Weighing In
On a recent such visit, I was looking at some sale books when I came upon a book that had a cover with a large woman holding a pea in her chubby hands. Why is it that when they show a picture of a large lady it is only in portion? Like half a face and an arm or no face at all? This is something I have noticed again and again.
The back of the book attempted to make light of the plot saying that she, the main character, the large lady, would find something "far sweeter than a Snickers bar." Ugh. Please! You seriously didn't just write that, did you? Candy as a metaphor for the story of the fat woman. Just great. It also said something like, "weighing in at 240 pounds". . . and I thought, flipping the book back over to check the picture out again- that woman is way more than 240 pounds. How can this be? That woman in the picture was not 240lbs unless she was 4'8".
This is one of the many things that piss me off. Distorted media images of bodies. Of what is fat. That fat is bad. That fat = unlovable.
Don't get me started. Needless to say, I didn't buy the book.
10 comments:
I would've asked the sales clerk for permission to burn it. But that's just me.
I wouldn't have bought it either.
I tend to get lost in bookstores too. There's one near me that also has an awesome little cafe in it, and I could spend an entire day there if left to my own devices.
i totally agree with you.
sounds like a bullshit book to me!
I love that the main character's name is Philo (dough?!) Nolan.
reminds me of my horror at "Bridget Jones' Diary" when I realized that grossly-chubby Bridget weighed in at a disgusting 130 lbs. If you lead the revolution, just know that every extra inch and pound of me will follow.
- jules
Weight is such a weird thing. Just hearing the weights of actresses all the time, even if they are much shorter than me, is enough to plant a seed of self-consciousness about saying my weight. But on the flip side are all the one's who's professed weights, I find really difficult to believe.
Please excuse the misplaced comma. Thanks.
Books like that just make me sad...well, sad and pissed.
I just don't get it.
I am a book addict. I love libraries, bookstores, you name it. I must have a book at all times or I go a little nutso... okay, a lot nutso. Having said that... WTF? The book was insane. Walk away... oh, you did. Good for you!
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