Wendy Shanker

This book has been sitting on my shelf for a few years. I got it when I was in the midst of a weight-related funk but never got around to reading it. The last several months have brought on another funk, and I’m glad this book was here to help pull me out of it.

You see, Wendy Shanker is, like me, a Fat Girl—with a capital F. For Shanker, being Fat is not something to be miserable about. She’s out to reclaim the word from all of people who talk about how disgusting fat is, how all fat show more people are on the verge of a heart attack, and how we’re all lazy slobs with no self-control. No, says Shanker. Fatness is simply what some of us are, thanks to a varying mix of genetics, psychological and cultural factors, and the food environment in which we were raised. It’s not something in our control—and it doesn’t have a clear and obvious connection to fitness. In this book, she tells her own story of her struggle with her weight, incorporating research into obesity, the diet industry, and cultural attitudes toward size and beauty.

Not a lot of what Shanker said is entirely new to me, but I loved the way she packaged the information. This book is not exactly a systematic analysis of weight loss issues or a meticulous take-down of the diet industry—it’s more personal than that (although Shanker does cite her sources, mostly newspapers and magazines). Each chapter has a theme—”The Science of Fat,” “Hollywood,” or “Fashion and Style”—but the heart of the book is Shanker’s bold and funny voice, along with her honesty.

She makes some excellent and thought-provoking points about weight and fitness (she's all about fitness and unconcerned about weight loss); the diet industry; and the need for all of us to show ourselves some compassion, whatever our size.

See my complete review at Shelf Love. show less

I thought this book was pretty good as far as fat acceptance goes, but still has a pretty ableist, upper class take on life.

amazing book by a woman who struggled to develop body love in a larger body, only to be felled (or at least temporarily knocked off kilter) by a rare and devastating autoimmune disease. Incredible.
Now I have to read her other book!

A good reflection of someone's thought processes as they struggle with their weight, but a little wishy-washy. She doesn't like the current view of fat in our culture, but doesn't seem quite convinced to rebel against it, either.

I found Fat! So? to be a better read, and far more inspiring.