Customer Reviews

Ruby's Diary: Reflections on All I've Lost and Gained

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(27)
3 star:		(12)
2 star:		(9)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

Like everyone else who struggles with their weight, I've often wondered about the underlying causes of my never-ending struggle. That is precisely what Ruby is examining about herself, but in a very public way. As viewers of her show know already, Ruby is working her way down from a morbidly obese 700-pound woman to her ultimate goal of 150-something pounds. In the process, she's documenting her life for the cameras, along with the help of a therapist, a nutritionist, a physician who specializes in obesity, and a pair of enthusiastic personal trainers.

Okay, it sounds like a recipe for sure-fire weight loss... but none of those experts can lose the weight FOR Ruby. Like the rest of us, she struggles with every bite, with every workout, with every day. Only, because of her very large size, her problems are super-sized, too. Like, trying to take a plane trip from Georgia to California to see a friend and realizing that, even after suffering the indignity of needing two seats, she discovers she can't even use the bathroom on the plane due to her size (or, more accurately these days, due to the incredibly small size of plane bathrooms).

And what about clothes? As many of us know, "one size fits all" doesn't really exist. But when you're 700, 500, even 300 pounds (as Ruby is approaching this season), you know better. Pants? There aren't designers out there bending over backwards to outfit people that size. Fortunately, Ruby's designer friend was able to help her out and, after going over a decade without wearing them, he designed her a pair of pants.

That may sound trite to someone who's never struggled with their weight, or to someone who's only trying to lose 20 pounds or so. At first, that's how I reacted, too. But there's something about Ruby, about her utter honesty and humility, that draws readers into her diary to not only witness her struggles but to cheer her on.

We come to realize, too, that Ruby's struggles aren't only hers. In a country where obesity is sky-rocketing, where diabetes and weight-related cancers are reaching epidemic proportions, it's important that we all understand one thing Ruby has NOT said in her diary: it could happen to any one of us.

A lot of Ruby's diary will make you chuckle. Her "Rubyisms" (words she's mashed up together to make a new one) are hilarious, and they'll creep into your vocabulary. Her Southern Belle sweetness -- with its underlying strength and grit -- will charm you.

If you're a fan of her television show, there's not a whole lot in this book that hasn't been depicted, but you'll read it from Ruby's perspective and, at times, you'll cry along with her. If you've never watched Ruby's show before, well, this is a great way to get to know the sassy, super-sized woman who's on her way to slim.

Anyone who's lost more than 400 pounds without resorting to surgery, and going the so-called "old-fashioned" route of diet, exercise and willpower has to be. I didn't know that Ruby Gettinger was a reality television star before picking up this book. I don't have access to Style TV, nor do I watch an excessive amount of television. It was her cover (warm smile, confidence, with cute red dress with a Yorkshire Terrier in tow) that made me curious to find out more about Ruby.

After reading Ruby's book, I checked out the reviews on Amazon.com and was surprised to find some who criticized Ruby as "being atypical" and not a "true example" of overweight women. Some have called Ruby's observations "childlike," I think people confuse warmth, humor, openness, unpretentiousness for being "child-like." Others complain that she has the help of Style TV trainers and dieticians to help her lose the weight. Still, more critics argue that she isn't typical because she's has friends and is a social butterfly.

To this I say, so what. I love Ruby Gettinger. There should be more overweight people living life like Ruby in spite of the prejudices in this society. Although I found the letters from friends (which read like reference letters sometimes), and her Rubyisms (new words from two congealed ones) irritating, overall, her diary inspired me to love and appreciate myself.

But, for years, Ruby was surviving on public assistance, jobless (because people refused to hire her because she was overweight), and discriminated against. (Some spat at her, and in one memorable entry, she talks about a policeman who accused her of being a drug dealer, because he couldn't believe that she was popular. He said that skinny women wouldn't be going in and out of the house of a fat person if they weren't dealing drugs.) Ruby, however, did not let the discrimination stop her from living her life, or damage her belief in her own beauty. She braved the public, made friends and embraced her life fully -- she didn't hide in shame because of how other small minded people perceive (or misperceive)her. And she doesn't wallow in self pity either. To me, as a woman with a weight challenge, Ruby's a hero and a role model: believing in herself, protecting her inner beauty, cherishing the body she has and embracing life.

