Fat Is a Feminist Issue (Hardcover)

by Susie Orbach (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Originally published in two volumes, this ground-breaking program shows women how to avoid the dieting/binging cycle and learn practical and effective techniques to understand why they use food to fill emotional and psychological needs.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: BBS Publishing Corporation (March 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0883659875
• ISBN-13: 978-0883659878
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.2 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #153,691 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

34 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars How Will You Be Who You Wish To Be?, November 21, 2002

By	Carmen Matthews "The Serene Samurai" (San Diego, California) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I first read this book in 1978. And I'm so happy to have read this a few times more.

One of the most valuable questions that Susie Orbach asks is, "How will I be who I wish to be, if I look as I am supposed to look?" I suggest that when you ask this question, do so with the intention of envisioning an answer that works well for you, regardless of what you have seen, "out there." This is a question allows women to take ownership of their mind, body and soul.

Each year, I interview high school students, regarding their eating and body image beliefs. And I have seen a growing problem. By this time in their lives, both women and men now, get so caught up in an imaged protrayed by all forms of the media, that we can lose sight of who we are really meant to be.

The reasons for the problem have a long history with women, and a different reason for women than men. As men are complimented more on how they look, not as a means to flirt with them, but as a measurement of having what it takes, they are being pushed into some of the body image issues that women have a long history with.

This is also an excellent question to ask myself, in times when normally I might doubt my eating choices, my beauty, my being enough, or how my ability to be open to others, and still have boundaries in place.

I am eternally grateful for this book. Three excellent follow up books to this book, are, "My Mother Myself," by Nancy Friday," "Fat and Furious," by Judi Hollis, then "Overcoming Overeating," by Carol Munter and Jane Hirschmann.

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars So Much Insight, September 26, 2005

By	Kelle Sparta "Business/Life Coach" (Medford, MA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Fat Is Feminist Issue (Paperback)

I haven't been a big fan of the concept of feminism in the past and I had to be talked into buying this book by a friend, but I have to say it has done wonders for me, my attitude and my understanding of my relationship with food, fat and my family. UNlike other self-help books, this one is not designed to take you step-by-step through the process, but was, instead, designed to help people create their own support groups to discuss issues associated with weight and compulsive eating.

I have never considered myself a compulsive eater, so this is not something I would have gone to a group for or read about. But the book holds many insights around weight, attention, nurturance, the ability to care for oneself, a woman's relationship with her mother and more that hit home with me. I finished the book a few days ago and I've already dropped four pounds. I'm not dieting, but I have been addressing the issues that the book triggered for me. I expect that the weight will continue to come off naturally as a result of this work being completed. It's great to have had this resource.

21 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Different approach from Evelyn Tribole, February 6, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Fat Is a Feminist Issue (Paperback)

I first read a similar book by Evelyn Tribole called "Intuitive Eating". Both of these books approach weight loss the same way - figure out why you are eating, and then work at it from a psychological approach, rather than going on a specific diet.

What I like about Evelyn's book is that it is for the individual to do by herself, whereas Susan's book is more for a group therapy approach. She also has some other interesting reasons about why I might be overweight, which made for very interesting reading.

However, between the two books, I preferred Evelyn's because it gave more specific information to work with and let me do it by myself, rather than a full support group (as a stay-at-home mom with a 3-year-old, very important).

I did appreciate both books though, because they emphasized the same thing - the overeating is not because of lack of willpower, but because of psychological reasons - and that makes lots of sense to me.