Judy Collins

To be honest, I didn't like this book at all
If it wasn't from the library, from a very tall building it would fall

Ah, "sweet" Judy a child of the 60's
relished a life of a funny loving hippy

She appeared to abandon her son while she was out sleeping and drinking
A gross lack of responsibility -- oh my, what was she thinking?

Her eyes may be blue, but her spirit is brown
from a life filled with excess that came tumbling down

The names that are dropped like many hairs from a hat
Are merely those she show more used and swept under a mat

And clearly how can she be to blame
Afterall, she inherited the gene from her father that came with his name.

If you think I'm throwing stones without just cause,
then skip this review and join her in a self appointed round of applause.
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I recommend skipping this one! show less

This book was a lot better than I expected it to be when I spotted it and thought, "Judy Collins . . . That Judy Collins?" Yes, it's that Judy Collins, whose beautiful voice (and eyes!) I remembered from my childhood, but whose life and continuing career I hadn't followed at all. Cravings is quite a lively and frank tour through both dieting history in general and Collins' own experiences with alcoholism and bulimia (among other problems) in particular. Yes, there's some name-dropping and a show more bit of out-there stuff that borders on being flaky, but the woman has gotten it together, seems quite vital and healthy at 78, and her insights are often good. Whether I, or anyone else, would want to follow to the letter her stringent dietary solution to her food woes is another question, but her basic conclusions about what to eat (protein, veggies, a little fruit) and not to eat (sugar, flour, junk) are solid, and consistent with what seems to be the growing consensus today. show less

As a suicide survivor who, like many before me, found myself wandering in the wilderness of grief, sorrow, and anger this book was both a salve and a pincushion. It is difficult to face the reality of survival, but it is necessary. Ms. Collins' insights and revelations about the suicide of her son, as well as her "survival techniques", were something that I needed to hear. There is sage advice in this book. For the survivor there is pain, also. It is necessary pain. This is both a show more recommendation and a deep thank you to Ms. Collins. On a lighter note: the book also adds some insight into the early modern-folk years of America along with the people and places involved. show less

Cravings is both harrowing and inspirational. Judy Collins, the renowned folk singer, shares all the dirty laundry from her serious addictions to alcohol and food binging / purging. She takes the reader in detail from her early teens until her mid-forties. Then gives an extremely quick summary of the thirty years since finding the answers she craved to stop her cravings.

This isn't a long read but I think it treats the subject with plenty of gravity, without inducing emotional burnout.

In show more between the chapters with her own story, Collins tells the stories of a wide variety of diet gurus. It's a bit disjointed to go back and forth, but ultimately the variety keeps the book more readable.

Collins' writing style is conversational, never straying into preachiness or judgement. She clearly says her intention is to possibly help an addict who wishes to recover.

I enjoyed the book overall, but haven't yet figured out who I'd recommend it to. It seems to be a book that the reader must reach for themselves, much like treatment for addiction.

Thanks to NetGalley and Doubleday for a digital review copy in exchange for this honest review. show less