Purge

Janie believed it was under control. What began as just a little something to relieve that "full" feeling after a big meal at a Chinese restaurant became the focus of her life. Janie can admit now that she is bulimic. What she can't understand and admit is why she has let this disorder consume her. Perhaps her family is to blame. Her father dotes on her "perfect" older sister. That older sister only pays attention to her own "perfect" wedding plans. Janie's mother not only has a career to attend to, but also that "perfect" wedding to orchestrate. The boy of her dreams finally asks her out, but after only a few short dates expects her to sacrifice her virginity. Afterward, she doesn't feel loved, she just feels like a slut. Embarrassment keeps her from confiding in her real friends, which causes hard feelings and separation. Now after total humiliation at her sister's wedding, Janie finds herself at Golden Slopes, a treatment facility for eating disorders. She is now one of the Barfers waiting in frustration for the Starvers to straggle in for every scheduled meal. In between therapy sessions, she shares her thoughts in a journal. More than anything she wants to go home, but first she must confront her situation and come to terms with the root cause of her constant desire to purge. Author Sarah Darer Littman brings a fresh voice to this growing problem among teens today. Her story proves how wide-spread the problem of eating disorders has become. Among her cast of characters, readers will hear from males as well as females, the well-to-do as well as the disadvantaged, and even someone well beyond her teen years who has fallen victim to the disease. Littman highlights the seriousness and the life-threatening effects of eating disorders, but at the same time, through humor and the results of positive treatment, provides hope and encouragement. PURGE is one you won't want to miss. Reviewed by: Sally Kruger, aka "Readingjunky"

Statistics published at a State of South Carolina Health Department website about eating disorders state that the chance that your 15 year old daughter will die of anorexia nervosa is twelve (12) times higher than that of all other causes of death recorded for 15-24 year old women combined. Eating disorders are one of the biggest health issues for teens and preteens today and one that neither we nor they hear anywhere near enough about. Not so long ago eating disorders were presumed to be almost entirely confined to young women. Today we know that about 10% as many young men suffer from eating disorders as do young women. Eating disorders are not just a female problem. And frighteningly, children are developing eating disorders at younger and younger ages. One British documentary found children as young as 6 suffering from anorexia. (Available to watch online.) In Purge Sarah Littman does a bang-up job of accurately presenting the medical and psychological issues to teens in a non-judgmental & engaging way that bears no resemblance to the "lecture" teens so easily tune out. If I have one criticism, it is the title of the book. I suspect that many a teen that should read this book will take one look at the title and run for the hills. If you are a parent, you must read this book. Pass it along to your children's teachers, because this is a book that belongs on every summer reading list from every middle and high school in the country. And leave it laying around. Sooner or later your daughter just might pick it up. . . . . Note: The book does address sexual issues. Many parents will likely find it unsuitable for youngsters much under 11 or so, but do not let some misguided desire to "protect" your 11 year old keep this book on the shelf. There is nothing here that any 11 year old doesn't know all about.

Is it inappropriate to say I enjoyed a book on eating disorders? I hope not, because, despite the seriousness of the topic, and hopefully without sounding like someone who gawks at others' tragedies, I really loved reading this book. I'm impressed that this is Littman's first novel for young adults, and only her second novel overall. Her writing is smooth, articulate, assured. I found the voice of Janie Hyman (the protagonist, and first-person narrator) very believeable. Some writing teachers and literary critics will tell you that in order to write well from a first-person standpoint, you need to put the narrator into a believeable, "organic" situation where they are supposed to be telling their tale. I don't think that always needs to be a hard and fast rule, but the fact that Janie has been asked to keep a journal while she is in this in-hospital treatment program makes it more believeable as she reports her experiences. Too many writers try to tell a story from the first-person narrator, and don't grasp the double-edged sword inherent in this approach: you can use this to show what the narrator doesn't know just as much as what she does know. If first-person is written in a way that the reader can "read between the lines" and see things the narrator can't see (or can't see yet), this is an incredibly effective way to create suspense and to show growth in the narrator. Fortunately, Littman does this with skill. This is an excellent technique to use with a character whose main problem is that she CAN'T see how what she's doing and the way she's thinking is dangerous. Through the journal entries of Janie, we see the story unfold, and how her thinking begins to change. For people with problems such as an eating disorder, recognizing how serious it is, and how inaccurate some of your perceptions are, is a huge movement towards getting well. This author does a great job portraying these changes. I'd recommend this book to many teen readers, girls and boys, and for adult and teen discussion groups.

I received this book yesterday and have already completed it. It is a fast, absorbing, easy read. It was thoroughly enjoyable (despite the heavy subject matter). I would recommend it especially to women with teenage daughters. The story is told from the perspective of a teenage girl who has recently been admitted to a clinic to treat her bulimia. The story unfolds through her narration and her journal entries that she must keep for the program. As the book unfolds it becomes obvious that the people in the clinic have more problems that just their eating disorders, and that these problems are at the root of all else that is bothering them. Although I have never known anyone personally who has been enrolled in an eating disorders clinic I felt the story and the description of the clinic rang true. The characters are interesting and the story is well told. It's definitely worth a read, and it moves quickly.

Janie has a problem. She's unwilling to admit that her eating disorder has control over her. But now she's forced to think about it all day, because after the disaster at her sister's wedding, her parents have placed her in an instituation. Here she's forced to eat, must wait 30 minutes in the day room after eating, have group therapy sessions, and have someone eavesdrop on her bathroom visits. All and all, Janie hates in here, but there's no where to go unless she stops running and faces her problems head on. What made her purge in the first place and how did she quickly spin so out of control? A heart wrenching yet funny ("It was like they went from being my Band of Barfers, my Sisterhood of Sneaky Eaters, to my Judge and freaking Jury in three minutes flat.") Littman tackles such a huge issue with humor, honesty, and lets the raw ain of her characters shine through. It's really a book everyone should be reading and chatting about. It's that good. [...]