The Ministry of Thin:
How the Pursuit of Perfection Got Out of Control
by Emma Woolf
RM222.2 .W62 2014
New Arrivals Island, 2nd floor
We in the Western World are obsessed with our weight. Not only our weight, but also things associated with it, such as the food we do or don’t eat, our health, beauty, and success. Columnist Woolf, a recovering anorexic, thoroughly covers the fat gamut, looking at all things thin and not so thin, discussing topics such as diets, the gym, fashion and beauty, surgery, success, and more. A very readable book, Woolf focuses primarily on women, but men are not completely forgotten. Most referenced studies are U.S. or English based. While there are frequent references to things English, such as Radio 4, that are not elucidated, these are not overly detracting from the message. This is a very interesting book about body image in today’s society.
