Loading...
83rd out of 1,109 books
—
6,050 voters
My rating:
add to my books
Such a Pretty Fat: One Narcissist's Quest to Discover if Her Life Makes Her Ass Look Big, or Why Pie is Not the Answer
A NOTE FROM JEN LANCASTER:
"To whom the fat rolls I'm tired of books where a self-loathing heroine is teased to the point where she starves herself skinny in hopes of a fabulous new life. And I hate the message that women can't possibly be happy until we all fit into our skinny jeans. I don't find these stories uplifting; they make me want to hug these women and take...more
Paperback, 400 pages
Published
May 6th 2008
by NAL Trade
There is a good chance some of your friends read this book. Sign in to see!
sign in »
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
15,224)
Memoirs By Nature Are Narcissistic
Think about it. You are the writer. The subject is you. The story is of your experiences based on the ideas generated by you. You have to spend a lot of time with yourself and like yourself enough to put it out there for the world to judge. And they DO judge!
This first person account starts out with the in-your-face notion that she's a fat beyotch, a hearty eater (bring on the butter) and a mean girl to boot. Look out soccer moms and Stepford ...more
Think about it. You are the writer. The subject is you. The story is of your experiences based on the ideas generated by you. You have to spend a lot of time with yourself and like yourself enough to put it out there for the world to judge. And they DO judge!
This first person account starts out with the in-your-face notion that she's a fat beyotch, a hearty eater (bring on the butter) and a mean girl to boot. Look out soccer moms and Stepford ...more
I wanted to like this book better, really I did.
But the author's writing style grates on me after a while and I really feel so much of this book was filler. She proposed a book about her experiences with weight loss, and then spends too much of the book talking about her book proposal. For most of the book she's failing miserably at her goals. Then in the last third of the book she finally kicks into gear. I appreciate how she makes fun of the weight loss experience, but sometime...more
But the author's writing style grates on me after a while and I really feel so much of this book was filler. She proposed a book about her experiences with weight loss, and then spends too much of the book talking about her book proposal. For most of the book she's failing miserably at her goals. Then in the last third of the book she finally kicks into gear. I appreciate how she makes fun of the weight loss experience, but sometime...more
view all 3 comments
I really wanted to love this book but the writing was weak and Lancaster came off as just plain mean at times. While there were a handful of laugh-out-loud moments, I don't think it was nearly as good as her sophomore effort "Bright Lights, Big Ass." I'm keeping my fingers crossed that her fourth book is better than "...Pretty Fat".
Kathleen
rated it
Recommends it for:
anyone with a body image issue, anyone in need of a good laugh
Shelves:
my-self-help
I love Jen Lancaster. She's hysterical. Before I even looked at her photo in the back of the book I had an image of her in my head from the first sentence. She's a potty mouth extraordinaire (love it!), she has insane amounts of self-esteem (jealous!), and had me laughing at least every other page. And not just snickering - guffawing. As in, Jonathan turns around and looks at me funny and I feel like I have to read him the passage that cracked me up. She's not afraid to tell you what she really ...more
I'm on page 200 of this story...it's almost 400 pages long and it's a memoir. She's STILL debating whether or not to go on a diet (she's a size 24). This book makes me hungry because she CONSTANTLY talks about food. It's an easy read and she's funny (loving the footnotes) but she's puts being a procrastinator to a whole new level. Let you know if the next 200 pages are worth the read. Right now I feel like exercising and taking a cooking class all at the same time.
--------------------...more
--------------------...more
Antof9
rated it
So if I didn't love Jen Lancaster from her first two books, I certainly do from this. I bought this last year (and went to my first book signing!), but as the year got later and later, I somehow got it into my head that I would wait to read it until this year started. Some of that subliminal New Year's Revolutionism, I suppose.
With the advent of 2009, I'm not only at my very biggest weight ever; I'm fully ready to do something about it. The funny thing for me about January and the...more
With the advent of 2009, I'm not only at my very biggest weight ever; I'm fully ready to do something about it. The funny thing for me about January and the...more
Now this book didn't really rate a 5, but it is certainly in 4.5 territory. I loved this book. It's for all of the women who have struggled to lose weight and have been subjected to comments like "You have such a pretty face." I don't get that particular remark. I more often hear, "You in the white skirt, would you mind bending over so that I can show my Right to Life filmstrip on your butt." No, that's not true. Sometimes it's a video about how the surge has made us mo...more
Speaking of funny books and brain candy... (I just was in my review of Fearless Fourteen.)
