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Her mother, whom Parker calls Queen Elizabeth (resemblance
in attitude only), was a Viennese refugee from Hitler’s
regime who’d been forced to leave her two eldest children
behind during the war. The family was reunited when Parker
was a small child, but the damage had already been done: she
grew up lonely, picked-on, self-conscious, and believing
that her mother barely noticed her. Subconsciously
thinking that being larger would mean being seen, Parker
ate.
She was chubby when the family – which now included Parker’s
estranged father – immigrated to Toronto. She was chunky as
a teen when she learned that her size gave her “power” - but
not enough to keep her from being raped. She tried to
flirt, tried to date, hoped to find a boyfriend, and ended
up being little more than a sidekick to her two svelte
roommates as a young adult.
Men didn’t like Parker’s body. She didn’t like it, either.
Parker tried every diet that sounded workable. She starved
herself, then binged; rewarded and punished herself; and
almost ruined the relationship she always wanted. And then,
in one of those only-in-Hollywood moments, Hollywood called
and Parker was offered a job she dreamed of. It meant moving
to Beverly Hills, though, an atmosphere that didn’t exactly
nurture Parker’s body image…
Getting Waisted
is a nice surprise. It’s funny in the right places, sad
where sad belongs, and supportive in a Sisterhood kind of
way. However, there’s a big but…
In this memoir, author Monica Parker takes us through her
personal ups and downs – a lot. Reminiscent of yo-yo
dieting, we read about highs and lows that happen
repeatedly, details that start to seem like more of the
same. I didn’t mind that at first – or fourth, or fifth –
but I quickly lost my appetite for it. It just made the book
feel padded.
But then – literally on the penultimate page – we get the
nugget we’ve waited for, the raison d’être, the thing every
woman needs to know. I wish it had come sooner, but angels
sang when I read it and that’s good enough for me.
Watch for copious amounts of (justified) (and charming)
name-dropping when you read this book – and if you’re a
mirror-avoiding, diet-trying woman who hates her
thighs-arms-stomach-chin, you should. For you, Getting
Waisted is one to pick up. |
