Such a Pretty Fat: One Narcissist's Quest to Discover If Her Life Makes Her Ass Look Big, or Why Pi E Is Not the Answer

This book is so funny I hated to see it coming to an end. A narcissistic (she admits it!) woman's journey to lose weight. The writer is so brutally and humorously funny about the whole ordeal....I have read several of Jen Lancaster's books and this one is one of her best.

For those who haven't ever read Jen Lancaster: #1--Stop waiting and buy one (actually you should probably buy all three) now. #2--Prepare to laugh your head off as Jen artfully and wittily recounts the events of her life. You will laugh, guffaw, nearly cry, and completely identify with her triumphs and tribulations portrayed in her charming, authentic voice. This is Lancaster's third memoir, and it is by far her best work to date. She is clearly a writer who crafts her work in the same manner she lives her life: on her own terms, and in her own style. Don't make the mistake of lumping Lancaster into some nondescript category such as "chick lit"--while this writer has a gift for detailing moments with sidesplitting humor, she is also able to touch readers' hearts with her self-effacing candor and genuine voice. Entertainment with actual substance--Jen Lancaster crafts some of the best reading material out there.

Jen Lancaster just may be the funniest writer ever! I've read all three of her books, and each of them made me laugh so hard that I nearly wet myself. (I guess you really didn't need to know that, did you? Too late.) In Jen's most recent memoir, "Such a Pretty Fat: One Narcissist's Quest To Discover if Her Life Makes Her Ass Look Big, Or Why Pie is Not The Answer" (love those ridiculously long titles!), Jen tackles her biggest challenge yet: her weight. Screw unemployment and psychotic Chicago neighbors: Nothing is scarier for a woman then stepping on the bathroom scale. In Jen's case, she wasn't happy with the numbers she saw on that scale, so she decided to do something about it. Well, actually, she sold a book proposal about trying to lose weight, so she kind of HAD to do something about it. But that's not the point. Jen never used to be the type of woman who would go to the gym every day (or at all). However, she decided to face her fears and give her physical well-being the same kind of attention she devoted to other important aspects of her life: her husband, her pets, her drinking, her shoe fetish, etc. "Such a Pretty Fat" is a very honest look at what it took for Jen to get herself in shape. Nobody said it was going to be easy. She stumbled plenty of times along the way and gave nearly every diet plan a try, from Atkins to crash dieting to Jenny Craig to Weight Watchers. In the end, Jen finally realized that most diets are B.S. The key to losing weight and being healthy is to make responsible choices and (duh!) exercise. And that's exactly what Jen did. I think "Such a Pretty Fat" is Jen's best book to date. (My only complaint is that certain chapters gave me monstrous cravings for things like ribs, Twinkies, and Olive Garden bread sticks...damn you, Jen!) Not only is the book chock full of Jen's snarky humor (and the footnotes...I LOVE the footnotes!), but it's also an inspiring true story about a plus-size woman's determination to lose weight. I really admire Jen for her honesty, her dedication, and her results. In addition to losing a lot of weight, she became a fitter person and felt much better about herself, which is really what being healthy is all about.

I howled with laughter and nodded knowingly throughout this book. Jen, please, please tell me you will write about house shopping next?

Such a Pretty Fat is Jen Lancaster's third memoir. In it, Lancaster takes on weight loss--through eating right and exercising. At first, it seems like your typical weight loss memoir, except for the fact that its Jen Lancaster writing it, with her trademark good humor and see-the-forest-through-the-trees approach to her subject matter. Jen's not an expert, but she definitely knows how to entertain, which is why I keep coming back to her work time and time again. What I love about Lancaster's work is that she knows when to laugh at herself, and at others' foolishness, without going over the top. For example, there's brilliant scene in Such a Pretty Fat where she goes to Jenny Craig and then Weight Watchers, where the meeting participants discuss of the evils of food in the work place. Birthday cake is always, always mentioned, and Jen harps on that theme mercilessly. In all, I thought the authors' message was a positive one for people struggling with their weight (though I'm not one of them). The message that some weight loss programs endorse is that food is evil; but Lancaster challenges that theory outright, saying that food is not, in fact, the enemy; food is in fact good for you if you eat right. Jen's weight loss resulted as a result of wanting to feel and look good, not because of outside pressures, which I also thought was an important message.

Both of Jen Lancaster's previous memoirs have been enjoyable and compulsive reading, but this one has a charm all its own. Perhaps its the ever appealing (if sometimes appalling) subject of growing up (and not out) that made this book endearing, or perhaps its the wit and winsome way the tale is told. Perhaps it is simply all the references to cheese! Lancaster's tale offers readers a glimpse of womanhood and its possiblities at 40, and unapologetically tells them to embrace it.