Scoot Over, Skinny: The Fat Nonfiction Anthology Download Free (EPUB, PDF)
As Americans are the fattest people on earth, the fat, the formerly fat, those who feel fat, and those who fear fat encompass just about all of us. In this surprising collection of pieces, almost half of which are original to this anthology, some of our most lively, provocative writers explore the many folds of fat that make up reality.From David Sedaris's hilarious assessment of his father's fat prejudices in "A Shiner Like A Diamond" to Anne Lamott's self-prescribed cathartic weight loss remedies in "Hunger", Pam Houston's rich literary panorama in "Out of Habit I Start Apologizing," and psychiatrist Irving Yalom's deeply moving confrontation of his own biases in "Fat Lady," each piece in its unique way deals with fat as a matter of fact. Sometimes funny, sometimes angry, often illuminating and always engaging, these writers make a new and compelling case for why we should make room for a bigger behind.
Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Harvest Books; 1 edition (January 3, 2005)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0156030225
ISBN-13: 978-0156030229
Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.3 x 0.8 inches
Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
Best Sellers Rank: #2,107,721 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #91 in Books > Teens > Personal Health > Diet & Nutrition #2746 in Books > Literature & Fiction > United States > Anthologies #87855 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Literary
A few essays in this book merit reading. Natalie Kusz's "On Being Invisible" speaks honestly about the pain of growing up fat and the way many of our relationships render us unseen. David Sedaris's "A Shiner Like a Diamond" had me laughing out loud about his sister's antics in the face of her father's fat phobia.However, several essays offended me. In "Fat Like Him," Lori Gottlieb (recovered anorexic) writes unapoligetically about her hateful thoughts and behavior toward the fat man she met through email. She had a sexual relationship with him, but wouldn't be seen with him in public or introduce him to her friends. Sarah Fenske writes, in "Big Game Hunter," about "hogging:" a sport where men pick up fat women for sex because they are seen to be pathetic, desperate, easy.The editors of the book say, "We are speaking out, speaking up, speaking back: Scoot over, skinny, the Fat have a few things of their own to say about obesity..." THAT'S the kind of book I wanted to read, but the inclusion of fat hating essays (by thin people) undermines the power this collection might have had.Instead I highly recommend Shadow on a Tightrope: Writings by Women on Fat Oppression by Lisa Shoenfielder, et al, or Fat!So? by Marilyn Wann.
I picked up this book for some "light" reading but was pleasantly surprised by the range of provocative and thoughtful contributions. Some made me sad, some made me laugh and all of them had me reflecting upon my life as an overweight woman. I recommend this book to anyone, not just those of us whose weight makes it especially relevant but also those luckier ones who tend to regard us somehow inferior, or even invisible.One comment on one of the official reviews...my edition does NOT contain a piece by Bill Bryson.
Lots of great shorts with insight on the "weight" issue faced by us Americans today. I was, as expected, disgusted by the story about "hogging." I just take that as another example of shallowness of most men. Even the ones who truly enjoyed a woman with more meat on her bones would never admit it. Fat women are just not for show. But a word to the fellows: If you do find a woman who is comfortable in her own skin, hang on to her no matter the size, she is a treasure. My favorite stories were Fat Guys Kick Ass and Fat Like Him, and also David Sedaris's story of his sister Amy in her fat suit and makeup bruises. What characters they all are! Thank goodness not everyone aspires to being "normal!" How boring would that be?
The essays have no common thread such as self-acceptance, which one would hope for. It's analogous to an anthology on the experience of being a woman with several rabidly misogynous essays.The most egregious example is "Fat Lady," where the psychiatrist author Irvin Yalom smugly reveals how he came to tolerate, even sympathize with a fat patient, who under his tutelage (and via liquid diet) lost 80-some pounds. His negative feelings towards fat women were most amusingly (in his view) vindicated by "Betty's" eventual revelation that, she, too, hates fat people. Well, as a previous reviewer noted, a thread of this book is "don't we all?" Uh, no.I have news for you, Irvin. Betty has gained all the weight back and more. You therapy didn't work so well after all. But at least you're free to hate again.
Not good....especially once I read the story "Fat Like Him" written by Lori Gottlieb....pity when she was found out to have lied throughout her article nobody caught her until after publication. For those that might be interested to find out just how far the fabrication goes see http://jezebel.com/5467630/email-interview-with-lori-gottliebs-ex-tim
A few interesting articles but some are very poorly written. Overall a quick, enlightening read.
Essays pack an anthology largely original in content, which explore fat, reality, and confrontations with biases surrounding fat people. Scoot Over, Skinny: The Fat Nonfiction Anthology is packed with angst, observation, admonition, humor, and serious reflection by such notable writers as Anne Lamott and David Sedaris. Any reader interested in body image will find Scoot Over Skinny a most provocative collection of insights.
Just to be clear, the World Health Organization reports a list of nations in order of fatness of populations... and America is not on the top of the list... there are many way ahead of us in this domain.
Scoot Over, Skinny: The Fat Nonfiction Anthology Secrets of Fat-free Greek Cooking: Over 100 Low-fat and Fat-free Traditional and Contemporary Recipes (Secrets of Fat-free Cooking) The Skinny Carbs Diet: Eat Pasta, Potatoes, and More! Use the power of resistant starch to make your favorite foods fight fat and beat cravings The Skinny Ice Cream Maker: Delicious Lower Fat, Lower Calorie Ice Cream, Frozen Yogurt & Sorbet Recipes For Your Ice Cream Maker Eat Fat Get Thin: Your Ketogenic Diet Guide To Rapid Weight Loss© (with Over 350+ of The Very BEST Fat Burning Recipes & One Full Month Meal Plan, Upgraded Living) Eat Fat, Get Thin: Why the Fat We Eat Is the Key to Sustained Weight Loss and Vibrant Health Everything You Need to Ace Science in One Big Fat Notebook: The Complete Middle School Study Guide (Big Fat Notebooks) Everything You Need to Ace American History in One Big Fat Notebook: The Complete Middle School Study Guide (Big Fat Notebooks) Everything You Need to Ace World History in One Big Fat Notebook: The Complete Middle School Study Guide (Big Fat Notebooks) Fat Witch Bake Sale: 67 Recipes from the Beloved Fat Witch Bakery for Your Next Bake Sale or Party Vegan Thanksgiving Dinner: 25 Full Of Taste Thanksgiving Vegan Recipes.: (Thanksgiving, USA Holidays, Vegan, Vegetarian, Salads, Low-fat Vegan ... low fat high carb recipes) (Volume 2) Forever Fat Loss: Escape the Low Calorie and Low Carb Diet Traps and Achieve Effortless and Permanent Fat Loss by Working with Your Biology Instead of Against It Fat Fueled: Complete Program & Meal Plan: Uncover Your Best Self by Fueling; and Healing, with Fat and Whole Food-Based Nutritional Ketosis Everything You Need to Ace Math in One Big Fat Notebook: The Complete Middle School Study Guide (Big Fat Notebooks) Everything You Need to Ace English Language Arts in One Big Fat Notebook: The Complete Middle School Study Guide (Big Fat Notebooks) Bologna Annual '98: Nonfiction (Bologna Annual: Nonfiction) My Unsentimental Education (Crux: The Georgia Series in Literary Nonfiction) (Crux: The Georgia Series in Literary Nonfiction Ser.) Hey Skinny! Great Advertisements from the Golden Age of Comic Books Skinny Healthy Pasta: The Sexy, Skinny, and Smart Way to Eat Your Favorite Food
