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airyyyn0921's review against another edition
hopeful
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Eating disorder
bibliophilewanderlust's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
constantlymaya's review against another edition
3.0
This is a really practical and helpful read for anyone who struggles with disordered eating. It’s very relatable and encouraging, staying real about how tough recovery is without being overwhelming. The therapeutic techniques and exercises are very helpful and there’s sections of the book which invite you to practice them yourself. A lot of books about eating disorders go into gratuitous detail or can be really triggering— this book purposefully avoids discussion of numbers or appearance: you can really tell that it’s written for people with EDs in order to support their recovery. Jenni doesn’t need to describe in lurid detail how hellish eating disorders are because she knows that we already know. In this way it seemed less exploitative and/or quasi-glorifying than other books or memoirs about eating disorders that I’ve read. For instance, I love the novel “Winter Girls”, but I would never suggest someone beginning recovery read it. This book I would absolutely recommend to someone just starting recovery— I wish I’d read it sooner! The book is purposefully sectioned into very small chapters, each on their own sub-topic, to make it easy reading during what can be a really challenging and chaotic time. I appreciate why it’s written this way, but sometimes I wished that Jenni would go more in-depth. Overall, this is a really important book that clearly outlines the really helpful technique of learning how to separate your own identity from your eating disorder.
bookishblond's review against another edition
2.0
This book has been sitting on my nightstand for years. I've taken it with me when I moved, too, so that's multiple nightstands that this book has occupied over the past five years. My first therapist recommended this book to me and my mother drove me to Barnes and Noble and bought it, hoping that within the pages was the magical cure for my bulimia. I've heard nothing but good things about this book and I was intimidated enough to put off reading it for so long.
Life Without Ed is very weird. Jenni Schaefer and her therapist Thom Rutledge want us to personify our eating disorder. Jenni talks about her eating disorder, Ed, like he is an abusive boyfriend, and she takes this charade to the extreme. While reading the book I had to keep reminding myself that Ed wasn't just some creep harassing Jenni but a psychological disorder that she works very hard to separate herself from.
As a psychology student myself, I understand the reasoning behind this technique. Eating disorder recovery becomes increasingly difficult as the sufferer attaches her identity to her eating disorder. Once it becomes an essential part of who you are, recovery nears impossible. The idea in this book is to separate yourself from your eating disorder and recognize that you are not your eating disorder.
While this book seems to have helped a lot of people, I couldn't take it seriously. There is no structure, just many short chapters where Jenni talks about Ed, her crazy ex - I mean, eating disorder.
I don't think it's healthy to personify your eating disorder and let it take responsibility for your thoughts and actions.
Life Without Ed is very weird. Jenni Schaefer and her therapist Thom Rutledge want us to personify our eating disorder. Jenni talks about her eating disorder, Ed, like he is an abusive boyfriend, and she takes this charade to the extreme. While reading the book I had to keep reminding myself that Ed wasn't just some creep harassing Jenni but a psychological disorder that she works very hard to separate herself from.
As a psychology student myself, I understand the reasoning behind this technique. Eating disorder recovery becomes increasingly difficult as the sufferer attaches her identity to her eating disorder. Once it becomes an essential part of who you are, recovery nears impossible. The idea in this book is to separate yourself from your eating disorder and recognize that you are not your eating disorder.
While this book seems to have helped a lot of people, I couldn't take it seriously. There is no structure, just many short chapters where Jenni talks about Ed, her crazy ex - I mean, eating disorder.
I don't think it's healthy to personify your eating disorder and let it take responsibility for your thoughts and actions.
jenzbookshelf's review against another edition
4.0
Great book giving insight into eating disorders and what it feels like to experience an eating disorder. Definitely read if you or a loved one struggles with an eating disorder!
samanthajfiles's review against another edition
2.0
2.5/5 stars
Feels outdated (written in 2004) and wish there was a more updated version/similar book. Her experience is hospitalization, group therapy sessions, which may be different from the reader. But overall a good read to begin to see the mind/thoughts of someone struggling with an eating disorder. Short chapters, overall okay intro into understanding the topic (also includes with some cheesy practicals ideas she did in therapy if you want to do them) not super in depth, more so just her experience and high level what she learned along the way
Feels outdated (written in 2004) and wish there was a more updated version/similar book. Her experience is hospitalization, group therapy sessions, which may be different from the reader. But overall a good read to begin to see the mind/thoughts of someone struggling with an eating disorder. Short chapters, overall okay intro into understanding the topic (also includes with some cheesy practicals ideas she did in therapy if you want to do them) not super in depth, more so just her experience and high level what she learned along the way
tobyyy's review against another edition
4.0
Life Without Ed was a very interesting book, although not extremely helpful at the point in my journey when I read it. I didn't take advantage of the exercises that Thom Rutledge provided at points throughout the book, although I would advise readers who are in recovery from an eating disorder to not ignore them as I did.
Jenni's voice is clear and honest and helps make the reader feel not as alone in his/her journey through recovery. She's unflinchingly true to herself about triggers and problems that arose during her recovery, and she and Thom together make a good team to cowrite this book.
One thing I appreciated about Life Without Ed is that Jenni avoided the use of any numbers - no weights, no calories, no measurements of any type are mentioned in the book. She also does her best to avoid giving tips and does a very good job at being an honest yet awesome role model for recovery. I have had the privilege of hearing her speak in a small gathering and she made recovery seem possible for anyone who struggles with an eating disorder. I guess in short, the message her book sends is: "Don't you dare give up, because there IS hope."
Jenni's voice is clear and honest and helps make the reader feel not as alone in his/her journey through recovery. She's unflinchingly true to herself about triggers and problems that arose during her recovery, and she and Thom together make a good team to cowrite this book.
One thing I appreciated about Life Without Ed is that Jenni avoided the use of any numbers - no weights, no calories, no measurements of any type are mentioned in the book. She also does her best to avoid giving tips and does a very good job at being an honest yet awesome role model for recovery. I have had the privilege of hearing her speak in a small gathering and she made recovery seem possible for anyone who struggles with an eating disorder. I guess in short, the message her book sends is: "Don't you dare give up, because there IS hope."
madsgates's review against another edition
funny
informative
inspiring
fast-paced
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Eating disorder