Bulimia Books

Based on the Lauren Greenfield's HBO documentary of the same name, Thin graphically presents the stories of several women receiving residential treatment for eating disorders at the Renfrew Center in Coconut Creek, Florida. The intense emotionality of these stories is captured best by eating disorder specialist Dr. Michael Strober who describes them as "gripping, poignant, bewildering, heart wrenching, incomprehensible, inspiring, sickening, disturbing, repellent, touching, infuriating, and so much more" (page 159). Greenfield's amazing photojournalism speaks as loudly as the words voiced by the women themselves in conveying the insidious, shocking, tragic, and lethal nature of eating disorders. Each and every page bleeds with the pain and despair of women who are literally dying to be thin.

I saw the documentary first years ago and recently I picked up the book. The book is way better in my opinion. It was hard reading it because it was very graphic and depressing. I pray for these women to get better.

I read "Thin" a day or two after seeing the documentary, and it gave me a better sense of who the 4 women focused on in the documentary, especially of Brittany, the youngest of the four girls. Diary entries by Polly and a letter written by Brittany to her mother were honest and touching. The book also gives us a look at a number of other Renfrew patients who were not in the documentary except in the background. One of them is a woman whose eating disorder began in middle age. There are older women, women of color and a woman who is an overeater who was grateful that the underweight patients (the majority of the patients) were so welcoming to her (which I guess makes sense; it was their own bodies that tormented them). The photos are graphic, but not lurid or sensational; the photos are stark (some of them) but they are haunting as well; you won't forget these women soon. The text includes a lot of the statements made by the four patients who were the focus of the documentary, but it includes other stories told by residents that we don't get to meet in the film.

I have read this book cover to cover twice already & watched the documentary numerous times. The stories the girls share are believeable & heart-wrenching, & if you have or are suffering from an ED, you can really relate to them. The photos just pull you in & you want to know more & more about each of these women.

This book is the most honest book ive ever read on eating disorders. I have quite a few family memebers with anorexia and bulima. I watched them waste away, go into to hostpitals and come back from the time i was 5 untill 19. Most have recovered, or are still in recovery. One of my cousins put it to me this way "once an anorexic, always an anorexic" even though she is at a good weight (still 5 lbs underweight) and is now 29 she still has trouble and daily struggles. Most books ive read in this subject all kinda have the same ending, they are finally hospitalized, recovered and then last page is "THE END" which is far from the truth.
Lauren Greenfield has truly Captured the Day to Day life with older, teenagers and young adults suffering from eating disorders. The details are graphic and the photographs in this book actually made me cry, but it was a eye opener. I reccomend this book to anyone who has a loved one or friend that has an eating disorder. Alot of people do not understand or can even commprehend why anyone would choose to starve themselves, This book can really give enlighting information to the desperate person trying to cope/understand their loved ones eating disoder. To anyone who is curious and just wants information in eating disorders. This is the book! the author holds nothing back. Excellent is all i can say! buy this, you will not be dissapointed. I hope this review was helpfull.

I highly recommend this book to parents of young women with eating disorders. Andrea's Voice is a deeply personal and eloquently told account of a mother's quest to bring her daughter through an eating disorder. This book offers something more than publications written by the "experts"--the books that tell parents what the best treatment is--it describes what it's actually like to confront an eating disorder, and how it affects a family. This is the real thing.

Reviewed by Stephanie Rollins for Reader Views (6/06)

"Andrea's Voice" is written by Doris Smeltzer, the mother of Andrea Smeltzer. Andrea Smeltzer was bulimic. Throughout the book, Doris Smeltzer tries to understand what caused the bulimia. She incorporates Andrea's journal entries and poetry through the book. This lets the reader feel Andrea's confusion and helplessness.

Doris Smeltzer internally battles the blame for Andrea's disease. Like so many mothers, she wonders if she did everything she could do to be a good role model for her daughter. She writes, "One of the most important goals in my life, prior to Andrea's death, was to become the best mother ever--another aspiration toward perfection. This target provided a secure hiding place for me...I think that Andrea sensed, at almost a primal level, that her mother was in hiding. Maybe if I had faced my fears, Andrea would have been able to face hers."

This book does not explain why Andrea developed bulimia. It does not describe how the family has come to terms with her death. However, it shows the long-term effect of the disease on Andrea and her family both before and after her death. This book is clearly a healing tool for Doris Smeltzer. "Andrea's Voice" can be a healing tool for bulimics and their families. As Doris Smeltzer explains, "Grief must be shared."

