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Hunger

a Memoir of (my) Body
Jul 10, 2017dani_lacey rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
"I am weary of all our sad stories — not hearing them, but that we have these stories to tell, that there are so many." This quote from Roxane Gay's Hunger best sums up my feelings to her story. In her new book, Gay allows herself to become uncomfortably vulnerable through the pages of this book. (I use the word "uncomfortable" because I'm not good at dealing with others emotions. I'm not the one people go to when they need comforting.) We learn about the trauma that drove her to literally build a barrier around herself. We learn about how, again because of this trauma, she allowed others to misuse and abuse her. We learn about the smaller, still painful moments that define the life of a fat person. She states early on that this is not a book about life at 30, 40 or even 50 pounds overweight. Hers is a story about living while hundreds of pounds of overweight, and navigating through a physical world that is not designed for "unruly bodies." Some challenges I was already aware of. I was a pretty heavy kid, and am still a chubby adult. I know what it's like trying to shop for clothes. When making healthy changes, I'm also worried "that I am getting ahead of myself." Some challenges were pretty eye-opening. They all prompted me to be more aware of other bodies and the challenges they face. This book feels less like a memoir and more like a collection of tiny essays. Chapters — sometimes only a page long — are organized into larger parts that are focused on central themes: for example, her background, her day-to-day obstacles, her relationships. Timelines can sometimes be messy, but it worked for me. I could see myself in the future going back to specific mini-essays as are relevant to my own life. Overall, a definite recommend. Now I need to go back and finish An Untamed State. Dear, Lord, help me. Between that and finishing up Beloved, I'm having one depressing summer.