What do you think?
Rate this book
Anorexic
Anorexic is the best selling true story of Anna Paterson, who suffered from repeated abuse by her Grandmother throughout her early life.
This, together with years of further abuse and neglect, led her to develop Anorexia Nervosa.
For the next 17 years she lived in isolation at a dangerously low weight, even being admitted to hospital just hours from death.
It is also the story of how in desperation she wrote letters to a young man who would help her to find the road to recovery…
This, together with years of further abuse and neglect, led her to develop Anorexia Nervosa.
For the next 17 years she lived in isolation at a dangerously low weight, even being admitted to hospital just hours from death.
It is also the story of how in desperation she wrote letters to a young man who would help her to find the road to recovery…
- GenresNonfictionMemoir
314 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2000
28 people are currently reading
97 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
March 13, 2015
This book seemed to have a lot of inconsistencies, just lots of little things but it irritates me when there are contradictions in the next paragraph or page.
As an ex-sufferer myself, though I'm always glad when someone recovers, it really irritates me when it's made out as though it was all down to finding love. Maybe in this case it is, I don't know. It just portrays what I feel is an inaccurate representation. A boyfriend does not just magically make it go away, being loved doesn't provide a cure for anorexia. Everybody is different, it just seems to me that upon meeting Simon, Anna instantly started to improve. The epilogue sounds very much like she is suggesting that love is the cure, but what about the people who already feel and know that they are loved yet still suffer?
Her recovery is glossed over once Simon is introduced. No mention of how she achieved recovery, did she go back to therapy, do it all on her own? It reads more like a love story. And as the back cover says 'perhaps my story has the answers', no, it does not.
As an ex-sufferer myself, though I'm always glad when someone recovers, it really irritates me when it's made out as though it was all down to finding love. Maybe in this case it is, I don't know. It just portrays what I feel is an inaccurate representation. A boyfriend does not just magically make it go away, being loved doesn't provide a cure for anorexia. Everybody is different, it just seems to me that upon meeting Simon, Anna instantly started to improve. The epilogue sounds very much like she is suggesting that love is the cure, but what about the people who already feel and know that they are loved yet still suffer?
Her recovery is glossed over once Simon is introduced. No mention of how she achieved recovery, did she go back to therapy, do it all on her own? It reads more like a love story. And as the back cover says 'perhaps my story has the answers', no, it does not.
January 30, 2011
Ooh. No wonder I had such trouble finding this one: the writing doesn't live up to the story.
I think this is a clear case of the author not having the skills - or the editor - to tell her story. In the hands of a different author, this could have been an engrossing read, but as it was I struggled to finish the book. There's a lot of blame, a lot of repetition (it seems as though the author is forever falling, yet forever stays in the same place), and a rather painful indifference to things like capitalisation and grammar. She also makes numerous - inaccurate - generalisations about anorexia ("like all anorexics, I...").
In a way the whole thing is very innocent. The resolution is sweet, if also a bit tragic. But... the story would have done better in somebody else's hands.
I think this is a clear case of the author not having the skills - or the editor - to tell her story. In the hands of a different author, this could have been an engrossing read, but as it was I struggled to finish the book. There's a lot of blame, a lot of repetition (it seems as though the author is forever falling, yet forever stays in the same place), and a rather painful indifference to things like capitalisation and grammar. She also makes numerous - inaccurate - generalisations about anorexia ("like all anorexics, I...").
In a way the whole thing is very innocent. The resolution is sweet, if also a bit tragic. But... the story would have done better in somebody else's hands.
July 1, 2022
The Opposite of Recovery
In my opinion this book shouldn’t be read by anyone trying to recover from anorexia.
The author blames everyone around her for her disease and refuses to use the tools that were available to her.
Although I have compassion for what she went through having gone through similar experiences myself; I think her refusal to own and recognize her role in her disease is nor helpful for recovery.
She switches from one toxic and co dependably relation to another. Always looks outwards for a savior.
Not a good or interesting book.
In my opinion this book shouldn’t be read by anyone trying to recover from anorexia.
The author blames everyone around her for her disease and refuses to use the tools that were available to her.
Although I have compassion for what she went through having gone through similar experiences myself; I think her refusal to own and recognize her role in her disease is nor helpful for recovery.
She switches from one toxic and co dependably relation to another. Always looks outwards for a savior.
Not a good or interesting book.
January 5, 2018
2.5* One of the first books on eating disorders that I read - given to me by my therapist throughout the early stages of my therapy for my ED recovery. I remember feeling frustrated and angry throughout... no doubt a reflection of where I was at the time.
November 15, 2018
I know of at least one friend of mine who has struggled with an eating disorder. It felt a privilege to be able to see into the life of this author and maybe better understand the complexity and difficulties of living with this condition.
March 21, 2025
A raw account of a fight with an eating disorder
The book is well written and gives a raw account of how Anorexia can affect you as a person emotionally and physically.
I would definitely recommend reading this book. I could not put the book down.
The book is well written and gives a raw account of how Anorexia can affect you as a person emotionally and physically.
I would definitely recommend reading this book. I could not put the book down.
March 7, 2024
Everyone deserves to be happy. I am glad for her.
August 17, 2025
touching
Beautifully written providing a reader with a deeper understanding of what goes on in the mind of an anorexic girl . I m so happy Anna you found love and self worth!
Beautifully written providing a reader with a deeper understanding of what goes on in the mind of an anorexic girl . I m so happy Anna you found love and self worth!
May 12, 2017
It's obvious this book never saw an editor. Was this written by a middle schooler? Because that's how I read it. Awful. If you want to read a book about the anorexic experience, there are a lot better books out there.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews