Told through a series of larger-than-life snapshots, a hilarious memoir in essays about love, sex, marriage, motherhood, bikinis, and loving your body, no matter what size you are from the acclaimed blogger and body image advocate.
Brittany Gibbons has been a plus size her whole life. But instead of hiding herself in the shadows of thinner women, Brittany became a wildly popular blogger and … blogger and national spokesmodel—known for stripping on stage at TedX and standing in Times Square in a bikini on national television, and making skinny people everywhere uncomfortable.
Talking honestly about size and body image on her popular blog, brittanyherself.com, she has ignited a national conversation. Now in her first book, she shares hilarious and painfully true stories about her life as a weird overweight girl growing up in rural Ohio, struggling with dating and relationships, giving the middle finger to dieting, finding love with a man smaller than her, accidentally having three kids, and figuring out the secret to loving her curves and becoming a nationally recognized body image advocate. And there’s sex, lots of it!
Fat Girl Walking isn’t a diet book. It isn’t one of those former fat people memoirs about how someone battled, and won, in the fight against fat. Brittany doesn’t lose all the weight and reveal the happy, skinny girl that’s been hiding inside her. Instead, she reminds us that being chubby doesn’t mean you’ll end up alone, unhappy, or the subject of a cable medical show. What’s important is learning to love your shape. With her infectious humor and soul-baring honesty, Fat Girl Walking reveals a life full of the same heartbreak, joy, oddity, awkwardness, and wonder as anyone else’s. Just with better snacks.
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I loved the tidbits of insight into a world I can closely relate to, but I was definitely surprised by the number of typos (was this book edited numerous times, or just good enough to get it out and start making money? No blame on the author there, but certainly the editor and publishing company) and how often the author used “like” to create analogies and correlations (again, maybe the editor could have suggested breaking this up a bit. About 1/3 of the way through the book, they weren’t as funny.)
But I don’t want to sound like I’m tearing this apart! We need more role models and advocates for love and acceptance, and Brittany is just that.
From one Swanton, Ohio author to another: You go, girl! (And go bulldogs, or something like that…)
Nothing to write home about, in my opinion. Could be inspirational for a young adult woman that may relate to author’ issues…..
The author is too whiny
I didn’t know Bethany Gibbons before but I’m a fan now! She’s hilarious-and inspiring!
This book had some funny moments, but it was mostly too close to home for me. It’s one of those odd moments of “wow, I’m not alone; others go through the same crap” to feeling like “man, I wish I wasn’t reading about my everyday stressful life”.
Overall….read the book; I’m glad I did!!
Read more like a sad story with funny one liners than an inspiration. I wanted to like it, but I just couldn’t click with the story. It’s well written and a fine book, just wasn’t really what I was hoping to find.
I’m a life-long plus-sized girl with a fair amount of self-esteem. Whereas I had a few similar situations to those told, I felt like this was an attempt at making a funny out of a still bothersome situation. I too make jokes to lighten the situation, but really, it puts on display how vulnerable you and I still are by trying to deflect.
I feel the book was probably cathartic for the author and if that happened then awesome! Good for you Girlfriend! In order to find and destroy that inner demon we as a tribe of fantastic fat girls must release it and move on. Sad to say there are many of us pleasingly plump gals who’ve figured out the “secret” and found a healthier self esteem than many skinny beautiful women who criticize each eyelash out of place and obsess how imperfect they are.
After reading this story I feel compelled to tell the author and her readers to file in their minds a mantra my husband has instilled in me about body image. He says (and I am sure he heard it somewhere too) “Don’t believe everything you think. You are bombarded with size zero perfection, but guys in general don’t like having to keep up the fake unobtainable standards. If they don’t like your soft curves and ridicule you, it’s because they don’t like themselves.” I’ve found this to be spot on true…they like you (like moths to a light) if you like yourself. So instead of going out seeking a guy. Grow to love you and they will come in flocks. Find what inspires you and the excitement that glows from within is a total man aphrodisiac.
If you think the above paragraph is baloney??!! I am 5’8″ tall and weight hovers @255 lbs. I’ve had 3 men hit on me in the last month. I love my husband and wouldn’t jeopardize that, but I’ll tell you it is a true boost of esteem when you least expect it.
Be you, love you… it’s the most beautiful thing ever.
I loved this book. She is so funny and shares all her experiences with her readers. Really down to earth. It shows how mean people can be on social media and how it should be dealt with.