"Andrea's Voice Silenced By Bulimia: Her Story and Her Mother's Journey Through Grief Toward Understanding" is a final legacy organized and co-written by both Andrea's mother, Doris Smeltzer, and Andrea herself in the form of her journals and papers. This compelling account tells the story of a beautiful and talented young woman who suffers, and eventually dies from, an eating disorder. "Andrea's Voice" represents a great lesson woven from painful experience. Doris Smeltzer is co-founder of the eating disorder prevention nonprofit organization, Andrea's Voice Foundation. Through the finely crafted voices and carefully chosen writings in "Andrea's Voice," her mother presents both the deep isolationism of the disordered eater, her daughter, and the close bond that still enriches her life today, when her daughter's living voice is silenced. "Andrea's Voice" is both a deeply compassionate, inspirational tribute to the life of Andrea, and a search for clues and tools to stem the outcome in others with disordered eating. "Andrea's Voice" is both a clinical and a very human look at the relationship between Andrea and her mother, shared to help others afflicted with eating disorders -- or have loved ones who are faced with such potentially dangerous health issues.

Thank you Doris for not preserving your journey with Andrea but for sharing, reaching and teaching all that you learned from her. I heard Andrea's voice when I was unable to hear my daughters'. She guided me on what I needed to do for them and told me what I needed to hear.....and I listened...for the first time...I listened ..... Thank you for your bravery and courage and inspiration. Thank you for sharing the deepest part of your soul, and thank you for trusting that we needed you to.

Andrea's Voice is a moving tribute to an incredibly wise young woman and a family whose bond is inspiring. As someone who has been deeply affected by Andrea's struggle with an eating disorder and my own, this book both warmed my heart and broke it anew. There is so much here to be learned and reminded of regardless of whether or not one has been directly touched by an eating disorder. Doris' words, along with Andrea's, have the potential to begin a critical societal discussion about how we - as parents, siblings, partners, friends, co-workers, educators, treatment professionals, media personalities, policymakers - contribute to the thoughts that encourage disordered eating behaviors. As importantly, though, this book helps us begin to reevaluate and change our expectations and judgments of others and ourselves. In writing Andrea's Voice, Doris Smeltzer has given us incredible gifts: insight into her own journey and the gift of her daughter. Each person who reads this will be changed.

This workbook was for my daughter in rehab and she said this was an excellent book that gave her new insight into overcoming bulimia. Well worth the money

This book contains nuggets of truth as well as helpful, practical suggestions for coping with symptoms of bulimia. This book is a great companion to: "Hope, Help and Healing" By Dr. Greg Jantz. Based on the absolute truth of the Bible, you will be given insight regarding your childhood and discover how you were set up to fall into the lifestyle you desperately struggle against. You will discover freedom, day-by-day, as you trust Jesus and are filled with the Holy Spirit. YOU CAN BE FREE!
Hope, Help, and Healing for Eating Disorders: A New Approach to Treating Anorexia, Bulimia, and Overeating

This workbook is good for many reasons. It is written in a way that is easy to read, and very interesting. It does not seem at all like a dry textbook. It covers everything from defining eating disorders, to the root of the problem, to steps to take to begin recovering. I would highly recommend it for all ages.

The step-by-step instructions are easy to follow. It would have been better if the authors had given guidelines on how to judge when to move on to the next phase of recovery, and how to deal with feelings that arise at each stage.

This is the best resource for eating disorder self-help I have seen. Widely applicable for those who binge and purge by a number of definitions, including overexercising and subjective binging. Addresses a comprehensive range of related issues such as anxiety, obsessiveness, and perfectionism. Practical with real step-by-step things you can actually DO, ways to measure your progress, and encouragement about expected setbacks. Very strongly recommended.

This is an exceptionally well written book which serves as an excellent resource for those seeking recovery or for anyone trying to better understand what it's like to battle an eating disorder.

Biting the Hand that Starves You is a very special book that it likely to change the way you view eating disorders. It contains many first hand accounts of women's struggles to free themselves from the ways bulimia and anorexia control their lives. And it maps out the nature of this control, which is beyond the attempt to control food and weight--it's tied to societial messages about how women should behave (take care of others, be nice to everyone, perform well in many arenas, etc.). The book is primarily written for therapists but will be helpful to others affected by bulimia and anorexia.

