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3.8 AVERAGE
3.8 AVERAGE
This is just a how-to guide for eating disorders. Interesting to hear her journey, but it 100% focuses on behaviors and does not show how she recovered. This is toxic for anyone suffering with an eating disorder.
Loved it. De Rossi delivers a very harsh portrait of her eating disorder. I found it hard to put the book down-- I felt so invested in her journey and so hopeful for her recovery that I finished the book within 24 hours.
In this two-part memoir, actress Portia de Rossi describes her descent into, and recovery from, anorexia and bulimia. Her story begins with her childhood as a teen model in Australia, where she develops a habit of dieting before photo shoots (and rewarding herself with food afterwards), a habit that evolves into more extreme bingeing and purging over the years. The cycle becomes increasingly severe after she lands a role on Ally McBeal.
A heartbreaking moment at the end of Part One ends with Portia on the floor of the parking garage at the Four Seasons, having a complete meltdown in front of her unsympathetic manager. As I read it, I assumed that this was her "rock bottom" scene, and that Part Two would narrate her recovery. I was wrong. These binge-and-purge cycles looked almost sane in comparison to what came next.
Part Two documents her deliberate and systematic starvation; in less than a year, she loses nearly half her body weight. Her storytelling is unflinchingly honest as she shares her eating and exercise practices, and the logic and emotional undercurrents that accompany and magnify them. It is both horrifying and enlightening.
I'd give this a full five stars, except that the first half could have used better editing, and the epilogue is too short. Her recovery is discussed only briefly, which makes me concerned that a reader with an eating disorder will be more inclined to copycat Portia's anorexic practices rather than her journey through therapy and recovery. But unfortunately, that's the risk with any narrative about anorexia: that pro-ana readers will subvert a cautionary tale into a how-to manual.
A heartbreaking moment at the end of Part One ends with Portia on the floor of the parking garage at the Four Seasons, having a complete meltdown in front of her unsympathetic manager. As I read it, I assumed that this was her "rock bottom" scene, and that Part Two would narrate her recovery. I was wrong. These binge-and-purge cycles looked almost sane in comparison to what came next.
Part Two documents her deliberate and systematic starvation; in less than a year, she loses nearly half her body weight. Her storytelling is unflinchingly honest as she shares her eating and exercise practices, and the logic and emotional undercurrents that accompany and magnify them. It is both horrifying and enlightening.
I'd give this a full five stars, except that the first half could have used better editing, and the epilogue is too short. Her recovery is discussed only briefly, which makes me concerned that a reader with an eating disorder will be more inclined to copycat Portia's anorexic practices rather than her journey through therapy and recovery. But unfortunately, that's the risk with any narrative about anorexia: that pro-ana readers will subvert a cautionary tale into a how-to manual.
Such an engrossing read... I was fascinated and drawn in to her world and held there as I sympathized with her, felt sorry for her, and wondered how she could feel so badly about herself, how she could manage what she was doing. I wanted to climb into the book and hug her, and shake her, too.
Edited to add: I do agree with other reviewers that just a little more editing would've helped the flow of the book. I let it go since she's not an author.
I also found the last section to be preachy (especially about her veganism). And the part about being able to easily maintain 130 pounds at 5'7" -- as well as her talk over and over about being so fat at 168 -- a little frustrating. It's all about perception, sure, but it felt icky in the middle of a chapter about bring healthy and happy with oneself.
Edited to add: I do agree with other reviewers that just a little more editing would've helped the flow of the book. I let it go since she's not an author.
I also found the last section to be preachy (especially about her veganism). And the part about being able to easily maintain 130 pounds at 5'7" -- as well as her talk over and over about being so fat at 168 -- a little frustrating. It's all about perception, sure, but it felt icky in the middle of a chapter about bring healthy and happy with oneself.
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
This book opened my eyes so much. I'd recommend it to everybody; not just those suffering from an eating disorder.
I was glued to her story.....made me aware of my own self and weight
just randomly remembered i read this book like fresh out of high school and it literally taught me how to purge and starve myself, NEVER read this lol
I don’t know how many times I’ve read this book by now, but it never seizes to amaze me.
Everyone who loves Portia just as much as I do should definitely give it a read!
For people without an eating disorder :
This book will give you insight of what it’s like to live with such an illness. It’s not short of the shocking lengths one goes to reach the “ultimate goal”, and won’t shy away from showing the harsh truth of why an eating disorder is never truly about food.
There is not much mentioned about recovery, but that is not what this book is about.
It’s about the life of someone falling victim to the devils that were planted in a young woman’s brain.
For people with an eating disorder :
Take care while reading this book. If you are in recovery, but not stable enough to not relapse - give it a few months before starting it.
Don’t take what she’s talking about as ideas and inspiration on how to lose more weight.
Don’t read it with the intention of finding new tips and tricks but rather to see you’re not alone, and that it can affect anyone.
I loved and will keep loving this book as much as I love Portia, and I will be forever thankful she had the courage to share her story.
Everyone who loves Portia just as much as I do should definitely give it a read!
For people without an eating disorder :
This book will give you insight of what it’s like to live with such an illness. It’s not short of the shocking lengths one goes to reach the “ultimate goal”, and won’t shy away from showing the harsh truth of why an eating disorder is never truly about food.
There is not much mentioned about recovery, but that is not what this book is about.
It’s about the life of someone falling victim to the devils that were planted in a young woman’s brain.
For people with an eating disorder :
Take care while reading this book. If you are in recovery, but not stable enough to not relapse - give it a few months before starting it.
Don’t take what she’s talking about as ideas and inspiration on how to lose more weight.
Don’t read it with the intention of finding new tips and tricks but rather to see you’re not alone, and that it can affect anyone.
I loved and will keep loving this book as much as I love Portia, and I will be forever thankful she had the courage to share her story.
I loved it. In fact I would love to read a second book written about the things that happened just in the epilogue. I really felt the way she presented the story in her own words made it really personable - who hasn't felt they have to work harder than everyone else, that there's something unlovable about them. I found it brave and inspiring.