I wouldn't say that I have watched every episode of Ruby's show- but I have seen probably a handful (maybe four or five. I have enjoyed what I have seen of her show (all shows were watched before I received this book- many before I even knew about the book). However, I have to say that this book is a bit of a disappointment.

"Ruby's Diary" as a stand alone book would be hard to follow if I had not watched those few episodes. There is no context for some of the people. Often times there is no context for the point in time. I am not saying that there should be dates on the chapters, but most people who pick up a "diary" to read expect some sort of chronology to be explicit- which this book has none of. I assume it's chronological but I have no knowledge really of at what point in her ongoing journey she is while reading the text. Is she skipping around or is it day by day? The reader gets no real sense of time in this diary. There really needs to be more of a sense of time when reading specific "entries" in this diary.

Ruby also spends a lot of time explaining her own slang words. This is a huge turn off. A couple here and there to illustrate a point are fine but it is tedious to constantly have to be told what each "Rubyism" mean (and unfortunately the explanations are necessary- or at least they were for me). I think that if she felt like she needed to explain the word? Than perhaps she shouldn't have used it. I realize the point is to portray Ruby as a fun-loving individual (and from what I got from the TV show she definitely is) but this just went overboard.

The biggest disappointment however is that most of the diary entries are fluffy entries- with the personal testimonials being completely unnecessary filler. I wanted more of the deep feelings and conflicts that someone with a weight problem has. How did Ruby end up this way? Why is it a struggle with her? What does she struggle most with? There is very little of the deep, hard, psychological stuff I, as an overweight person, wanted to know how she handled. How does she find the optimism

That being said- all in not completely lost. This book does have some good points...my favorite parts were the few menu idea (I think these should have been expanded). I did like reading Ruby's list of new foods that she is learned to love. Unfortunately these points are not enough to base an entire book on.

The attention she is bringing to obesity is wonderful- however this book left me feeling like I had read a magazine article instead of an actual book. There just wasn't enough substance. In rating this book, this is yet another where I wish we could give half stars because I don't feel like it's quite down to a two...but definitely not up to the standards of a three. Unfortunately I am going to have to give Ruby's book a 2-star review (but really- it's a two and a half!)

This is very much a book about a woman still on her journey, and not yet at her 'destination.' I found that very refreshing, as a lot of celebrity autobiographies seem to begin with the premise of:
"I used to [insert negative behavior here] but then I figured it all out, and magically everything in my life is great, so now you go do that for yourself."

No narcissism here. Ruby has, quite refreshingly, NOT figured it all out! She has serious issues, and is dealing with them. Everything in life is not black and white, and cannot be magically whisked away with a profound realization.

Ruby comes across as such an optimistic soul in this book, yet still so realistic about all her struggles -- not just to lose weight, but come to terms at some point in the future with some possibly dark realities of her childhood that she has yet to uncover.

It was a real joy to read a book written by such an obviously sweet, honest, funny, and optimistic soul.

This is a silly 'diary' to put it gently. While Ruby has a following, her constant use of rubyisums, i.e. fake words, and her childlike recollections and diary entries do little to merit a book for publication.
Yes, it is wonderful that Ruby has lost so much weight, and has attempted in her own way, to bring some understanding to 'big' people. However, it is far from a book that an overweight person should spend money on.
Being overweight is a serious struggle. Most overweight people have no one but themselves to turn to. They do not have the Style network, a team of professionals (medical and trainers) etc. They don't appear on national tv, have blogs, books and on and on. Many too, have a difficult time in socialization. Often they must continue to work or have no real income to help in sustaining a legitimate weight loss program. Severe overweight individuals find themselves being cared for by family and friends and are on disability. This book provides no real guidelines and help for the average individual. It is just a litany of Ruby.
Ruby has hit paydirt in that she has such an extraordinary support system. I wish her well. I wish her success.

I'd recommend this book only if you're a huge fan of Ruby's show. I admit I've never seen the show, but as a person who's had a weight struggle all her life I was interested in her experiences. However, I found the book not very insightful and full of long quotations from her friends about what a wonderful person she is. No great insights into her diet struggles.

First I'd like to say congratulations to Ruby on her magnificent weight loss thus far. Keep it up. After reading your book I know you'll get to your goal.

Ruby's Diary is actually more of a scrapbook than a diary. It not only contains her diary entries about her daily struggles to lose weight, but also letters she has written to various people, and letters that have been written on her behalf to the Style Network. Additionally there is a simple meal plan and a couple of recipes included.

