Mahalie itibaren 43815 Aiguamúrcia, Tarragona, Spain itibaren 43815 Aiguamúrcia, Tarragona, Spain

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 not right, far from it. Lancaster spends the first half of the book writing about how she's totally happy with her appearance, loves her sedentary lifestyle, and is willing to live with the consequences of regular Olive Garden binges. A few incidents do make start to crack her rock solid self image, like knocking over a stranger's wine glass with her butt and a doctor who chastises her about being at risk for heart disease. But the real motivator to lose weight is...a book deal for a weight loss memoir. When Lancaster signs the contract for Such a Pretty Fat she also gets serious about eating less and exercising more (no weight loss secrets here). The book is completely contrived, but the resulting humor is worth it.

the book was slow to start but the plot gradually excelerates to a whirlwind climax with all characters intertwined and entangled. dialogue is absolutely excellent. i loved the friction between the characters in this book. so many different characters with different values, backgrounds and social classes uncomfortably interacting and clashing with each other... loved it.