother
The Breastfeeding Book by Martha and William Sears -- Good information
Bestfeeding by Mary Renfrew, et al -- Good instructions on breastfeeding, nice illustrations
So That's What They're For by Janet Tamaro -- Humorous and informational, a great resource
Parenting and Baby Care
The Baby Book by Martha and William Sears -- Tons of great information on all aspects of babycare, including basic attachment parenting ideas
The Natural Child: Parenting from the Heart by Jan Hunt, Peggy O'Mara -- Essays on attachment parenting topics; interesting ideas but a little wacky logic in places
The Attachment Parenting Book by Martha and William Sears -- Good intro to the concept
The Whole Parenting Guide by Alan Reder -- A bit hippy-ish, but interesting ideas
Parenthood by Proxy by Dr. Laura Schlessinger -- Good book exposing the truth about modern parenting practices
The Discipline Book by Martha and William Sears -- A gentle approach to discipline
The Continuum Concept by Jean Liedloff -- Excellent, eye-opening book revealing some truths/possible truths about modern parenting and culture
Loving Hands: The Art of Baby Massage by Frederick Leboyer -- Excellent illustrated instructional book
How Would Jesus Raise a Child? by Teresa Whitehurst -- I highly recommend this book to anyone searching for a non-punitive method of discipline. This book isn't a step-by-step guide with explicit guidlines for disciplining children (it is most definitely not a child training manual), It is thought-provoking and if you read and internalize the information, it will affect not only how you deal with your child(ren), it will change how you approach and deal with every person you encounter in life.
Attachment Parenting:Instinctive Care for Your Baby and Young Child by Katie Allison Granju-- Another good book on the attachment parenting philosophy. Its main focus is on breastfeeding as the foundation of the attachment and bond between mother and child. It does cover other subjects as well, including sharing sleep, babywearing, planning for attachment while pregnant, and attachment parenting for working parents.