A review by jill_reads
Fearing the Black Body: The Racial Origins of Fat Phobia by Sabrina Strings

challenging slow-paced

3.0

Though it is very well researched and written, chock-full of information and evidence, this book ultimately reads like a long research paper with very little, if any, of the author’s voice coming through. I believe this was originally Strings' thesis work and so that makes sense, but I would have been interested to see a bridge from academic writing to a style that would maybe have more commentary, or elaboration. It's largely a massive compilation of quotes and historical fact, absolutely nothing wrong with that if that's what you're looking for, and I imagine it would be an incredible resource for anyone researching the subject but as an average reader it comes across as a bit dry and inaccessible given its lack of narrative voice.

Nevertheless, it is very essential documentation of a loooooooong history of judgement, shame, criticism and control over bodies, and especially Black women's bodies. So thoroughly documented that you really can have no doubts about the overt intention to control our perceptions of health and beauty and "goodness".