Title: Unbearable Lightness: A Story of Loss and Gain
Author: Portia de Rossi
First published November 1, 2010
320 pages, Paperback
ISBN: 9781439177808 (ISBN10: 1439177805)
Rating: 3.82
Overview
Unbearable Lightness: A Journey of Self-Discovery by Portia de Rossi is a powerful and honest account of her experience with an eating disorder. Portia shares how what started as a way to maintain a certain image as an actress turned into a dangerous obsession.
She delves into the emotional complexities of living with an eating disorder, from the rituals around food to the fear of being exposed in the media. Portia’s journey towards recovery is inspiring, as she finds love and acceptance with Ellen DeGeneres and becomes an advocate for important causes.
This book is a must-read for anyone struggling with body image and self-acceptance.
About the Author
Meet Portia de Rossi, an acclaimed Australian actress renowned for her exceptional performances as Nelle Porter in the hit TV show Ally McBeal and Lindsay Bluth Fünke in Arrested Development. She’s also played the role of Veronica Palmer in the ABC sitcom Better Off Ted.
When it comes to her personal life, Portia is happily married to [insert spouse name here].
Editoral Review
Portia de Rossi’s Unbearable Lightness: A Story of Loss and Gain is a memoir that explores the complexities of eating disorders and their devastating effects on an individual’s life. With a candid and raw honesty, de Rossi takes her readers on a journey through the ups and downs of her own struggles with anorexia and bulimia.
De Rossi first gained fame for her acting career on television shows such as Arrested Development and Ally McBeal. However, in this memoir, she sets aside her celebrity status and opens up about the deeply personal and painful experience of living with an eating disorder.
Written in a straightforward style, the book examines the author’s memories, feelings, and inner struggles with the disorder. The memoir illuminates the fundamental roots of de Rossi’s eating disorder, which originated from her difficulty accepting and embracing her true self.
Throughout the book, she candidly shares the dangerous tactics she utilized to maintain her thin appearance and the endless internal battles that followed. In this regard, Unbearable Lightness upends the notion that eating disorders arise from vanity rather than internal anxieties and insecurities.
The reader gets a full view of the impacts of the disorder, from the self-harm, controlling obsession, constant fears of gaining weight, to the constant pressure to present a facade of wellness that eventually spurs on the inevitable collapse. One notable aspect of the book is the author’s willingness to expose the realities of the media and entertainment industry’s fat-shaming and unrealistic beauty standards.
De Rossi provides an insightful reflection on the dark underbelly of Hollywood, exposing the double standards that exist for men and women in the industry. De Rossi’s memoir is strikingly honest and personal, and her story exemplifies the pain and complexity of an eating disorder.
The book urges the reader to reflect on society’s beauty ideals, the pervasive influence of popular culture, and the damage that body shaming can do. The book, however, had some limitations.
The author occasionally jumps back and forth in time, which can be confusing for the reader. Additionally, there are no footnotes or citations, which may leave some readers questioning the accuracy of certain details.
Overall, Unbearable Lightness is a well-written and powerful memoir that provides a personal insight into the mind and life of someone who has battled with an eating disorder. Whether or not the reader has personal experience with the subject, the book provides insight into the hazards of body dysmorphia and the importance of self-love and acceptance.
As such, we highly recommend this book to all readers interested in understanding and coping with eating disorders, and it receives a rating of 4 out of 5 stars.