This is just an awesome book. As a recovering anorexic, i have found this book not only hopeful and inspiring, but helpful and fascinating. It has made me think of my eating disorder in a whole new way. Instead of talking about afflicted people as "sick," it refers to "insiders" and discusses a way of thinking where one views their disorder as separate from themself, rather than who they are. It's fascinating and i highly reccommend it for people suffering from an eating disorder, those who are recovered, friends and family of sufferers, and just anyone who has an interest. great!

As someone who has struggled with anorexia for over half my life, I have often found myself reading anything on anorexia I could lay my hands on; desperately searching for the reassurance that comes from knowing one is not alone in one's experiences, as well as for some elusive insight that might assist me in resisting anorexia's stranglehold over my life. Yet frequently I have come away from such reading feeling dissatisfied and disheartened. Not so with 'Biting the Hand that Starves You'; in this book I found so much of what I had been searching for and a whole lot more.

While the authors are not the first professionals to draw on `insider knowledges' (the knowledges of people with first-hand experiences of anorexia/bulimia), the prominence and the respect accorded to such knowledges is unprecedented. The result is a book that speaks compellingly of anorexia/bulimia, and crucially, does so in a manner that is never patronising, pathologising or didactical.

Providing exciting new ways of thinking and speaking about anorexia/bulimia, the book engenders a sense of hope - a 'commodity' that is often desperately lacking, yet so vital when it comes to resisting anorexia/bulimia.

I highly recommend the book to all readers, from those struggling with anorexia/bulimia, to their family and friends, and health professionals.

I only wish that Rick, David, and Ali had written this book years ago! Because Biting the Hand that Starves You would have been an incredible source of information, motivation, and hope when I was desperately struggling in the depths of my eating disorder.

I was thrilled to see that the book vividly illustrates the vicious dialogue that occurs between the eating disorder and the individual who suffers with it. Throughout my recovery, psychotherapist and author Thom Rutledge encouraged me to practice this very dialogue between my true self (Jenni) and my eating disorder (`Ed') over and over again, which was crucial to my finding the amazing freedom I experience today.

Biting the Hand that Starves You includes many uplifting, inspirational personal accounts that reveal people can and do beat anorexia/bulimia! Within the book, the authors compassionately share how you can really make practical steps to join the ranks of those who already walk that path of independence.

Unlike many other books, Biting the Hand that Starves You goes a step beyond just focusing on how to recover from specific eating disordered behaviors. It also talks about moving on and reclaiming your life --- providing great insight on overcoming perfectionism, taking risks, and even pursuing dreams and passions.

This is one book that I am glad I came across on the shelves of eating disorder literature. I just wish it would have appeared a little bit sooner!

Jenni Schaefer, author of Life Without Ed: How One Woman Declared Independence from her Eating Disorder and How You Can Too (McGraw-Hill)

Our daughter was lucky enough to have been treated by Drs. Thompson and Sherman and she was able to overcome this dreadful eating disorder. Even with their personal attention, we found their book was a wealth of information, advice and pure hope for all of us. If you can't speak directly with the authors, reading the book will certainly be of help on the road to a cure.

I have 9 years of experience with bulimia of a family member and also teach others about eating disorders. This is a tremendous resource. It's very well written!

This book not only gives information about bulimia, but also about eating disorders in general. Furthermore, it gives information about types of personalities, family dynamics and the effect the environment has on all of us. All of this in a clear and articulate way without any psychology jargon.

I found this book very helpful. It helped me understand the problem, but it especially had a lot of good info on what I can and should do now. Thank you so much .

This is a great book for a spouse or a fmaily member who wants to help. It details what is happening and what can be done. However, it is not a substitute for therapy. Please get help for your loved one immediately. There is hope.

I generally do not admit that I am obese and have been for most of my life nor do I write reviews. I do not think of myself as having an eating disorder as I am definitely not anorexic nor am I bulimic. However, I noticed that binge eating was included so I purchased this book.

Having read it from cover to cover, I would recommend it to anyone with weight issues. At a time when the news reinforces guilt in regards to obesity, this book does just the opposite. The author is compassionate and obviously knowledgeable. She examines the issues behind the eating (or non-eating) without blame and many of her points resonated for me. I was left feeling I could find an easier way to deal with life. That it would take work and committment but not dieting or will power.

