review - scoot over skinny

“Scoot Over Skinny: The Fat Nonfiction Anthology”
Edited by Donna Jarrell and Ira Sukrungruang
(Harcourt)

The topic of weight is inescapable in American culture. Everyday life is filled with references to who’s lost it, who’s gained it, and the best and quickest way to get rid of it. In “Scoot Over, Skinny: the Fat Nonfiction Anthology,” Pam Houston, Anne Lamott, David Sedaris and other writers face the often touchy topic of the fat epidemic unflinchingly and unapologetically with a healthy portion of humor sandwiched in.

The selection of seventeen essays is diverse and overwhelmingly solid. A hefty chunk are written by authors who are “fat” themselves and relate daily struggles of fat men and women: eating, dating, going to the gym; even, in one memorable story, ringing in the “Nude Year” (editor Donna Jarrell’s “Fat Lady Nuding”). Refreshingly few of the writers mince words, as our PC world is wont to do – they don’t use terms like “large” or “big boned” – fat is unequivocally, unapologetically the word of choice, and by the end of the book, the term itself feels empowered.

But not every contributor is overweight or even initially sympathetic to the plight of the obese – two of the most striking tales come from people who experience difficulty when they become close to an overweight person: a psychiatrist who must treat a patient whom he finds repulsive (Irvin Yalom’s “Fat Lady”), and a bird-thin woman who – grudgingly - falls for a 300 pound man (Lori Gottlieb’s “Fat Like Him”). Sarah Fenske’s “Big Game Hunters” is potentially the most controversial entry, and brings the concept of “hogging” to the table – men who pursue trysts with fat women, typically to degrade them, but sometimes (gasp!) because they LIKE them. These and other tales flesh out the collection, making it especially relatable for those of every size – not just the heavyweights among us.

I have only one caveat: if you’re among the small handful of book hounds that pores over every bit of printed word you can find, this anthology may not be for you. Half of the stories have been previously published, although all but one essay will probably be new to most - those in the know will quickly recognize David Sedaris’ contribution, “A Shiner Like a Diamond,” from his collection “Me Talk Pretty One Day.” But that’s hardly reason enough to strike this thought-provoking book from a recommended reading list.

“Scoot Over, Skinny” certainly owes its existence to America’s obsession with fat. But unlike recent bestsellers “The South Beach Diet” or “The Abs Diet,” this book’s readers – whether fat, thin, or somewhere in between - are sure to close the covers with a new appreciation for their bodies, instead of an urge to clear their pantries of rice and bread.