Forever Fat: Essays by the Godfather

by Lee Gutkind

Dubbed—some would say drubbed—the “godfather behind creative nonfiction” by Vanity Fair , Lee Gutkind takes the opportunity of these essays, and the rich material of his own life, to define, defend, and further expand the genre he has done so much to shape. The result is an explosive and hilarious memoir of Gutkind’s colorful life as a motorcyclist, a medical insider, a sailor, a college professor, an over-aged insecure father, and a literary whipping boy.

 

In Forever Fat Gutkind battles his weight, his ex-wives, his father, his rabbi, his psychiatrist, and his critics in a lifelong cross-country, cross-cultural search for stability and identity. And from Gutkind’s battles, the reader emerges a winner, treated to a sometimes poignant, sometimes harrowing, sometimes uproarious, and always engrossing story of the simultaneous awakening of a man and his mission, and of the constant struggle, in literature and in life, to sort out memory and imagination. Here, enacted in technicolor terms, is the universal, symbolic truth that no matter how far you travel, over how many years, you will never completely shed the weighty baggage of adolescence. Yet, as Gutkind proves again and again, he has learned to describe his burden with an ever-lightening brilliance.

Genres: Essays, Nonfiction, Memoir

177 pages, Hardcover

First published September 3, 2003

About the author

Lee Gutkind has been recognized by Vanity Fair as “the godfather behind creative nonfiction.” A prolific writer, he has authored and edited over twenty-five books, and is the founder and editor of Creative Nonfiction, the first and largest literary magazine to publish only narrative nonfiction. Gutkind has received grants, honors, and awards from numerous organizations including the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Science Foundation. A man of many talents, Gutkind has been a motorcyclist, medical insider, sports expert, sailor, and college professor. He is currently distinguished writer in residence in the Consortium for Science, Policy, and Outcomes at Arizona State University and a professor in the Hugh Downs School of Human Communication.

Reviews

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

One would expect the “godfather of creative nonfiction” to be a good storyteller, and he is. The surprise to me was how intimate these essays are, describing his life as a fat kid who was beaten by his father, his marital problems, and his experiences with his therapist. He also takes us on some interesting journeys, such as his effort to find out who was this woman named Irene who seemed to remember him from the past when he didn’t have a clue, the tale of a mountain woman who ran away when her husband threatened to have all her teeth pulled out, and the sad story of a dog named Icy. He also takes a good look at the writing of creative nonfiction and the difficulties of reconciling truth with the subjects’ feelings. All in all, it’s a good read, and I am more a fan of The Godfather than ever.

[Kristin Laureys · Rating 4 out of 5]

These essays are thought provoking and explore the relationships and events that made the author who he is.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Compelling and honest. Not my favorite from Gutkind, but still recommended.