It's been nearly two months since my first reading and I have found myself continuing to think about why I am eating and what I might do about why I am eating or, at least, instead of eating. I'd like to thank Susan Schulherr and let her know I'll be looking forward to another book.

This book is not only filled with practical down-to-earth wisdom on steps to take if you or a loved one suffers from an eating disorder, but the author makes us smile and laugh in the process. For example, she compares the person with an eating disorder to a magician--"who gets us to look over here" (at the food behaviors and fixations) "when the real action is over there" (with the difficult emotions or life problems the ED person vainly attempts to soothe or solve with food). Or, "it takes a village to create and eating disorder"--the author's way of introducing us to the cultural forces encouraging women and more and more men to become thinner and thinner contributing to the rising toll of eating disorders. Or, "what happened to make us think being thin is naturally superior?" Great question!

The author helps us visualize recovery as a process of integrating balanced eating without 'forbidden foods' or food restriction diets, attention to enjoyable exercise and your body's own set-point, and avoiding the mental minefield of thoughts like "everything will be better when I'm thin". She's not afraid to tell us that willpower "never works with eating disorder symptoms".

As a pychotherapist who often encounters eating issues in my practice, I wholeheartedly recommend Ms. Schulherr's book to anyone who wants to find hope for recovery from an eating disorder, and also to professionals in the field who would like a comprehensive guide to eating disorder symptoms, and treatment options.

Gail Woods LCSW, LMFT

This impressive book is a comprehensive resource for anyone, laypersons and professionals alike, interested in eating disorders. The book is organized and written beautifully, and is a cornucopia of facts, suggestions, and hope for recovery. Reading the book is like taking a graduate course in Eating Disorders! I recommend it without qualification.

If you're suffering from an eating disorder, care about someone who is, or even happen to be a mental health professional like myself, who'd like a state of the art sense of what's happening in the world of eating disorders, you've come across a gem of a book. Extremely comprehensive, practical, realistic, user friendly & hopeful, this book is a real find. The only thing that doesn't feel right about it is the words "for Dummies" in the title. Although she's wonderfully clear & easy to understand, the author is no dummy. And anyone who appreciates the wisdom of years of experience & even handed presentation of helpful information, as well as the wealth of resources, is no dummy. One of the many great aspects of the book is it's consciously designed so you don't have to read it from cover to cover, you can easily pick & choose what is of interest to you & feel like you've gotten exactly what you wanted from the book. If you could only select one book on eating disorders, this would be the one to choose.

What a superb and greatly needed book this is !! Ms Schulherr has written a complete, comprehensive, thoughtful and incredibly well organized explanation and exploration of eating disorders. Her book is easy to read and anticipates every possible question one might have about all aspects of eating disorders. Although she is direct and does not soft pedal the facts, she also presents her information in a form that is digestable (no pun intended) and useable. The serious scholarship employed in writing this book is evident. Clearly, an enormous amount of research and experience went in to writing it. Yet, it is human and reassuring; you feel Ms Schulherr is holding your hand and walking you through your reading. This book is a must for anyone with concerns about eating disorders or who is concerned about someone who might be struggling with one.

This book is about a girl who wants to become a cheerleader. Her mother snaps at her at the dinner table and says things like "do you really need second helpings?" "You need to watch your figure." She soon becomes bulimic, and is obsessed with what she eats and how much she weighs. It takes over her life.
Definetly buy this book!

This is a great book to explain bulimia to teens. This and other Linda Barr books should go back into print!

I read this book a long time ago when I was in 8th grade about four years ago. And even though it was a teacher's book and I still couldn't get over the fact how great it was. I really liked it! I can't find it at any bookstores. I don't order from online so it's kinda hard for me. But I only remember books that I really like and would give 5 stars to and this book was great! ...I would recommand this book to anyone and especially those with eating disorders. It'll make you think twice about it.

Emily's Secret is one of the best books I've ever read! You would want to read Emily's Secret if you are interested in learning more about how people associate with eating disorders and how to make a right choice if you think yourself to be overweight. I, personally, like to read about other people's problems and how they fix them. I read Emily's Secret about 10 times and I am normally not a person who likes to read. I like Emily's Secret and I recommend ages 12 and up should read it.

I came to Amazon.com to attempt to replace my personal copy that is still being shared because Emily's Secret is a book that allows us to enter the character's life and participate in her struggle against eating disorders. We are allowed to identify with both her struggles and that of family and friends. It represents a large problem in our society today that is discussed but not shared openly. I recommend this book to both teenagers and adults. Everyone that I have shared this book with has affirmed my opinion that it is a must read.

