Hiding in Hunger

Thanks to our guest, Omane, for joining us (Davita, Juliet and Phyllis) for a Friday evening discussion of Roxane Gay's latest memoir, Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Body. There was a lot to discuss and many passages were highlighted for analysis.

Here's a just a few of our thoughts:

• Based on author's comments and professional observations, Juliet questioned whether people are truly sincere when trying to help.

• All agreed that this novel appeared to be a cathartic exercise for the author; it was filled with pain, unresolved issues, and heartbreaking honesty about a lifetime of destructive behavior caused by early childhood trauma. She revealed a level of vulnerability that took courage and a tremendous amount of bravery.

• Juliet shared that she thought the book offered insight that normal-sized people take for granted; amazed at what larger-sized people struggle with on a daily basis. She thought the book was well-written and appreciated the rawness (yo-yo dieting, emotional eating, emotional baggage of PTSD, etc). She rated the book a solid 4-stars.

• Davita admired the writing style; the chapters were short and moved quickly. Thought the story was timely and relevant as many Americans suffer from obesity. Admired the candidness of the author – felt the author's pain and hurt. Thought the author was very brave to share this story, considering her career as a college professor.

• Phyllis echoed the commentary of Davita and Juliet – shared the same takeaways. A fan of Roxane Gay's writing and hopes she gets the help she desperately needs. Rating: 4+

• Welcome to Orlando, Omane! Hope to see you again in the future!

Our group rating is 4.0. Share your thoughts and ratings with the group in the comments section below.

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