The Summary: Welcome VegNews Book Clubbers to the conclusion of our second month of the VN Book Club, in which we are discussing the final chapters of Skinny Bitch by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin. We will be taking a break next week, but will start right back up on September 7 where we will begin talking about the first five chapters of The Jungle by Upton Sinclair. I hope you guys are as excited as me to read this classic novel about the atrocities of the Chicago meatpacking industry in the early 20th century, and hope that the extra week gives you plenty of time to read.Back to our discussion on Skinny Bitch! I first asked how you maintain a positive attitude, and the answers mainly focused on exercise, particularly yoga, but Changeintomule even mentioned being a part of CrossFit, which is awesome! Personally, I have started to ride my bike much more, specifically to work and back, which has really changed my mood for the better. I also feel much more focused during work, and even at home.
Finally, I asked about your thoughts on some controversy of the tone of the book, as well as if you think that "skinny" equals "healthy." This question definitely spurred different answers and opinions, both negative and positive. I think that it's important to have these types of discussions, because these are the issues that matter most. The book can be interpreted in a variety of ways depending on your outlook. If you consider yourself a feminist, there is some troubling language in the book that does not help the cause. But if you look at it in a casual matter, it could be read as a close friend giving it to you straight.
Please feel free to share anymore thoughts on Skinny Bitch in this post's comments section. It was a great month of sharing and I look forward to discussing The Jungle!
I would also like to announce the books we will be reading for the next three months of the VegNews Book Club, beginning with October:
October: Animal Camp by Kathy Stevens
November: My Year of Meats by Ruth L. Ozeki
December: Quantum Wellness by Kathy Freston
I'm very excited about this lineup, and I hope you are, too. Have a great weekend!
~VN Book Club Hostess Lyndsay Orwig
First of all, I wanted to Thank you, Lyndsay, for putting this book club together. I think this is a great idea and I'm excited to be a part of it. I did not find out about the book club until mid August but luckily, I had read Skinny Bitch a few times so I was able to follow the discussion.
ReplyDeleteOverall, I feel the book accomplished what the authors wanted. In reading and listening to several interviews from them both, they chose the title simply to get people's attention to pick up the book and read it. I really believe that yes, they promote being "skinny" but not in the way that we define it in society today. I work in a health food store and I can't tell you how many people have come into the store simply because they read the book and wanted to become vegetarian and this is what I think was the point. This book was written to educate people about the consequences of eating animal products and expose the truth of the industry and do it in a way that they would listen. And I feel that is exactly what it does!