Thin is the New Happy by Valerie Frankel

() The author, like many modern women, struggles greatly with body image. She describes her woes of self-acceptance and dealing with others' harsh opinions. At a very young age, her mom has her start dieting because she is bigger than her siblings. Ever since that time, she always has a restricted food intake habit of some kind or another. She becomes addicted, and admits to feeling lost without being on a diet.

But as she grows older and learns from various relationships and life experiences, she also learns that her bad body image issues need to be dealt with. She works on changing her thought processes and behaviors, and soon begins maintaining a more stable weight and life. She publishes an article about current female body image difficulties in SELF magazine. Accompanying this are sexy "nude" photographs from a shoot she schedules for herself.

It's a good memoir to learn from and definitely brings insight into the problems of 'ideal' pressures. Good for any woman struggling with her own body acceptance.