Famished: Eating Disorders and Failed Care in America

Rebecca Lester, a tenured professor of anthropology and licensed social worker, has written a book called "Famished" that explores the world of eating disorders, their history, diagnosis, lived realities, treatment, and place in American cultural imagination. It offers a profound rethinking of eating disorders and how to treat them, combining cultural analysis, therapeutic accounts, and raw autobiographical reflections. The book demonstrates the tension between profit and care in American healthcare and condemns the system's failure to address them effectively. It is a fierce and vulnerable book that will forever change the way we understand eating disorders and the people who suffer with them.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 412 pages
Publication date: 02 November 2021
Publisher: University of California Press

Rebecca Lester, a tenured professor of anthropology and licensed social worker, has written a book titled "Famished" that delves into the world of eating disorders. The book combines cultural analysis, therapeutic accounts, and personal reflections to explore the history, diagnosis, lived realities, treatment, and place of eating disorders in American cultural imagination.

Lester's journey with anorexia nervosa began at the age of eleven and persisted until her eighteenth year. Her personal experience informs her ethnographic and clinical perspective on eating disorders.

In "Famished," Lester challenges the conventional understanding of eating disorders and offers a comprehensive treatment approach. She explores the factors that contribute to the development of eating disorders, including societal pressures, cultural norms, and personal trauma. Lester also provides insights into the recovery process, highlighting the challenges and complexities involved.

One of the book's key themes is the tension between profit and care in American healthcare. Lester argues that the healthcare system is often driven by financial considerations rather than patient well-being. She criticizes the medicalization of eating disorders, which can lead to oversimplification and inadequate treatment.

Lester's book is filled with raw and vulnerable autobiographical reflections, providing a personal perspective on the struggles and challenges of living with an eating disorder. She shares her journey of recovery, highlighting the importance of support, therapy, and self-love.

"Famished" is a powerful and transformative book that will forever change the way we understand eating disorders and the people who suffer with them. It offers a comprehensive and empathetic approach to treatment, challenging the status quo and advocating for better care and support for those affected by these complex disorders.

Weight: 518g
Dimension: 152 x 230 x 33 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780520385740