This book qualifies as both. I admit that I read this book with some trepidation. I enjoyed her first book, Bitter Is The New Black and read it with great pleasure. I even gave it to a few friends as gifts. I was thrilled when her second book came out. What a disappointment that was! I kept thinking When are they going to grow up??? What adult drinks like that? That often?? College w...more
This book qualifies as both. I admit that I read this book with some trepidation. I enjoyed her first book, Bitter Is The New Black and read it with great pleasure. I even gave it to a few friends as gifts. I was thrilled when her second book came out. What a disappointment that was! I kept thinking When are they going to grow up??? What adult drinks like that? That often?? College w...more
This was the first book by Jen Lancaster I've read, and I'm not sure I would have enjoyed her caustically comedic style in either of her other books, but when used in discussion of dieting and the diet industry, it definitely worked, at least for me.
_Such a Pretty Fat_ is the story of Jen's personal quest to get healthier. Part of what makes the book so charming is that, unlike other protagonists of dieting books/memoirs, she doesn't hate herself, hate her size, or hate food. She l...more
_Such a Pretty Fat_ is the story of Jen's personal quest to get healthier. Part of what makes the book so charming is that, unlike other protagonists of dieting books/memoirs, she doesn't hate herself, hate her size, or hate food. She l...more
Bruce Henderson
rated it
Recommends it for:
nobody.
Recommended to Bruce by:
Book club selection -- we gave it a shot hoping for the best.
Not my normal cuppa joe, but it might prove to be worthwhile. Thus far, the book's main character, the author herself, proves to be narcissistic to the point of bombasticism. Not a good combination. On top of that, she's in a constant state of denial about herself and rationalizes differing opinions until she's focused all of her attentions back on herself. She reminds me of a character in Confederacy of Dunces, Ignatius J. Reilly.
...Okay, I finished this book a few weeks ago. I...more
...Okay, I finished this book a few weeks ago. I...more
I'm pretty sure that if you're laughing out-loud 39 pages into a book, you can state, fairly accurately, that you like it...A.LOT. But, I'll let you know the rating when I'm finished...prolly in about 3 hours!
Three hours and the book is finished. You know how when you're getting ready to ride your bicycle up a hill? You get up as much optimal speed as you can and you start up the hill at a good rate, but then pedal by pedal you start slowing down until you're about 2/3 of the hill a...more
Three hours and the book is finished. You know how when you're getting ready to ride your bicycle up a hill? You get up as much optimal speed as you can and you start up the hill at a good rate, but then pedal by pedal you start slowing down until you're about 2/3 of the hill a...more
Rebecca
rated it
Recommends it for:
diet fanatics, fiiiine looking women everywhere, those that want to slap their personal trainers
Shelves:
wickedgoodnon-fiction
Lots of women have the realization at one point in their lives that they are overweight or unhealthy. Every single one of these women also has a story about the desperate attempts to lose weight and resemble Kate Moss. Usually the commen theme in all these stories is self-loathing of fat and a vicious cycle of binging and hating. What I found so refreshing and lovely about this book is the fact that Jen Lancaster never allows herself to sink into a pit of self loathing. She will tell you herself...more
I really don't know why I like these books as much as I do, but I do. This one focuses somewhat on the author's quest to become more healthy through diet and exercise, but is not particularly one of those inspirational self-help type books. Instead, the author is as snarky and self-centered as ever and shares her sucesses and failures equally. I read this as a library book, but will be buying it to add to my own personal library as soon as I can.
Karen
added it
Page before the prologue page
quote 1. that stupid weight watchers quote
Nothing tastes as good as being thin feels."
quote #2. by the author
"Weight Watchers can kiss the fattest part of my ass."
I THINK THIS IS ONE DIET BOOK I AM GOING TO LOVE.
Don't you just want to stab Kirstie Ally in the eye with a fork?
Just bitch slap too cute and cuddly Valerie Bertinelli?
DIETS DON'T WORK!!
We all know it -- we've all b...more
quote 1. that stupid weight watchers quote
Nothing tastes as good as being thin feels."
quote #2. by the author
"Weight Watchers can kiss the fattest part of my ass."
I THINK THIS IS ONE DIET BOOK I AM GOING TO LOVE.
Don't you just want to stab Kirstie Ally in the eye with a fork?
Just bitch slap too cute and cuddly Valerie Bertinelli?
DIETS DON'T WORK!!
We all know it -- we've all b...more
I read “Bright Lights, Big Ass” a while back and liked it. That’s why I decided to read this one. I must have not been in the mood for this. It definitely was funny but I was annoyed with the random thoughts and the lack of flow. This isn’t really a story. It is a “memoir” of how someone who decided to lose weight, join Jennie Craig, Weight Watchers and a gym. Lancaster has a great sense of humor and a unique way of words. I think that is why I enjoyed her other book so much. I think one...more
I am kind of disappointed. No, not kind of. I am disappointed by this book. Not that I had incredibly high expectations, (I'm not a fan of books about the trials and tribulations of dieting,) but I LOVED Jen's first book. LOVED IT. And this one was just... blah. Footnotes weren't as funny. Subject wasn't as entertaining. Her emails didn't even make me crack a smile half the time. The only thing I liked about this book was that she cleaned up her language. I just hope that her cynicism a...more
This book is about dieting. Now before you give me an eye roll, this not some book the totes a miracle product or method found by the author. Nor is the story of a woman who lost 200lbs and suddenly fell into the life of her dreams, complete with Jason Statham grape feeding scene. ( Okay so that would be my perfect life). It is a frank, funny, honest, book that follows Jen Lancaster, a sucessful, happily married, and happy with her self, fat woman, who discovers that she desperatly needs to chan...more
This is not another one of those whiny memoirs where the woman goes on and on for pages about how much she hates her thighs and why it's all her mother's fault. Most books about being an overweight woman are told by a narrator who is probably about ten pounds overweight at the most and who proceeds to lose those ten pounds through some form of extreme dieting. As someone who has struggled, and is still struggling, with her weight I especially enjoyed the realism of Jen's story.
Jen L...more
Jen L...more
Like all of this authors book, something about this book as well, just bugged me. It takes place after her debut novel, so she doesn't work in the traditional sense. Her weight is out of control and this book is about her trying to get control of it. It seemed like the reader sits around for half the book waiting for it to begin. And then once the story FINALLY begins, it just keeps on trucking, until the end and then, THAT'S IT! My total dislike for this book is that the author has the time and...more
I'm a little embarrassed to admit to reading this book. Jen Lancaster has written a slew of memoirs that I have avoided because 1. look at the cover and 2. she's a Republican. I read Such a Pretty Fat because one of my favorite mommy bloggers recommended it as a quick, funny vacation book and a realistic portrayal of the struggle to lose weight. Quick and funny was right on; I read it in two days and I was completely entertained by Lancaster's snark and self-deprecation.
Realistic is n...more
Realistic is n...more
this was the first jen lancaster book i read & i actually really enjoyed it! so this is more of a 3.5 review, & maybe i would have even gone for a full four stars if i hadn't soured myself by reading jen's other books.
premise: jen is on the cusp of forty & is trying to come to terms with the fact that her lifestyle is very unhealthy & she could stand to get her weight under her control before she loses a foot to diabetes. this is the comical chronicle of her experiences joining weig...more
premise: jen is on the cusp of forty & is trying to come to terms with the fact that her lifestyle is very unhealthy & she could stand to get her weight under her control before she loses a foot to diabetes. this is the comical chronicle of her experiences joining weig...more
After reading many depressing and/or starkly edgy memoirs over the years for book club, this one, dealing with the author’s struggle with dieting, was a huge (get it?) breath of fresh air. Jen Lancaster’s raucous humor reminded me how to laugh out loud again, and every time I sat down with it, I felt like I was spending time with my best friend. How nice that I had it in paperback, so I could carry her everywhere with me for many unexpected moments of dishing (get it?)! Dieting while writing ...more
I'm not sure if I want to give this book 4 stars, but since I wanted to keep reading it and it actually made me want to get into shape, I figure it deserves it.
I read her first book a few years ago and didn't like it. Even if you know that you are a snobby bitch, I don't think its really good call yourself one. She has some self-esteem issues.
I'm not sure why I wanted to read this, guess I thought I'd give her another chance, and it's about her wanting to lose weight, which is someth...more
I read her first book a few years ago and didn't like it. Even if you know that you are a snobby bitch, I don't think its really good call yourself one. She has some self-esteem issues.
I'm not sure why I wanted to read this, guess I thought I'd give her another chance, and it's about her wanting to lose weight, which is someth...more
Personal Training, Session One: I'm standing at the front desk, waiting for the mythical "Barbie" to appear. While I was sucking down water and aspirin earlier today, trying to shed my hangover, I started thinking about how judgmental I can be. I mean, why should I have instantly freaked out when I heard someone named Barbie was going to be my trainer? Sure, the name brings up images of gorgeous girls with long blonde hair, shiny white teeth, deep tans, and impossible-to-achieve, compl...more
This book is your standard, I will lose weight to feel better about myself/I need to "come of age (at 40) to achieve this. This book is extremely contrived and you develop no empathy for the author who is annoying at best, and whose prose never really flows in a coherent manner. You spend the first 200 pages reading about whether she should lose weight, then the last 50 she gets a trainer loses some weight and decides to move to the suburbs.Very disappointing
Another book that made me laugh - this has been the time frame of humorous books for me, apparently. Lancaster's style was easy to read, and genuinely funny. Having just read Kargman's Sometimes I Feel Like a Nut, the differences in style and characters were so distinct! While Kargman had no compunction about using certain words, Jen spelled out any words that related to S-E-X or being N-A-K-E-D. It was like going from New Orleans to Disney World (which I actually did, on my honeymoon-worlds ...more
pri
rated it
Recommends it for:
anyone who has ever worn spanx or shifted after sitting to 'hide their fat'
Shelves:
2009
More chick lit - but incredibly laugh out loud. I adored her story, her jokes, and her way of putting things. The one disappointment was that the book turned out to be what it originally was making fun of (overweight girl loses weight... finds self). So - up until the last 70 pages or so was brilliant for me. The last bits (while still funny and undoubtedly true) didn't make anyone on the other end of the stick feel any better.
But minus the last 70 pages, a book that really and trul...more
But minus the last 70 pages, a book that really and trul...more
"Bitter is the New Black" was a really good book. I was expecting great things from "Such a Pretty Fat" as well and I was sadly disappointed. First off, I cannot stand when authors use footnotes to insert what they find to be a cute or funny comment. Figure out how to structure your sentence within the paragraph to say the same thing as the footnote; is my response to that annoying habit that peppered this entire book. And if it doesn't work, it probably isn't worth havin...more
After reading Bitter is the New Black, I noted that I'm not the biggest fan of the author as an individual (I feel bad saying that, but writing a memoir means putting yourself out there) but I still found her book hilarious and enjoyable. Such a Pretty Fat also provided lots of smiles but actually more thought since I def have my share of food and weight issues...I'm thin but have more than my share of hang-ups. This book gave me lots of laughs but also a bit to ponder with respect to how we r...more
Such a Pretty Fat: One Narcissist's Quest to Discover if Her Life Makes Her Ass Look Big, or Why Pie is Not the Answer by Jen Lancaster
Another humorous memoir by the prickly yet endearing Jen Lancaster. In this one, she's on a quest to finally lose some weight and get healthy. We follow her through a gym membership and Jenny Craig and Weight Watchers and a trainer. She never loses her sense of humor, or the bulk of her weight, but the important thing is that she also never (completely) lo...more
Another humorous memoir by the prickly yet endearing Jen Lancaster. In this one, she's on a quest to finally lose some weight and get healthy. We follow her through a gym membership and Jenny Craig and Weight Watchers and a trainer. She never loses her sense of humor, or the bulk of her weight, but the important thing is that she also never (completely) lo...more
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
Readers Also Enjoyed
The author of Bitter is the New Black and Bright Lights, Big Ass presents her hilarious new book Such a Pretty Fat."
More about Jen Lancaster...
Share This Book
No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »
“I'm not lazy. I'm simply judicious about excess movement.”
—
96 people liked it
“This is terrific! What fun! Maybe tomorrow I can go to the prom with my brother. The day after, perhaps I can wear white pants and unexpectedly get my period.”
—
41 people liked it
More quotes…
