Appetites: On the Search for True Nourishment (Paperback)

by Geneen Roth (Author) "I'm dreaming about food again..." (more)
Key Phrases: big enough tray, rice puffs, true nourishment, Santa Cruz, New York, San Francisco (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
That some of us overeat in order to feed a spiritual rather than physical hunger isn't a new idea, but perhaps no one has chatted it up with as much panache as Roth (When Food Is Love). In her earnest new book, this popular workshop guru focuses on the ersatz bliss of overeating but also expands her vision to question "the meaning of success, thinness, friendships, and fulfillment." Drawing on much personal anecdote-her hair loss following illness; her ties to her best friend; her worries about another's health, etc.-she charms readers toward realizing that true happiness comes not from a sleek body, wealth or indeed any external attribute but from a sense of inner worth. There's nothing new in that idea either, but Roth presents it, as usual, in just the right mix of confession, sass and style.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal
After 20 years of therapy and 13 years of "spiritual practice," diet guru Roth (When Food Is Love, Dutton, 1991) shares 243 pages of inspirational insights about self-esteem. "You are the feast," she concludes, having recounted at length her own tribulations brought on by an illness she will not name that caused her to lose her hair-a crowning blow. She was thus forced to reevaluate her own advice to those she had counseled about appearance and self-esteem. Roth continues to give lectures and workshops; to assist the reader, she offers her business address and telephone and FAX numbers at the end of the book. Though full of New Age platitudes, her work nonetheless has a following. For Roth's fans.
Cynthia Harrison, George Washington Univ., Washington, D.C.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 266 pages
• Publisher: Plume; First Edition edition (April 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0452276799
• ISBN-13: 978-0452276796
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #194,687 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must read for anyone who struggles with dieting!, October 8, 1998

By A Customer

Reading this book and exploring the issues addressed helped to lead me back to the time before I worried so much about my body. Geneen expertly uncovers our tendencies to use food as a substitute and a weapon for punishment. I feel more relaxed about myself and my weight than I have since junior high school! I am finally reaching my normal weight naturally and it is like a dream!

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars True nourishment, April 12, 2002

By A Customer

My first encounter with Geneen Roth's books was with this well-titled book, Appetites, which reflects upon but also goes well beyond her earlier focus on why women overeat and how to deal with their daily struggle. I was wary of a book of this genre, but enraptured by the insights Roth has evolved over a number of years, and with her often beautiful writing, as they emerge from her personal stories. A true friendship is virtually as valuable as true love, she relates, but true nourishment is ultimately deeply personal. Anyone who has at least partially overcome addiction's silent takeovers by evolving her own understanding of her misfocused longings will be inspired by Roth's personal yet widely relevant story.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An interesting commentary on women's relationships with food, December 14, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Appetites: 9On the Search for True Nourishment (Hardcover)

This book is meaningful not only for women who have or are recovering from eating disorders, but for any woman who struggles with body image and our society's ideal of feminine beauty. (You may even want to give this book to the men in your life so they can better understand women's issues w/ food.) Food isn't the sole focus of this book--she discusses friendships, significant others, even her relationship with her cat. While Roth's writing is sincere and honest, she tends to lapse into cliched psychobabble and New Age-y talk. (I found the analogy of her cat's body image vis-a-vis her body image to be a bit of a leap.) Overall, this book is very well-written, and it stayed with me long after I read it. I recommended it to several friends, and for me that's the mark of a worthwhile read.