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The Girl in the Gold Bikini: My Turbulent Journey Through Food and Family
After 40 years of trying to find happiness at the bottom of a bag of potato chips, author Dana Goldstein finally snapped. A lifetime of diets, denial, and bad relationship choices caused her weight to rise and fall, and challenged her confidence. Once she was in her 40s, Dana realized that "HELL, YES!" people liked who she was, that she no longer had to listen to the hurtful words of others and that her weight issues were tied to emotions.What started as an autobiography vilifying those who had tried to crush her dreams or tell her she deserved less in life, turned into an examination of her relationship with food.Dana has some great stories to tell around her experiences with her great-grandmother's hidden candy stash; her Italian adventure with ordering off-menu; her successful weight loss while in a horrible relationship; her inability to stop eating her own fresh-baked cookies.Join Dana on her journey through all the bad habits, culinary delights, and triumphs that tell the story of her life so far.
200 pages, Paperback
Published January 15, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
February 3, 2018
You think you know someone.....
This was a hard read for me, in that I know Dana personally and it was emotional to read some of the things she has been through and is still going through in terms of managing her weight and family dynamics. At the same time it brought comfort to me knowing that I am not the only one that has these conversations in my head. Knowing more about Dana's past has not only increased my admiration for her, but given me strength to see that it's not me....it's them! This book doesn't necessarily give you answers but it does help you to feel like you are not alone and know that you are completely normal!
This was a hard read for me, in that I know Dana personally and it was emotional to read some of the things she has been through and is still going through in terms of managing her weight and family dynamics. At the same time it brought comfort to me knowing that I am not the only one that has these conversations in my head. Knowing more about Dana's past has not only increased my admiration for her, but given me strength to see that it's not me....it's them! This book doesn't necessarily give you answers but it does help you to feel like you are not alone and know that you are completely normal!
July 15, 2020
Amazing read!
I loved this story because I have lived much of it myself. It was told in such an easily relatable way. I couldn't put the book down, but didn't want the reading of it to be over too quickly, if that makes any sense. It was very cathartic for me. A great experience!
I loved this story because I have lived much of it myself. It was told in such an easily relatable way. I couldn't put the book down, but didn't want the reading of it to be over too quickly, if that makes any sense. It was very cathartic for me. A great experience!
August 24, 2022
I read the author's last two memoirs in order before circling back to this first one. I'm so glad I did!
Of Dana Goldstein's three memoirs, this is perhaps the most personal, sensitive, and gut-wrenching. She intertwines her experiences of food with her life stages, family and personal relationships, and emotional states. She brings to the page common life experiences – school scenes, summer camp, college, travel abroad – in a lively way and reveals how her love-hate relationship with food was triggered by difficult, sometimes toxic, family relationships. She shares her efforts to make changes and overcome childhood experiences with great honesty, and her book is all the more compelling and moving for its open ending. We all have aspects of our lives that are works-in-progress, and the journey continues. Well-worth a read!
Of Dana Goldstein's three memoirs, this is perhaps the most personal, sensitive, and gut-wrenching. She intertwines her experiences of food with her life stages, family and personal relationships, and emotional states. She brings to the page common life experiences – school scenes, summer camp, college, travel abroad – in a lively way and reveals how her love-hate relationship with food was triggered by difficult, sometimes toxic, family relationships. She shares her efforts to make changes and overcome childhood experiences with great honesty, and her book is all the more compelling and moving for its open ending. We all have aspects of our lives that are works-in-progress, and the journey continues. Well-worth a read!
March 26, 2026
3.5
A matter of fact memoir, what you'd expect if you've read this author before, some parts were blunt, some were brutally honest, some were sad.
This was just 'ok' for me - I found some parts to be repetitive, while other aspects weren't given enough attention. It turned into something of a travel blog at one point which sort of stood out awkwardly from the rest of the subject matter.
A matter of fact memoir, what you'd expect if you've read this author before, some parts were blunt, some were brutally honest, some were sad.
This was just 'ok' for me - I found some parts to be repetitive, while other aspects weren't given enough attention. It turned into something of a travel blog at one point which sort of stood out awkwardly from the rest of the subject matter.
August 23, 2023
I read this in two days
I loved her description of her grandmothers house I feel the same way about my grandmas house
This was a very good book very blunt in some chapters in a good way it’s just her life and an amazing one it was
Her sons are lucky to have a mom like her!
I loved her description of her grandmothers house I feel the same way about my grandmas house
This was a very good book very blunt in some chapters in a good way it’s just her life and an amazing one it was
Her sons are lucky to have a mom like her!
January 28, 2020
extremely disappointing
June 8, 2020
Very well written, a raw account of childhood and just getting by in life. Loved the culture references and the pure honesty. Thank you!
May 14, 2021
Meh
I love the author from what I read, but the book was boring and kind of pointless. Def better books about compulsive overeating.
I love the author from what I read, but the book was boring and kind of pointless. Def better books about compulsive overeating.
September 20, 2022
I love honest recollections of the journey through life, even the difficult challenges faced with parents who were lacking abilities to be a good parent. Great read!!
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews