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janolabalboa's review against another edition
5.0
A powerful memoir. I listened to Gay read it on Audible.
lcs032345's review against another edition
5.0
I love Roxanne Gay, and this book resonated with me. She gets the struggle that so many women have with weight and self image, and she describes in heart breaking detail the reasons she is hungry and tends to use her body as a mechanism of self defense. Whether or not one considers themselves a feminist, this book is for you if you struggle with body image and have sexual violence in your history.
anotherfangirl's review against another edition
4.0
“You may learn how to be the life of the party so that people are too busy laughing at or with you to focus on the elephant in the room.”
Not an easy book to read but an important one.
It hurts how accurate it is, especially when Roxane is talking about going to the fitness center, shopping for new clothes or going to the doctor (it doesn't matter what symptoms you have the doctors always somehow manage to end up talking about your weight even if you're there for a simple headache or a cold).
There were many parts in the book were I started crying because I saw myself in the exact same situation, doing or thinking the exact same thing. Roxane talks a lot about punishing herself and wanting to be punished by others and about feeling worthless because of how she feels as a fat person and how other people see her.
I think everyone should read it no matter the body size. This book brought me clarity on how I view my body versus how I should view it. Maybe it helps for a better understanding, because often it's hard for thin people to know how to talk to fat people about their bodies.
rainbownarwhal's review against another edition
5.0
I haven't finished a book this quickly in a long time. Thank you, Kat.
So much of Roxane's story could ring true with so many of us, but each of our stories are at the same time unique. We lead our lives often never knowing the story of those right next to us.
"Hunger" was a deeply moving memoir that occasionally struck a little to close to home, too close to a nerve I didn't want to pay attention to. It also stung to know that I have looked at others through my own filters of life and pain while often ignoring the same in theirs.
I found myself wanting to share pieces of it with others, to send them snippets of the book so they would "get me" or "see what I see." The truth is that no one can see things through my eyes, even if we read the same passage a million times. My hope is that they can see my life better and in turn allow me a chance to see theirs in the same way.
A much lighter takeaway...I don't like to be hugged all that much either. It is nice to not be alone in that!
So much of Roxane's story could ring true with so many of us, but each of our stories are at the same time unique. We lead our lives often never knowing the story of those right next to us.
"Hunger" was a deeply moving memoir that occasionally struck a little to close to home, too close to a nerve I didn't want to pay attention to. It also stung to know that I have looked at others through my own filters of life and pain while often ignoring the same in theirs.
I found myself wanting to share pieces of it with others, to send them snippets of the book so they would "get me" or "see what I see." The truth is that no one can see things through my eyes, even if we read the same passage a million times. My hope is that they can see my life better and in turn allow me a chance to see theirs in the same way.
A much lighter takeaway...I don't like to be hugged all that much either. It is nice to not be alone in that!
satansluvchild's review against another edition
5.0
I learned a lot and felt a kinship with many of these thoughts and feelings even though our lives and circumstances have been very different. Highly recommended!
upmysleeves's review against another edition
5.0
Absolutely loved this memoir, and I unfortunately see a lot of myself in Roxane (or the other way around since I'm younger, I guess).
dioniziah's review against another edition
5.0
Lesson: “I understood that all of us have to be more considerate of the realities of the bodies of others.” I don’t even have a lot to say because this memoir really left me speechless. If I’m being honest, I don’t typically like memoirs, especially about authors I’m not very familiar with. However, I could’ve read 1000 more pages from this memoir.
ycartciryl's review against another edition
5.0
I came across a quote once that said, "Why write? Because someone, somewhere, has a wound in the exact shape of your words," and I'll be damned if that wasn't everything this book was for me. Hunger was a very difficult but very necessary read. I don't know if I can add anything to the conversation that hasn't already been said in others' reviews, but I guess I can try.
I found the writing style very accessible and honestly, so similar to my own cadence. Having lived through many of the same things Roxane Gay has, this memoir felt deeply personal. So much so, that I am hesitating to share my notes and highlights from it because to do so would be soul bearing in a way I may not be ready for.
The pain radiating from the pages of the book, the shame, the hurt, the rage, are things I have been all too familiar with. I found myself highlighting things from the book that could have easily come from my own mind. It is such an intimate thing to be known. And to share those highlights would be to make some of the darkest pieces of myself known. However, I think I will share them as a thank you to Roxane Gay for her raw honesty and to show her (however indirectly) that another fat, queer, Midwesterner shares her pain. There can be peace in solidarity and joy in commiseration and I experienced both in these pages. So, Roxane, if you ever see this, thank you.
I found the writing style very accessible and honestly, so similar to my own cadence. Having lived through many of the same things Roxane Gay has, this memoir felt deeply personal. So much so, that I am hesitating to share my notes and highlights from it because to do so would be soul bearing in a way I may not be ready for.
The pain radiating from the pages of the book, the shame, the hurt, the rage, are things I have been all too familiar with. I found myself highlighting things from the book that could have easily come from my own mind. It is such an intimate thing to be known. And to share those highlights would be to make some of the darkest pieces of myself known. However, I think I will share them as a thank you to Roxane Gay for her raw honesty and to show her (however indirectly) that another fat, queer, Midwesterner shares her pain. There can be peace in solidarity and joy in commiseration and I experienced both in these pages. So, Roxane, if you ever see this, thank you.
hakiva's review against another edition
5.0
One of the most gifted writers I have had the pleasure to read in years. This book is incredible; a must read.