MOOSE-A Memoir of Fat Camp by Stephanie Klein

I'm not doing a back blurb on this book; for one thing it's too long and for another, I'm lazy. :) Moose is about Stephanie and her struggle with weight throughout her life. She was a chunky little kid and well, suffice it to say, her childhood wasn't perfect by any means.

She gets sent to fat camp when she is thirteen. While at camp she goes through some truly horrible moments with typical backstabbing and hurtful things done to her. Her insecurities are still around to this day.

What makes this book so interesting is that to me, she never comes across as a "Why Me'er". She's blunt and up front about why she was a fat kid. She's selfdepricating and funny. She reminds me of me.

When I was a kid, I was slender. I was athletic and ran around with excess energy to burn. Then I hit puberty and everything went to pot. I got boobs and became a woman at an age where most girls are still playing with dolls and are little girls. I still played with dolls and was immature, but my body was super advanced. This caused me to have some serious body issues that I still have at the age of 31.

I'm tall, but I'm also fat. For me food has always been a comfort. I've never felt comfortable in my own skin and when the thought of having anyone see me naked comes to mind, I want to throw up. I think that's the one thing that's held me back when it comes to intimacy. If I don't find my own body attractive, why would anyone else?

While reading this book, I felt what she must have gone through during that time of her life. Insecurity, embarrassment, humiliation, etc. And I still feel that way. I'm slowly working on my own body issues and it's a day-to-day process. Will I ever be comfortable in my own skin? That's a question for the ages. Maybe one of these days. All I can do is hope.

This book will make you laugh and it'll make you cry. It'll make you think. The one thing I realized by the end of reading the book is that I have a really good idea why I don't why children. I don't want to force my own issues upon them. I can't handle the idea of my child going through what I've gone through in my life. No one should have to suffer that. And I wouldn't be a good mom anyway...I don't like kids that much. :)


My Rating: B+