Product Description
Aimee Liu, who wrote Solitaire, the first-ever memoir of anorexia, in 1979, returns to the subject nearly three decades later and shares her story and those of the many women in her age group of life beyond this life-altering ailment. She has extensively researched the origins and effects of both anorexia and bulimia, and dispels many commonly held myths about these diseases with the persuasive conclusion that anorexia is a result of personality. Key revelations include: the temperament required for eating disorders,the long-term effects of eating disorders on health, brain function, relationships and career,why some individuals recover while others relapse, and why many relapse in mid-life,Which treatment approaches are most successful long-term and how parents can tell if a child will be vulnerable to eating disorders.Using her own experience and the stories of many recovering anorexics she's interviewed, Liu weaves together a narrative that is both persuasive in argument and compelling in personal details.

CUSTOMER REVIEWS (Average Customer Rating: 4.5 based on 26 reviews)

Comprehensive and Inspiring by Lineallowsfor (New Jersey)

5 Stars
December 30, 2009
This is my absolute favorite ED recovery book. Amy's story is so full of hope. She works hard to dispel many of the myths surrounding ED recovery - particularly the myth that you can never recover and live a normal life. Thank you Amy for writing Gaining! I am looking forward to re-reading Gaining this year to write a review for my blog. [...]

Self-Help v. Self-Assessment v. Clouded Judgment by letters2mary (Washington, DC)

2 Stars
October 13, 2009
While many readers appear to have found this work enlightening, I am a little concerned that a person with self-interest is exploring this topic --- which sorely needs exploration --- in a quasi-scientific, quasi-narrative form, half-science, half-social observation. This is where relatively small bits of data can get expanded into "truth." It is also of concern that the book is in some measures self-serving. The writer is at pains to illustrate her "progress." What of those who do not self-assess so favorably? Bear in mind that anorexics may be fiercely competitive. While an enjoyable read, I await further discussions of this topic.

Refreshing by R. Hardwick (Olympia, WA)

5 Stars
July 16, 2009
I appreciate Aimee Liu's follow-up to her first book, "Solitaire". It's rare that we hear from those that have recovered, or more accurately, are still recovering from, eating disorders. There is a wealth of literature on what the actual experience of an eating disorder is like, but this is one of the first books that I have found that truly discusses what life is like after the eating disorder. Liu explores life "after" eating disorders in an honest way, never claiming that there is a miracle cure, but showing many different paths out of the hell of eating disorders. She is a talented writer, and weaves together a book that is informative, helpful, inspiring, and very truthful.

Unique look at eating disorders by Pamela S. Lee (North Carolina)

5 Stars
April 15, 2009
Aimee Liu takes a unique perspective in this book, looking at the personality traits and inherent characteristics of eating disorder sufferers and showing how those qualities influence every aspect of life. This book is about so much more than food, weight, and maladaptive eating patterns; it's about how to live a complete and fulfilling life. The lessons it contains apply to everyone, and I sincerely believe it's worth a read no matter who you are.

Expands the dialogue to what happens after seeking treatment for an eating disorder by Boston Book Addict (Boston, Mass.)

4 Stars
March 09, 2009
Through a combination of personal narrative and stories of other people dealing with eating disorders Liu talks about what happens after people seek treatment for eating disorders and try to go on to lead normal lives. What I found compelling about this book was that it was the first one that talked about what happens after people think they have recovered and return to the real world. So many books talk about life before and during recovery, but this was the first one I found that focused on everything else. It was extremely interesting to read what people's lives were like afterwards, what they struggled with, and especially the ways in which perfectionist tendencies came out in other aspects of their life. Even though I have never struggled with an eating disorder, I have dealt with abnormal eating as a result of constant dieting and found there was so much in this book I could relate to. Overall Liu takes a very sympathetic and neutral tone and does a great job of presenting these stories without passing judgement. I highly recommend it for anyone who is recovering from an eating disorder or even people like me who may not have a formal eating disorder, but who have struggled with returning to normal eating and living after dieting.

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