Having never seen her show on the Style Network, and since I don't have cable I won't be able to, I did not know who Ruby Gettinger was prior to reading her book. After reading about her struggle to lose almost 400 pounds, and the way she has touched the lives of the people she knows, I can tell you that she is a determined, kind-hearted, tell it like it is person.

In truth, though, there is not much substance to the book. It doesn't have a lot of suspense or a page turning writing style. It's not going to tell you how to lose weight individually, and it doesn't even have the back story to how Ruby allowed herself to get so big (Ruby doesn't even know her own back story, much of her childhood has been forgotten). It's just honest and sweet. You feel like you're talking to your best friend. Indeed, it's her honesty and perseverance that makes the book so endearing. Ruby doesn't try to pretend to be something she's not. She has a lot of goofy Rubenism's (her made of words for words that do not convey her feelings adequately) and at times the entries can sound like a child wrote them. Make no mistake about it though, Ruby is an intelligent, caring woman and her little quirks make her all the more endearing.

All in all...it doesn't matter what size you are. Ruby's diary is an inspirational read that anyone can relate to.

This is a review of the Advanced Reading Copy of this book.

When a person goes to write a review of a book that is bibliographical in nature and especially a book that is as personal diary, it is hard to walk a fine line to review the book and not the person's life. This book makes it especially true, so I would like to say, that in no way do I mean to downplay Ruby and what she is and has been going through.

Reading this book, I felt lost most of the time. I have never watched her TV reality show, nor have I ever heard of this woman before so I started reading a book about a woman that was completely unknown to me. With no background to help, no cast of characters to keep track of the overwhelming amount of people she talked about and no family tree to figure out the family members it became very confusing to read. Perhaps if I had watched the TV show for a few months, the people in the book would have been easier for me to understand who they were in relationship to Ruby. As this book was written with the help of Sheryl Berk, I would have thought that helping sort out who was who would have been an obvious part of her job. So that was one huge negative about the book.

Another problem I had with the book was the chronology of what was happening. This was supposedly a diary. I know whenever I have kept a diary or journal, it was written in date order as life was happening to me then. I did not get that impression from this book. You are left with wondering was she feeling this way when she weighed 700 pounds or when she was below 400? She talks easily of traveling by airplane often, sometimes needing accommodation for her weight and other times not. Being able to walk all over town and other times not being able to. I felt there was no continuity to the book. A simple month and year for each entry would have made it easier to understand the ongoing story.

There are many excerpts in the book from family, friends and her `team' members all telling what a bubbly personality Ruby has and what a wonderful woman she is, but I wonder is your diary the best place for these accolades? It is very obvious that Ruby loves life and wants to lose her excess weight and keep it off. She mentions many frustrations, such as being made to keep to a prepackaged meal plan instead of being taught to read labels and do the work herself. Was her team insisting on this approach because she had proved herself incapable of following the regimen on her own or were they pushing their own agenda for the cameras? I was glad to see that near the end of the book, she was being allowed to make some decisions for herself as I don't see how she will ever be able to maintain her weight loss without the knowledge and hands on experience of taking care of herself.

If you want to know a bit more about the TV Ruby you have seen, then you might enjoy this book. If you want to read tips and techniques for losing a large amount of weight, then this book most likely isn't going to be much help. If you want to learn more about morbid obesity, how people get to these large weights and maintain them and then lose them, this book isn't going to tell you. Nor does the book mention the enablers that help to provide the food and resources to get to this weight when the person by virtue of their weight can not longer leave the house (although apparently this didn't happen with Ruby) or work for a living.

Obesity is at epidemic proportions in our country and it must halted. This is the message that Ruby really wants to get out and with that I agree with her.

I have been watching her show since the beginning. I have to loose some wieght

also,she is my inspiratoin. I have read the book more than once, and I am

still learning new things about her. Anyone who buy 's the book will love it.

" IT'S WONDERFUL!! " Thank You__

If you need a friend, you will find one in this book. Ruby shares her heart as any close friend would. Reading her book is exactly like sitting on the sofa and talking far into the night. If you have struggled with weight, you will find understanding here. She makes me laugh, cry and become more determined in my own weight loss battle.
Ruby speaks in her writing exactly as she does in person. It is impossible to read this book without hearing her voice in your head!
There are not many books that can make you feel so many things in only 167 pages. But this one does! Buy it for yourself, buy it for a friend, buy it for anyone who needs to buck up!