Wake Up, I'm Fat!

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.

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?

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!

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.