Starving for Attention

This is one of the very first books that I read involving eating disorders & now, after reading dozens, it's still one of my favorites. I recommend this book to anyone suffering from an eating disorder or anyone who cares to know more about them. Excellent.

As any anorexic knows, eating disorders really aren't about food or weight; they're about control. Growing up in a household constantly under a spotlight, with a strict parent with overly high expectations is a disaster waiting to happen. Thank you, Ms. O'Neill, for having the courage to tell your story. Maybe more people will realize that anorexia ISN'T caused by being rich or spoiled or "wanting attention!"

Anyone struggling with an eating disorder should read this book. It is a starkingly truthful account, leaving no details out. I originally needed a book on anorexia for a speech, and I found out a lot of information. The book deals not only with the physical aspects of anorexia/bulimia, but also the psychological. It is a great reference for anorexics/bulimics. I admire her courage for writing this book.

Though this book may be most helpful to those individuals struggling with an eating disorder, I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone who loves books. This is the story of Cherry's life, and it doesn't leave anything out. She talks about everything from her fame to her religion to her addiction to laxatives. This book truly made me face some of the harsh realities about my own anorexia. I realized the pain I was inflicting on not only myself, but those around me. This book is truly brilliant and worth picking up. I read the whole thing in three days.

I had originally read this book in high school, during the onset of my anorexia. It proved to be a haven of reassurance... someone else did this too! Cherry's style is very intelligent, vividly explicit and downright original. I enjoyed not so much her famous family and religious incorporations as I did the actual accounts of her battle with anorexia and bulimia. Cherry's detailed excerpts from her once twisted sense of reality were both close to home as well as tear jerking. It would be years before I would even think to re-read Starving For Attention; but recently I did locate a copy in a tiny off-beat bookstore/cafe. I purchased Cherry's book and in seven months, I have perused its informative pages about five times. I would recommend this book to anyone; although it was a hard find. Perhaps the library would be your best bet. At times, she plunges just a bit too deeply into her family's career and religion.