Food Issues Books

There seems to have been an explosion of books on eating disorders recently. These are my personal favourites. Again, a large number of them may be out of print, but if you follow the Amazon link, you can get the publisher and ISBN info, and then try to track them down on Abe Books.

Roger Slade The Anorexia Nervosa Reference Book Good basic introduction, including the "whirlpool" theory of anorexia.
Roger Slade & Marilyn DukerAnorexia Nervosa and Bulimia - how to help  This book has the best visual illustration of eating disorders as a boardgame that I've ever seen. Helpful for anyone.
Jill Welbourne & Joan Purgold The Eating Sickness The first book I ever read, just after my anorexia had started. Out of print now, but well worth trying to track down. I think it was published by Harvest.
Jenefer Shute Life-Size A novel that is almost scary in how much it captures the feeling of being anorexic. Could trigger off a bout of starving, so be careful when reading.
Daisy Waugh What Is the Matter with Mary Jane? More fiction, about the impact of anorexia on a family. Well written, ironic narrator and a tragi-comic tale.
Sheila MacLeod The Art of Starvation . A first person account of anorexia and recovery. Compelling reading.
The Hungry Self Kim Chernin. A great description of what's underneath eating disorders. Her other book are good too ,especially Womansize and The Obsession : Reflections on the Tyranny of Slenderness.
Appetites Geneen Roth She seems just a tad too perfect and American for me to totally go with what she says, but I know a lot of other bulimics and compulsive eaters have found her books helpful.
Naomi Wolf The Beauty Myth. The theory behind what everyone knows is true about women and dieting and body size.
Hunger Strike Suzie Orbach. A feminist classic view of eating disorders.
The Forbidden Body: Why Being Fat is Not a Sin. Shelley Bovey. Reprinted with a different title (the original did't have the forbidden body bit), but still a good book on body acceptance. She's fairly heavy on anorexics who think they're fat, but still says some good stuff.
When Women Stop Hating Their Bodies Jane R. Hirschmann, Carol H. Munter. While addressed at helping women who overeat or eat compulsively, this book, with its look at "Bad Body Thoughts" and how to stop them, is useful to anyone.

More Recommendations from Amazon - refreshing this webpage will bring up different selections.