Customer Reviews

Bountiful Women: Large Women's Secrets for Living the Life They Desire

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I am a thin man, not a bountiful woman. Not only did I think this was an excellent read, it has changed the way I think about bountiful people. I admit, I have been susceptible to prejudice in this arena. No longer. Dr. Bernell has written a book that speaks so clearly, so eloquently, that I am now unable NOT to smile when around bountiful people. It's as if I'm now part of the inner sanctum of understanding.

If enough people read this book, life will be a bit easier on everybody. We'll be able to focus on the things that truly matter and go about our lives living to the fullest. Well done.

Bonnie Bernell's Bountiful Women is a delicious and nourishing volume. Organized into bite-sized chapters, the book presents stories and illustrations on a myriad of topics - from core issues, such as health care and personal relationships, to life enhancement arenas, such as travel and personal pampering. As the bountiful women tell their stories, they reveal their wisdom, courage, humor, compassion, and tenacity. Celebrating each women's individuality, Bernell does not advocate "one size fits all" in her commentary and advice. Rather she writes about choices, the choices that should be available to all women, as she advocates against self-imposed limitations that narrow our lives, demean us, or wither our spirits. Fundamentally this book is about the quality of our lives, about "deservingness." While the focus is on bountiful women, Bountiful Women speaks to all women. It provides food for thought; more importantly, it offers a deep well of sustenance for the heart.

I couldn't put this book down! Many of us have felt "outside" of popular culture for one reason or another. Bountiful people encounter hurdles we don't even imagine. Bonnie describes story after story of heroic women who confront the challenges head on, find love, exciting lives, and success despite society's negative image. While describing inspiring events, Bonnie manages to weave in heartbreaking examples of the discrimination and cruelty faced by bountiful people on a daily basis. It is an eye opener, and her messages about dating apply to EVERYONE.

Bonnie Bernell uses her own experiences as well as those of other "bountiful" women to provide readers with the ammunition to live their lives to the fullest. Her manner is gentle and caring as she addresses issues that we as women of size face on a daily basis from the "meaningful" parents who berate us for our size to the airplane seat that is too narrow to finding Mr. Right. Ms. Bernell's advice is reasonable as well as doable. After reading Bountiful Women, I felt as though I had undergone a much needed but extremely inexpensive therapy session! I recommend that all large women and the people who love them treat themselves to Ms. Bernell's "secrets." It is a book that you will pick up again and again for inspiration and encouragement.

Bountiful Women is an uplifing, delightful book to read. Each page is full of practical as well as spiritual advice about how to live life to its fullest today. I recommend it for all women who are sick and tired of waiting for a thinner tomorrow in order for their lives to begin. Today is the day!

Compared to most self help authors who push a "lose weight now, ask me how" approach, Dr. Bernell is as refreshing as a cool glass of sparkling water on a hot desert day. She makes size acceptance not only understandable, but doable, too. Every plus-size woman should own this book.

Bonnie Bernell is a full-figured, licensed psychologist who draws upon her more than twenty years of expertise and experience leading workshops and psychotherapy groups for women seeking to get on with their lives in Bountiful Women: Large Women's Secrets For Living The Life They Desire. Her insightful commentary, advice, observations, and recommendations are organized into four major sections: Me, Myself, and I; Friends, Foes, and Family; Bountiful Women on the Move; Romancing and Dancing. Of special note is her summary chapter "Begins and Ends with You". Bountiful Women is enthusiastically recommended for women's studies groups in general, and Rubenesque figured women in particular seeking to life their lives with a true joy and sense of self-worth.

Dr Bernells's book is a must read for any large woman. Dr. Bernell handles all of those difficult issues that large women have, in a very ubeat and uplifting way. This is the first book that I have ever read about large women where their stories were told in a way that wasnt angry and bitter. I walked away from reading this book that I couldnt put down, feeling happy andempowered. What is truly remarkable about this book is that it is positive without having a polyannaish tone. As a bountiful woman and as a psychotherapist with over twentythree years of experience, I will be assigning this book to all of my large sized women clients.

This book is one that should be read by all women of size. The author's non-apologetic and positive approach to the subject matter can't help but encourage and empower the women who are fortunate enough to read this book. The writing style is direct, and the book is an easy read--unlike some self-improvement and self-help books on the market. I am already planning to share this book with the other bountiful women in my life.

There are two cautions as you approach this book...you will not want to put it down, and you will finish it dreaming of a sequel! Bountiful Women is an extremely well written, entertaining, smile producing and practical read. I thoroughly enjoyed the many engaging stories, and found the tips on relationships particularly helpful. This book is empowering, encouraging and real. I am truly looking forward to giving Bountiful Women as a Christmas present to many of the women in my life -family and friends- of all sizes!

This an upbeat, inspiring, practical, spiritual, warm and supportive book. Reading it felt like sitting around a table with a bunch of my closest friends, talking about life. This book is full of short pieces on how large women successfully cope -- and thrive -- in a world made for medium-sized people. It is about how to reclaim your power if you are a women in one of the few remaining okay-to-discriminate-against groups -- fat people. Happily, Ms. Bernell is not a complainer nor is she stridently waving a flag. She is encouraging women to be aware of who they are and to live their lives in a free, bountiful way starting right this minute! It is an easy, fast read with pleasant whimsical sketches and framing on some of the pages. Let's face it -- this book is a whole experience!!! I recommend it highly!