by Jennifer Weiner
May 2001
Atria
"Love is nothing, nothing, nothing like they say." ~Liz Phair
If you've ever been a woman in her late twenties or early thirties there's a pretty good chance you've read some form of diet chick lit. We've all read books about girls who are unhappy with their weight and we secretly scour the pages for the magic bullet or super diet secret that magically transformed these miserable women into the hot babe at the office. While these books can sometimes be motivating, they ultimately leave me feeling inferior and disgusted with my own non-barbie figure. This book, however, was something different.
Good In Bed tells the story of Cannie Shapiro, who is overweight and struggling with life. Her ex-boyfriend details their past sex life in a popular magazine, the new boy in town wants nothing more than friendship from a big girl like her, her doctor won't give her diet pills, and she can't seem to land any big stories for the newspaper where she currently works. This book has been called a "modern Cinderella story" because of the way that Cannie's life begins to change, but there is nothing fairy tale-ish about her struggles and the way she handles them. Cannie is real. And her story will make you laugh, ponder, and maybe even cry as she deals with the challenges that women have to face every day. Good In Bed is a redeeming read and a good reminder that the glamour of Hollywood should never have the final say in how we feel about ourselves or live our lives.
You can read the continuing adventures of Cannie Shapiro in Certain Girls by Jennifer Weiner or try these other similar books about women who struggle with their weight.
Fat Chance by Deborah Blumenthal
The Next Big Thing by Johanna Edwards
Jemima J by Jane Green
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