I thought I would put up links to some of my favourite nutrition/body image books so people can read reviews about them, or see how to buy them if they’re interested. Some of them are out-of-print but available in really cheap used editions. Cool.

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Women Afraid to Eat by Frances Berg, Licensed Nutritionist, founder of The Healthy Weight Journal and collector of hilarious weight loss inventions. Tons of research, sources, hard facts and information. Health at any size. Information on nutrition, exercise, eating disorders, diets, diet gadgets, and diet drugs. Also available from The Healthy Weight Network, Frances Berg’s website. Good for women not sure what/who to believe in the great diet debate.

Never Too Thin by Roberta Pollack Seid. One of the first books I read about thinness, the diet culture, and eating disorders. Also very heavily researched, containing hard facts and information. Not light reading. One of the best resources on the topic. I think this is out of print, but you can get a used copy from $4.45 US. Good for skeptics, and anyone interested in the facts.

Losing It by Laura Fraser. Well researched, but a fun, personal read as well. A formerly bulimic journalist’s undercover foray into the diet industry. Includes info about fat in fashion history, the history of dieting, obesity research, health at any size, height/weight charts, and reviews of popular diet programs. Laura Fraser is a big fan of Italian culture and food. Essential reading for the discriminating dieter.

Fat?So! by Marilyn Wann. A fun book, inspired by her ‘zine of the same title. Includes lots of pictures of fat and thin body parts. The gallery of butts is especially amusing. Venus of Willendorf paper doll, complete with outfits. Diet industry heros and villains trading cards. Rife with hilarious and poignant quotes, and personal stories. Snappy comebacks to fat harrassment. Good fun for feisty fat folks.

Fed Up! by Terry Garrison. A mixed bag of diet information, eating disorder help, and body image work. Good for people trying to break free from dieting/self-hatred.

Wake Up, I’m Fat! by Camryn Manheim. The famous actress’ personal account of growing up and learning to love herself. Good information also about body image, dieting, and the size acceptance movement. Also mentiones the bizarre feeder/feedee practice and FA (fat admirers.) A very fun and moving read. Good for women of all sizes who have had trouble liking their bodies.

How to Get Your Kid to Eat…But Not Too Much by Ellyn Satter, R.D. I am a rabid Ellyn Satter fan. She is my professional role model. This book is great for parents and non-parents alike. Information on nutrition and normal eating. Great for people who need to relearn how to eat normally after a stint with dieting or disordered eating.

The Obsession: Reflections on the Tyranny of Slenderness by Kim Chernin. A diaphanous and beautiful personal account of disordered eating which includes good research and references. Good reading for those flirting with eating disorders.

The Dieter’s Dilemma by William Bennett and Joel Gurin. A diet book like no other…information about the body’s tendency to stay within a certain weight range, known as set-point theory. Solid, informative research. A bit technical at times, but overall easy reading. Imperative for understanding some of the body’s more frustrating and mysterious mechanisms. Published in 1981, I have yet to hear a refutation of this book or its theory. If you have read other diet books, you will know how rare this is. Good reading for those interested in sincerely changing their lifestyle for better health (not dieting under the guise of a ‘lifestyle change’ or a ‘whole new way of eating.’) Serious stuff for those who are serious about understanding their bodies, and serious about health. Also good for skeptics. Available used from $2.99 US.

When Women Stop Hating Their Bodies By Jane Hirschmann and Carol Munter. More intense help for body image and eating problems. Focuses more on those who have trouble with bingeing than those who restrict, but good for both. A feminist, self-help perspective. If you have dysfunctional/disordered eating or poor body image, this is a must-read.

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A lot of these will also be available at your local library. If you’re interested, check them out. So far these are my favourites, and I’ve read dozens of books on this subject. Many of them did not make the list. I own all but three of these, and only because I couldn’t convince the library to sell them to me :o)

Cheers, and happy reading!