I really enjoyed this book. The author has a way of making her point hit home with humor and scripture that is unsurpassed!

Desiree Ayres book left me wanting more of God. You realize through her book nothing can fill you up like Jesus. That He is more then enough.
So whether you have an addiction or not this is a must read book it will change your life forever you will never be the same.

the book is good for many areas and cant put it down. it helps find answer for more then just one thing.

I simply love this book! It was such an easy read. I believe it will help with any kind of addiction. Desiree Ayres really helped me understand how precious I am in God's eyes and how much He loves His daughters.

Highly Recommend It!

I could not put this book down. I read it immediately and often refer back to it. Desiree has a way of opening your eyes to the true freedom that God wants us to experience by breaking addictive behaviors in our life. I always thought, "this is just who I am - I'll never change." That's a lie. Desiree walks you through sciptures that lead to healing and restoration and she does so with grace and humor! By the way, this book just isn't for eating disorders - you see, I was addicted to fear and was obsessed with making sure my husband would be free from his addiction to alcohol. This is not my job. Only God could do that. This book made me realize that I truly am Hungry for God and only He can fill me up! By the way, Now my husband's reading this book and he loves it too! Buy it today!!

This book was writtten so incredibly beautifull!!!!
I would recommened this book to teens, even if they don't like to read because its funny and it also portrays the reality of life and the harshness anerexia and bulimia cause. what i love about it most is that its REALISTIC! Most books lack originality. YOu cry laugh and keeps you glued to the pages it s worth 10 stars !!!!! its a must read book!!

I have read this book many times and it still gets me to cry every time i read it. You get to know Zibby (the main charater) and her new found friend, Lauren who once was an enemy and they become your friends too. but when Zibby finally seems to be getting better alone with Lauren, tragiety stricks and thats where i'm going to leave you. so go out and try and find this book you won't regret it! ecellent book!

Let me start off by saying how i really hAtE to read. Nothing is interesting to me. wouldn't you rather watch it in a movie? that was my way of looking at it, until I read this book. It taught me about myself and how I see myself. It changed alot of things for the better. In about a year, I have read this book three times and just today, I started to read it again. Let me remind you that i am excellent in math, and horrible in reading. extrememly bad in engish(although im in english 3 ap and passing. who knows) So anyways. today, i read 46 pages, in a mere 17minsutes. let me tell you. it's better than hooked on phonics. i love this book. i cant wait to see a movie of it!

I borrowed this book three times from the library a fews years ago. They don't have it anymore and I really want to read it again. I can't find it anywhere. Anyway... this is a wonderful book and I would recomend it to anyone, especially younger females. It always made me cry everytime I read it.

This book is about a girl's strugle with Bulimia and how she over comes it. It is a wonderful book, the people she meats when she is in Hope-House (a hospaital) are incredable! Some of them should be called heros, most of them are getting over their own problems, mental or phisical. This book shows you that life is not perfect, but that doesn't mean that we should give up hope. A very touching book

Having read several overly cheerful, annoyingly personal "I had an ED, and beat it, and you can to!" books, it was amazing to find a simple, objective, yet far more true understanding of women with EDs and how they recovered. It's a pretty dense book,so not for the reader who wants to breeze through a self help book in an hour, but well worth the time and effort.

This book reaches to the core issues related to recovering from Bulimia. As a recovering bulimic for 2 years it helps me see some of the deepest issues and how to deal with them to remain recovered. It's an excellent book though it is a bit clinical.

This book is incredible. After suffering from anorexia and bulimia for the last four years, I have constantly looked for books on eating disorders. I found it not only easy to relate to all of the people who contributed their stories, but also extremely inspiring to know that other people out there have had the same "crazy" thoughts as me! This is a open-to-any-page-and-start-reading book. Truly awesome.

Finally, a book that gets to the heart of how a person with an eating disorder really feels and what is really helpful. As someone who previously had an eating disorder, and has read a ton of books on the subject, I can honestly say this is the best one I have read so far. A little more expensive but WELL worth it, to anyone struggling with an eating disorder. It hits home so much sometime that it just made me cry - very, very helpful.

After combing through several books on bulimia, this one was like a breath of fresh air. It was like reading about myself, actually seeing how women contracted and healed from bulimia. It gives me hope that we all can.