Book Review - Moose
Based on a compilation of several years at "Fat Camp", school and her family relationships, Moose is quite the story by Stephanie Klein. I would be very interested to know what "thin" people think of it. Having always been one of the fat kids and now fat adults, I could relate to much of the story.
Her tales of dieting starting at a young age (nutritionist, Weight Watchers, diuretics, etc.), trying to find attractive clothes, wanting to be one of the cool kids, dealing with helpful comments that sometimes hurt as much as the ones intended to hurt...I've lived through those stories.
Klein did lose weight. However, it wasn't the key to happiness that she thought it would be. She found teenage girls can still be incredibly catty, teenage boys insensitive and out for one thing if they can get it and life's issues didn't miraculously disappear with the weight.
What made me sad was that I don't think Klein can allow herself to be happy despite the fact that she's got a great husband, two kids and a good career. She's still obsessed with her weight and now also obsessed with not passing on the craziness of that to her kids. Not that I don't have my own obsessions or craziness (many people can tell you that I do) but, I don't let the knowledge that I'm fat affect how I feel about my accomplishments, my friends, my family or my general life.
Klein still seems to think of herself as fat as her overwhelming trait. I can forget about it and I can think of many other descriptors I would use about myself. Though, fat does fall into that list of adjectives. Maybe if I were ever thin, I'd be different. I'd like to think not.
Her tales of dieting starting at a young age (nutritionist, Weight Watchers, diuretics, etc.), trying to find attractive clothes, wanting to be one of the cool kids, dealing with helpful comments that sometimes hurt as much as the ones intended to hurt...I've lived through those stories.
Klein did lose weight. However, it wasn't the key to happiness that she thought it would be. She found teenage girls can still be incredibly catty, teenage boys insensitive and out for one thing if they can get it and life's issues didn't miraculously disappear with the weight.
What made me sad was that I don't think Klein can allow herself to be happy despite the fact that she's got a great husband, two kids and a good career. She's still obsessed with her weight and now also obsessed with not passing on the craziness of that to her kids. Not that I don't have my own obsessions or craziness (many people can tell you that I do) but, I don't let the knowledge that I'm fat affect how I feel about my accomplishments, my friends, my family or my general life.
Klein still seems to think of herself as fat as her overwhelming trait. I can forget about it and I can think of many other descriptors I would use about myself. Though, fat does fall into that list of adjectives. Maybe if I were ever thin, I'd be different. I'd like to think not.
