FAT!SO? : Because You Don't Have to Apologize for Your Size

Rating:
Summary: Good idea, but misguided
Review: As a lifelong member of the obesity club, I got about a third of the way through this book when I couldn't read any more. Wann's militant tone is a complete turn-off, and many of the medical "facts" that she includes are either based on scant medical evidence from a select few doctors, or worded carefully to place blame squarely on others. There are millions of articles and studies linking obesity to health problems, yet Wann cites only two or three doctors to say that there's no reason to think weight has any impact on health. However, she's more than happy to print a study showing that obese women have better orgasms! Yes, I agree with some of her conclusions, like the idea that most people dislike the obese because they associate it with gluttony and other disgusting behaviors. But Wann shows so much of her own anger that she comes off as trying to convince herself of many of her arguments. It's probably not true, but that's what it seems like. I've done a LOT of reading on this particular subject, and a much better read would be Bountiful Women by Bonnie Bernell and Carmen Renee Berry. It's the same idea, but without the attacking attitude and the disdain for the medical community.

Rating:
Summary: such overwrought negativity! get a grip.
Review: i gained a lot of weight as the result of a medical condition. i am not lazy. i don't watch a lot of tv. i don't eat nonstop. i do exercise. but i felt lousy. my size nine was gone & there was little i could do about it. i was depressed & people kept telling me i was lazy, ugly, etc. this book helped me to feel so much better about myself. i read all these negative reviews that are SO irrationally judgemental & i realized that a lot of people, especially those that claim they "used to be" over weight (yeah right. or else they've been post-weight- lossbrainwashed by 'cosmo' & 'jane') just don't get it. ah well. who needs them anyway.

Rating:
Summary: Tips for living for people of all sizes
Review: I'm not fat myself--although it's only been fairly recently that I've really acknowledged that. But for quite a few years now, I've suspected that things aren't quite so cut-and-dried as "thin=good, healthy and virtuous; fat=bad, unhealthy, and sinful"--no matter how many people may thoughtlessly buy that notion.

And here we have it: The weight-loss industry isn't fueled by concern about health, but by the desire to make money off of people's poor body image. Most people aren't going to fit that ever-shrinking beauty ideal without resorting to dangerous methods. *Everyone* should exercise and eat their vegetables, whether or not that results in weight loss: For some people it will, for some people it won't, and that's all fine and good.

"Fat!So?" does not "promote" being fat. What it "promotes" is doing all that you can to be healthy and happy in your own body--even if that body is somehow socially unacceptable. And I would argue that that is a *good* message for people (such as myself) who are working their way past anorexia and/or self-image problems.

Rating:
Summary: REALLY SHOULD BE 10 STARS... BUY THIS BOOK NOW
Review: I've always loved the Fat!So? zine... and was extremely excited to find out there was a book. You need to buy this book.... but not just one copy. Buy one for all your friends (fat and thin... because we all know that the thin girls still think they're fat). Buy copies for your local libraries and schools. Give copies to teen-age girls you might know. (Does Amazon sell by the case?) This is the funniest, most self-empowering book I've read in my life. Oh... and before you go to bed tonight... thank God for giving us Marilyn Wann. If you're just beginning to try to accept your body, I recommend this book. I also recommend joining NAAFA and attending some of their events.... you'll find out that no matter what your size, somebody will think you're fabulous just the way you are (Heck, might even be too skinny for some guys). :)

Rating:
Summary: If they hate you, you must be doing something right.
Review: Let's see. The author tells her story as a healthy, active fat woman. A person doesn't believe her and instead decides that she's all sorts of horrible things. Then he wraps up by accusing the author of reinforcing all of these negative stereotypes? Huh?

Don't believe the inevitable backlash from people who do not want a different voice to be heard on fat issues. This is a fantastic book. Its a fun, easy read while also doing a lot of educating along the way. If people find her positions so threatening as to launch into these kind of cruel unfounded personal attacks to discredit her, you know the book is worth reading. This is a provactive book, no doubt, and you should experience her story for yourself. Not from people who are outraged that she's telling her story at all.

