Locker Room Diaries

Title: Locker Room Diaries - The Naked Truth about Women, Body Image, and Re-Imagining the "Perfect" Body
Author: Leslie Goldman
Pub Date: 2006
Pages: 236
Genre: Non Fiction, Health & Diet
Challenges: None

Argh!

Let me reiterate.

ARGH!!

This book was sooooo frustrating. Like, worse than having a hang nail and not be able to clip it, frustrating. And even worse than having someone stand right next to you pointing and saying, "I'm not touching you, I'm not touching you".

I picked it up because I was perusing through the library finding books that I normally wouldn't check out, when viola, it caught my attention. It presented itself as a "real look"at women and their body images. This sort of thing fascinates me. I mean, come on, we live in Dr. 90210 times and Biggest Loser marathons. I want to hear what real women have to say about their bodies. A no hold back sorta book, ya know?

And at first, that's what I thought I was getting. Goldman opens with her role in observing locker room conversations. How self conscious women are, how they self deprecate, judge, etc. But then, a few odd pages in, the woman seemed a bit, eh, flat? (For lack of better words). They didn't strike me as the type of friends I would surround myself with. Reading a bit more, I began to piece everything together.

These women were not normal women. At least, not in my universe normal women. These women were rich women. Skinny women. Women who spent $150 a month on a gym membership that would also give you a Brazilian wax after a workout for an extra $100. Ummm, my total gym membership for the year doesn't exceed $200. Are these women really speaking for the general public?

Plus, when she interviews the women about body images and weight, she never speaks to overweight women (two - I think - are interviewed in a later chapter specifically for that). More time was spent on: hey I've had an eating disorder and I understand the struggle. Not necessarily what I was looking for.

Nope. This book came across as superficial, over the top, and I was unable to relate. I kept reading it hoping for some redeeming qualities. My loss. I would not be surprised if this does not end up on my least liked list of 2010.