All current, future and wannabe parents should read the section on parenting. It offers no insight on sleep, food, or how to blow snot out of your baby's nostrils but it tells you pretty much all you need to know; don't worry about your kid coming up against adversity. In fact, let him/her and he/she'll be better for it.

The rest of the book is of course worth reading (if a wee bit repetitive in places) for some frequently eye-opening, often face-palming, but ultimately encouraging observations about shame in both our personal lives and its role in the world around us.