Rating:
Summary: Great Fat Positive Book w/ Some Flaws
Review: Marilyn Wann's Fat!so? is definitely one of the best fat positive books available today. Sure it's not as good as Wendy Shanker's "Fat girls guide to life" or as factually fulfilling as Paul Campos' "The Obesity Myth," but for all those fat people out there in need of a self esteem boost and true stories from real people, or thin ignorants in need of a kick in the ass and a dose of TRUTH, this book is definitely worth your money.
The first thing you'll notice about it is simply how different it's put together - almost like a Matt Groening "...Hell" book, or activities book. It contains about 5 pages of Hero and Villian trading cut-out cards, a cut-out spin game, a cut-out dress up of the Venus of Willendorf, in-depth quotes, cool comeback lines, eye popping facts, nice drawings of sexy fat women, and very colorful, warm, and easy to read layout. Now, the books starts out w/ Marilyn telling everyone to use the "F" word (or, Fat) to describe themselves and others who are fat. She's a healthy 270lb, 5'4" woman who works out 3 times a week w/ a personal trainer and eats a good variety of food and veggies (normal blood pressure, cholesteral, etc). She strongly encourages good excersize routines and the need for a balanced, healthy diet throughout the book (even 2 pages of her own recipes) where ones main focus is HEALTH and self-esteem and not, NOT weight loss. If you lose wieght doing so, fine, if you don't, fine still. She puts forth a better self esteem about body image than Wendy Shanker in her book but doesn't put forth as many life stories of her own (which I wanted more of, i didn't feel I knew her very well after the book was over, at least not like Ms. Shanker).
Wann goes on to give us good ideas and arguments going against diets, diet pills, expensive and dangerous weight loss surgery, self loathing, etc. She tells us about arguements made against her and the hate filled w/in them only confirming how much hypocrisy there really is out there, even from doctors whom we all put so much trust w/in (just cause they're doctors, doesn't means they can't wrongfully judge).
There are some writings by other people who have faced fat hatred in their lives and thier stories, a few poems, and interesting charts w/ some funny comparisons. That's another thing I liked, the humor. Sure, she's not as sarcastic and bitterly tounge-in-cheek funny as Ms. Shanker, but you'll get a laugh here and there.
What I thought brought the book down somewhat was the second half. While the first half had very interesting facts and good arguments, the second half turned more into tips and stories that really weren't as in-depth as I'd expected but still fun to read. There really wasn't much of an ending either, and the book is just too short (about 170 reading pages - quick read) which makes me feel like Wann didn't have enough research on her back to sustain a longer book. But it's ok, this book is very good and I had a smile on my face once I finished it. Here is a woman who's fat, sexy, healthy, active, funny, strong, and simply beautiful. And for all you guys out there who deny beauty in a woman who doesn't look like the "ideal" Cameron Diaz, Angela Bassett, Paris Hilton, Nicole Ritchie, a Maxim model, etc etc, i have one thing to say to you: grow a freakin penis! The full-figured woman is TIMELESS beauty, the thin emaciated woman is that of the newly corporate guided multi-million dollar televised media industry which only erupted during the age of capitalist social segragated greed, or the 1900's. Oh, but I forgot, this is AMERICA, we're the richest so we MUST be the smartest! Therefore, we know what REAL health is, unlike those other POORER countries out there who actually think fat women are beautiful and aren't weight obsessed, what do they know?? We're America, we're right! We're rich! ..... get over yourselves.
It would be equally amoung the best books out there but it's basically the length and general "cuteness" which kind of holds it back somewhat, yet this "cuteness" gives it a more readable approach than lots of other text-oriented self-help books. But it's cheap; at 12 bucks, it's worth every penny. I'm proud to have read this book. I encourage you to do the same.

Rating:
Summary: Judging people
Review: This book tries to give some balance to discussion of the controversial fact that there are a lot of fat people these days. The controversy, of course, isn't so much over the fact that there are a lot of fat people - this is indisputable; just have a look around you. No, the controversy arises over society's attitudes toward and judgement of people who are fat.
In line with this book, many would claim that people should be judged on "who they are", not what they look like. To me this is debatable, since it's impossible to know "who a person is" on the inside. Outward appearances are usually all you have to go on. Besides, surely the full definition of "who a person is" (and subsequent judgements) must also incorporate their physical appearance? Also, you often find that what you thought were well-founded judgements you've made on a particular person are later proven wrong by the person's actions.
I'm not a fat person myself, so am well-versed in judging the external appearances of fat people, and am well cognisant of the fact that their fat exterior can stand in the way of my judging the person underneath. To conclude, in my experience, fat people are often just as unpleasant as the general population, so to me it's as good a guide as any.

Rating:
Summary: appalled at all the anti-fat setiments from other reviewers!
Review: This is more a comment on some of the previous reviews.

The book itself is, I feel, valuable - it spreads the message you can be fat and healthy. It promotes fat acceptance. This can only be a good thing - do we really want to be a nation of small minded, judgemental, intolerant, superficial jerks?

I am one of those fat and healthy people!

I cycle, I walk, I dance, I do all of this whilst not being a thin person. Is it hard? Depends on what you mean, cycling up a steep hill is hard, but it would be like that for anyone.

What is it that the previous negative reviewers find so hard to deal with? This book didn't help me to understand why fat is so abhorrent and the anti-fat vigilantes feel that they can hurl abuse at a fat person in the street.

I judge people on who they are, not what they look like. Of course we all take in a first impression, that is natural. But I don't look at someone and feel revolted by them because they have brown eyes. Or because they are white.

People every where have a lot to learn. this book could be part of teh learning curve for some of the intolerant people I previously referred to

Rating:
Summary: The Other F-word in this book -- Fun!
Review: What struck me about this book is how *fun* it is -- most of the comments and articles are witty, intelligent and laugh-out-loud funny. This book changed my attitude about my size (not surprisingly, I'm a chunky chick). With sound medical evidence, and not just with a lot of self-serving talk about "fat bigotry," this book neatly picks apart the "Fat = Unhealthy" mindset that's so ingrained in our current culture we naturally assume it's true. This book gave me the courage to confront my stick-thin doctor and rebut her constant attempts to make me join Weight Watchers (especially her little nasty trick of weighing me with all my winter clothes on and trying to pass it off as a weight gain). I'm now providing a fat-positive role model for my niece -- I want to influence her self-image before the junior-high girls get to her. This book isn't a testimony to self-serving victimization (as I'd feared it would be) -- it's a very funny call to arms for all the pissed-off fat folks out there.