Product Description
At the age of twenty-one, stylish and striking Ron Saxen turned heads on the street. A promising model with a tony California agency, his lithe and muscular body graced the pages of magazines and even the cover of a fitness book. He was headed for a future of bright lights and brighter possibilities--but a dark turn of events would leave Saxen working for minimum wage in a coffee shop and dodging his agent less than a year later. Binge eating disorder, a malady that strikes some 2.5 million Americans--40 percent of whom are men--led Saxen to gain nearly one hundred pounds, destroying his modeling career and threatening his health and sanity. This compelling memoir tells Saxen's story as he plunges into binge eating, dangerous starvation diets, drug use, and a rollercoaster ride of odd careers, destructive relationships, and personal tragedies--all set against a fabulous backdrop that ranges from the streets of Sacramento to the fundamentalist enclaves of the Great Plains. A gripping page turner from start to finish, this amazing personal memoir will help break stereotypes and shed new light on this common disorder.

CUSTOMER REVIEWS (Average Customer Rating: 5.0 based on 18 reviews)

Binge Eating Isn't Just For Women by Kathleen F. Watanabe (Santa Clara, CA)

5 Stars
November 24, 2007
Too often we read and hear of women with eating disorders. This book was very enlightening. I think it took a lot of courage for Ron Saxen to write this book and disclose so much of his life -- the good as well as the bad. Thank you, Ron, for taking the time to write. I hope many women and men that deal with the same issues will find answers, hope and help for themselves reading this book.

BRUTALLY HONEST STORY OF ONE MAN'S STRUGGLE by Jack Levic (Los Angeles, CA United States)

4 Stars
July 23, 2007
When I read a blurb in NEWSWEEK a few months ago about Binge Eating Disorder and Ron Saxen's book, I was quick to pre-order the book. Binge Eating Disorder (BED)is becoming more and more common, yet, very few books address this problem. I expected THE GOOD EATER to be the salvation that held all the keys to unlock the mysteries of BED. THE GOOD EATER was a very different book than I expected. It is really the story of Ron Saxen's life and struggles and his use of food for comfort. A very difficult childhood left him emotionally vacant and lacking in self-confidence. He turned to food and gained and lost weight for years. At one point, he lost enough weight to be signed with a modeling agency and the chance for a promising career. Despite the successful start to his career, he was still overweight and unattractive in his mind. For an emotional eater, handling success can be harder than handling failure. Ron turned to food and gained weight and left his modeling career behind him. For the next 20 years he struggles with various careers, including as a stand up comedian. He even briefly joins the Marines. In a search for love and acceptance, he enters into an unhappy marriage. 20 years after his modeling career, he finds the strength and the love to turn his life around and have a proper relationship with food. The book really is not self-help in nature but the brutally honest story of one man's struggle with food. Ron tells it like it is and rarely is the story pretty. There is hope in his dedication and determination. It's hard to let go of the past and our childhoods can haunt us forever. Only in the last few pages is the issue of binge eating addressed. If you suffer from binge eating disorder, THE GOOD EATER isn't your salvation but there is comfort in knowing you are not alone. It's easy to relate to Ron's downward slide into uncontrollable binge eating. Food was his best friend and gave him temporary relief from the emotional pain of life. His journey is heartbreaking but there is hope around the corner for all of us.

The Good Eater by Jeffery S. Curtiss (Atlanta, GA)

5 Stars
May 29, 2007
Ron Saxen's The Good Eater is one of the first, if not first, books written about binge eating from the perspective of a male. When reading the book I could vividly see the events playing out and the impact on Ron and his family. Ron's work has inspired me to move forward in my own personal journey to confront binge eating and the emotions that drive me to binge. That alone should be the true test of the book and in my opinion it passes with an A+.

Interesting by FirefightersWife (Near Seattle)

4 Stars
May 20, 2007
This book is about a man who grows up in a dysfuntional home and tries to make something of himself by going after all the wrong things. Number one being food and then girls, sex, jobs and even marriage. In the end though he realizes that the only thing that makes him well is realizing he will never be perfect and learning to accept himself with his flaws. I found the book very interesting. The only reason I gave it a 4 is becuase of the constant swearing. Ok, I am not a prude and I understand that at times swearing can get across the point of pain. But, the F word was used constantly and I got tired of it in the end.

highly entertaining! by L. Lyle (Hayward, Ca)

5 Stars
April 14, 2007
The inspirational book, The Good Eater, is a candid and absorbing memoir of author Ron Saxen's struggle with BED (binge eating disorder). The author's revealing recollections of his life are often hilarious and sometimes heartbreaking. The Good Eater is well paced and written in an entertaining conversational style. Highly recommended!

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