Thin End of the Wedge

I've just finished another book!  That's three in one month and it's only March!  Yippee!

The latest book was 'The Real Me is Thin' by Arabella Weir.  I was aware of the comedy actress author in a I'm-sure-I've-seen-her-in-a-few-things sort of a way and hoped that this book would be a down-to-earth yet uplifting take on body image.  Unfortunately, it wasn't what I'd hoped for, although I feel that there is a great book in here trying to get out.

'The Real Me is Thin' is an autobiographical account of the author's difficult relationship with food and eating and where her attitudes came from.  Full of self-analysis, painful sounding memories and reflection, the book explores one woman's complex attitude to food, eating and body image, with a bit of feminism thrown in for good measure.

This could've been a fantastic book, but it feels a bit half-baked, if you'll pardon the pun.  If it had been written in conjunction with a therapist or psychologist, perhaps someone like Pamela Stephenson Connolly, and the author's experiences used as a case study, I think it would've had the potential to help both the author and anyone reading it who has similar complex feelings about food.  It sounds like Ms Weir has been through some absolutely horrific experiences, but the book offers no resolution, no hope, and I feel it's slightly depressing and a bit of a missed opportunity as a result.  I turned the last page and was left feeling pity and regret that although the author has fully reflected on the subject, she doesn't appear to be ready for the 'next step' of trying to deal with her issues.  It's one thing to say it's OK to be a normal size, but it's another to say it's OK to eat whole packets of biscuits in one sitting and admit to feeling bitter that you don't have a different attitude to eating.

If the book had been taken in this direction, been more a journey from biography, analysis and reflection to receiving professional help, looking to the future and hopefully attempting to change bad habits, it would have had a much better structure.  As it is, it's a bit hit and miss, as though the author sat down when she had a few spare minutes and just mused on paper/screen about the subject matter.  This gives it a nice, accessibly chatty style, but does lead to some less comprehensible sentences.  After the initial biographical elements are covered, the book seems to meander about a bit, I think because there is no target, no resolution.  There is no clear, overall, positive message, perhaps suggesting that this book was written too soon in the author's personal journey.

On the plus side, it's great to hear someone in the public eye speaking out about the body image issue.  The size and shape of the bodies we see in the media is ridiculously limited and we have to remember that these people are a minority and a minority with a particular lifestyle which means they can work to look like that.  The rest of us are a bit busy with jobs, kids and lives.

On the whole, I applaud the motivation behind this 'The Real Me is Thin', but would love to see it re-written with some input from a dietary or psychological professional to ground the personal experiences in a broader context.  This would hopefully help put things in perspective for readers and naturally lead to pointers on how to change your habits or, if necessary, to seek help.  As this book makes very clear, we are not alone and shouldn't be embarrassed by any unusual attitudes we've been brought up with.  Equally, though, we shouldn't just accept them if there is a better, healthier way.

The Audacity of Hope

I've just finished reading Walter Tevis' science fiction classic 'The Man Who Fell to Earth'.  It wasn't quite what I expected; in fact it was much, much better.

'The Man Who Fell to Earth' by Walter Tevis
(Penguin Modern Classics, 2009)

Thomas J. Newton is a man like no other on Earth.  Too tall, too pale and too fragile, onlookers soon notice something strange about the purposeful multi-millionaire, although thought of his wealth often silences their worries.  Appearing from nowhere with technological schematics representing a great, and unexpected, leap forward for mankind, Newton comes to the attention of inquisitive academic Nathan Bryce.  After much effort, Bryce begins working for Newton's organisation, contributing to a huge and complex building project the like of which the world has never seen. Although sated for a time, Bryce becomes more and more suspicious of his new employer and determines to discover his secret.  Unfortunately, he's not the only one interested in Newton and his motives.

I really enjoy this sort of science fiction.  Anyone who dismisses it as 'nerdy', 'geeky' or 'cult' is missing out on some wonderful explorations of society and what it means to be human.  Unlike with the big hitters such as 'The Handmaid's Tale' or 'Brave New World', I didn't know much about the story before I started reading it.  I thought it was a straight forward Earth invasion tale, so I was delighted to find it is so much more.  It's hard to believe it's not better known as a book as well as a film, but then again perhaps I've just led a bit of a sheltered life!

The key characters of Newton and Bryce are beautifully and sympathetically portrayed, easy to relate to and realistically believable (not something that goes hand-in-hand with the stereotype of science fiction!).  It's hard not to be drawn in by Newton and really feel for him as he begins to doubt himself, his mission and even his own people.  In fact, I think his is a story that anyone who has suffered from moments of self doubt will really relate to.

The themes of distance, alienation and hope are meticulously explored through this story and yet the only parts I found a bit hard going were the paragraphs which described scientific methods.  You'd think I could cope with that sort of thing, especially as it must've been quite simple technology, but I did feel at times that I needed a sort of idiot's guide so I could get my head around a few basic principles!  It's a long time since I did my GCSEs and, let's face it, technology has changed an awful lot since 1963!  Although not under alien influence, as far as I know..!

Overall, 'The Man Who Fell to Earth' is a fascinating novel about humanity which deserves a wider readership and a place on the school syllabus.

I must be having a good week because I'm also 80% of the way through another book, so hope to be back blogging for you again soon! 

The Man with the Golden Pun

I've just finished reading 'My Word is My Bond' by Sir Roger Moore.  Some how I don't feel so bad reading celebrity biographies if the writer is over 80!

'My Word is My Bond' is Sir Roger's story of his life, the people he's had the pleasure (and sometimes displeasure) of meeting and his work, on screen as the Saint and James Bond and off screen for UNICEF.  His life so far has been a busy one and he shares stories from his Second World War childhood, his early struggles as a jobbing actor, striking it lucky in TV and the movies and how his fame led to his charity work.

I loved the way this book was written.  It was almost exactly like sitting down by the fire with an elderly relative and just letting them talk away about their life.  I'm almost sad that I didn't listen to the audiobook instead of reading the print version!  It makes the narrative feel like it's For Your Eyes Only, cosy and almost intimate.

Sir Roger is undoubtedly a total charmer and I defy anyone to not get drawn in by him when they read this book, even though it's a little saucy in places.  Somehow he's not ended up with the Moonraker, he still has his feet on the ground and the common touch, which means he knows what the reader wants and gives it to them.  Let's face it, we all love a bit of celebrity gossip, but we don't want cruelty nor bitchiness, so Moore's Live and Let Die attitude does him credit.  He tells stories about the more unpleasant characters he's met, but doesn't name names.

'My Word is My Bond' by Roger Moore
(Michael O'Mara Books Ltd, 2008)

I read this book at a really good time because I've been given a complete set of Bond films and set myself the project of watching them in order from 'Dr No' to 'Skyfall'.  My next one will be 'Octopussy', so I've been able to read Moore's behind the scenes tales while watching the relevant movies.  It was great to see him mention 'The Man Who Haunted Himself', which is a great little film that I was introduced to a few years ago.  It always struck me as a bit strange that the big star of 'A View to a Kill' had been in such an unusual British production, but now I know that was just the tip of the iceberg in terms of what he did, so I'll have to seek out some more of his work.  I've never watched 'The Saint', so hopefully I'm in for a treat there.

My only (minor) criticism is that the book ends with a rather clunky A-Z of places Sir Roger and his wife have visited as part of their UNICEF work.  Unfortunately, some of the stories become a bit samey and as such started to lose their impact over time.  Part of me feels that a separate book about this aspect of Moore's life would have allowed him to go into more depth and make it more interesting, but it might've been hard going for the reader.  I think it might have worked better if these stories had been woven into the rest of the book, but understand that the author wanted to leave the reader with a message about the charity and the important work it does.  As I said earlier, he's such a charmer, by the end you'll let him get away with a lot!

Overall, this is not so much The Spy who Loved Me, but The Spy who is Loved, a light, funny, interesting read, good for on the plane as you jet off to your very own exotic Bond film location.

Now to decide what next.  I'm in the mood for a bit of Gothic horror, but whether I'll still be by the time I get to the shelves you never know!