When Food Is Love: Exploring the Relationship Between Eating and Intimacy

Rating:
Summary: This style doesn't work for me
Review: Even if you aren't a compulsive eater, this book offers great insight into the world of addiction. It focuses on why we substitute food (or anything else) for love in your lives and examines events from our childhood as the reason for this inability to receive love from others. A great read, educational yet contains stories from the author's life, and others she has met, which keep it moving.

Rating:
Summary: Buy this book.
Review: Geneen Roth has a handle on what the problems concerned with compulsive eating are all about like no one else I've ever heard or read. She has been there. I have discovered so many things I never knew about myself from reading this book. After being a compulsive eater most of my 47 years, I am understanding for the first time in my life why I do the things I do, that I am not the only person to ever be abused, that there is help and hope out there. I have already stopped feeling panicky about eating and about food. I've never been touched by an author as I have been by this one. I think the only way to stop any compulsive behavior is to first understand it. An amazing, amazing effort by a woman truly anointed to stand in the office of teacher of how to heal your broken, addicted soul. Thanks to Geneen, I'm on a journey back to myself.

Rating:
Summary: This style doesn't work for me
Review: I gave this book only 1 star because its title and subtitle are completely misleading. It is not a self-help book but a kind of autobiography focused on various "abuses" in the author's life. For people who are involved in this author's programme, this book and its author may be interesting but for me and for people who, like me, are looking for a more scientific approach, it has little value. I also don't accept the view that "abuse" (the buzz word of the 90-ties), in whatever guise, is always at the root of the problem of overeating. I admit that I haven't read the whole book - I just don't have a slightest interest in the author's life - but I thought that my review may help people who were mislead, like me, by the title and some of the other reviewers' testimonies. This is not a "no diet" self-help book, but a rather wordy autobiography. It is also slightly dated since today we know much more about emotional eating than 13 years ago when this book was written. If you need "moral support", then Roth's book is probably fine, but I think there are better ways of spending your time.

Rating:
Summary: Get over it already
Review: I listened to the audio version of this and all I have to say about that is 'read the book' if you are interested in this.

The book is read by the author and her voice is enough to send you into a chocolate eclair binge. Breathy, Monotone yet childish (like that obnoxious commercial, "I'm the one that's growing, daaaadddddd"). Every word over-pronounced. You could imagine her twisting her mouth to exaggerate her pronunciations ... agghhh!!!

As far as content, it's right up Dr. Phil's alley. What credentials does this woman have other than being in Oprah? It was OK - more about the skeletons in her closet than help to others.

Rating:
Summary: Absolutely Amazing book
Review: I was REALLY disappointed in this book, and I recommend that you not buy it. It was all about her, her romantic relationships, and her friends and aquaintences. This book tought me nothing.

For a great book on how to stop compulsive eating, I HIGHLY recommend The Taming Of The Chew by Denise Lamothe.

Rating:
Summary: Great for first-time self-help readers
Review: I've enjoyed this book. It was recommended to me with the claim that it "reads like a novel." That it does. There are examples of the author's experiences of life as well as people she has helped through her "Breaking Free" workshops. An important theme in this book is that compulsive eating can be cured because it is a symptom of deeper difficulties. Although at times the tone tends to be typical of self-help books, there is valuable information that those having problems with compulsive eating, as well as other things (alcohol, over-working, etc). There are many truths in this book worth finding.

Rating:
Summary: Outstanding - #1 must read
Review: Must-read for anybody who had a difficult childhood. Even though the title and some references are to eating disorders, it's relevant and helpful for any addictions or indeed life and relationship problems that result from a painful past.

Very entertaining and easy reading, while making the difficult emotions and consequences very real. Thus true healing, understanding and transformation result, not just intellectual knowing.

It's a joy to read, an absolute keeper and I only wish her title and references to eating disorders hadn't put me off reading it when it was first very highly recommended to me 10 years ago.

If you could only read 1 book, this should be it even if you had a great childhood as it will help you understand and deal with others who didn't.

Rating:
Summary: The one book which helped me control my eating habits!!!
Review: Over the years I've read many many books about compulsive eating. But nothing ever helped me discover why I was over eating. Ms Roth helped me understand the underlying cause of my compulsive eating behavior. Thank You !! Now I've stopped comforting myself with food and discovered better and more productive ways to comfort myself.