Customer Reviews

Wake Up, I'm Fat!

5 star:		(113)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

After reading the past reviews, I wonder if I'm the only man who read this book. The first thing that caught my eyes, I'll be honest, was the cover picture. Camryn is a gorgeous woman with very nice legs. She is also a person of deep character, who has persevered and triumphed despite the prejudices of our shallow society. She relates her struggles in a moving way, but avoids the whining, "why is the world so unfair?" tone that unfortunately characterizes some similiar works. If you want a glimpse into the mind of a powerful, beautiful and intoxicatingly magnificent woman, then you will enjoy this book.

You have to hand it to Camryn; she makes no apology for who or what she is, and I find that refreshing. Her life reads fast and furious. She's direct, outspoken and funny as hell. In a milieu where whiny star bios are the norm, hers is a great read. If you prefer your women skinny and seen, but not heard, forget it; you'll hate this book. I loved it.

Looking over the reviews previously posted, it's clear that almost everyone who has read this book loved it. I would be willing to wager that the few rude individuals who have posted poor reviews only did so in order to say nasty things about fat people. Very mature.

Anyways, I just have to add my voice to those praising this wonderful book. Reading "Wake Up, I'm Fat!" is like having a heart-to-heart talk with your best girlfriend - the one who knows everything about you and has been there herself. Camryn writes in a very conversational, natural manner that is warm, funny, sarcastic, insightful, and empowering. This book isn't JUST for the fat girls. It's for everyone. If you happen to be a fat girl, you'll feel a lot better about yourself after reading it. If you're not, you will still enjoy yourself immensely.

Like the author of this book, I have had a weight problem all of my life and have only recently managed to come to terms with the fact that I will likely always be a plus-sized woman. Thanks to this funny and inspiring book, I now realize that being large doesn't have to get in the way of achieving my dreams. Who says being skinny is a prerequisite for happiness anyways?

Camryn Manheim is a fat activist. Her experiences in a world where people are literally dying to be thin include getting in to the NYU Masters of Fine Arts program, gracing the cover of "fat" magazines such as Radiance and winning an Emmy for her performance on The Practice. She is a likeable, mature and attractive woman who has fought passionately for what she believes in. But does that make one a good author? In Manheim's case, it damn well does.

"Wake up, I'm fat," is a hilarious, bittersweet page-turner. This socially critical memoir mainly deals with one individual's struggles on growing up in our superficial world. Anyone who has ever felt like an outsider, be it because of their race, religion or looks, will immediately be able to relate to the amiable narrator.

Manheim manages to be honest about the ugly underbelly of today's beauty image and her struggles without sounding whiny. She uses dark humor and clever prose to describe how she got to where she is today.

Subjects such as erotic weight gain or personal ads are also dealt with in this book. They may make the reader feel slightly squeamish at first, but ultimately they just make this book a more interesting read. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading about "the underdog being on top" or who simply likes a good story told well.

I'm an 18 year old who has been struggling with bulimia since I was thirteen. When I was 16 I read this book - and my life has never been the same since. I'd never considered that I was actually allowed to be fat - it never even crossed my mind that it didn't mean that I was a lazy, stupid, unnattractive, slovenly person. I just inherently believed it due to my environment. This book was my first introduction into the Fat Acceptance world, and I've been high on it ever since!
Camryn's stories are ones that any fat girl, or anyone who ever perceived themselves as fat, can easily relate to. I screamed with delight to find that somebody else laid on their stomach to hide their fat, dealt with the small, cruel hints of parents, and generally felt as I did.
As wonderful, as life-changing as the book was, I found that her humor was sort of wry, ironic, sarcastic, and a little sad. In the end I wasn't left feeling good about me, but I was feeling empowered. I don't think the reader finishes this book with the feeling that they can look in the mirror with delight, but you are left with a profound awareness of a terrible injustice, of a sickness in society, a sickness which is not ours. But it sort of felt like being part of a very persecuted minority - take pride in what you are, but it sure would be nice to be something else.
It would also have been nice if she had included some health facts (like in Fat!So? by Marilyn Wann.) It would be more swaying to the reader to have some medical backup dispelling the myth of Fat=Death, and perhaps some advisory that you should excercise and eat your fruits and veges (as much as you want, when you want, whatever you want), but never for the purpose of losing weight since fat has no effect on your health.
Overall, however, I found it moving, heart-wrenching, earth-shaking, and so very, very true.

Surviving your teen-age years, landing that perfect job in Hollywood or living with your fat; three new books offer plenty of advice on these subjects, all written by women who have been there themselves.

When Camryn Manheim won an Emmy for her role as Ellenor Frutt on "The Practice," she concluded her speech with the cry "This is for all the fat girls." It was a shout of triumph from a woman who has had to deal with weight issues all her life, and who knew she was not alone.

"Wake Up, I'm Fat" -- the title comes from her one-woman show in New York -- recounts Manheim's journey both as an actress and as a role model for the fat acceptance movement. With large measures of wit, she traces her stations of the crass: her parents setting weight goals with a contract at age 11, being rejected or ignored by men, even, at a party where overweight women can meet men, criticized for not being fat enough. What could have been a series of tedious lectures on touchy-feeley New Agey topic is instead a personal story about the development of an actress as well as a woman learning to live within her skin.

My story is similar to Manheim's: an average-weight child, I suddenly turned Rubenesque at puberty, and from then on my entire experience of life was affected by my weight. Although I'm in a less appearance-intensive job than hers, my career suffered from the stereotyping of fat people as lazy, undisciplined, and self-indulgent, so I tried for years to starve myself down to a socially acceptable shape (and just gained more weight instead!). I admired Manheim's guts, and her ability to transform painful personal experiences into hilarious stories. I was also impressed by her balance: although she faults her parents for their well-meaning but cruel attempts to get her to slim down, she credits them for giving her the self-confidence and the activist ethics that have enabled her to succeed in her career in spite of all odds. The book is a fun, easy read, but us fat girls will often find ourselves laughing through our tears. Enthusiastically recommended!

This is a wonderful book, full of great insights and truth. In addition to being a wonderful actress, Camryn is an exceptional writer. Having been like-wise a "Big Girl" my whole life, I could relate to virtually everything she says - and finally embrace the concept that just as there is the Woman's movement, a Gay movement and Equal Rights marches, there has to be Fat Acceptance - the prejudice big people face is NOT going to go away by itself. Just as it's politically incorrect to call people of color racist names and discriminate against and cast aspersions at minority groups, it must become unacceptable to "bully" fat people for their size. Through sharing her story and her struggles, Camryn has proven herself a brave fighter, and a worthy leader!! (She also has a great sense of humor and perspective!)

I'm 17 yrs old. I don't know what exactly possessed me to buy Camryn's book, but what ever it was, I sure am thankful. Her book has not only inspired me, it's changed my life. I didn't even know who she was until she won her Emmy. Since then, I've been hooked. She is an amazing woman that is everything I could ever hope to be. I love ya girl!!!!