"I guarantee that this "totally brilliant, I was utterly blown away" book (in writer Anne Lamott's words), will fill up every craggy hole you may have in your heart, and then some. I could not put it down -- I was so deeply nourished, in all the right places. The book is billed as a "self-help" book on finding happiness. It is indeed. I felt happy reading it, and its message is bound to help me stay happy, too. But the book is so much more than that. It is a delightful, hilarious, fierce, and tender memoir about the author's life with her beloved father, Bernard, and a remarkable twenty-pound cat named Mister Blanche, and how these two taught her to love without reservation and live without the crippling fear we all have when we think of losing the ones we love.
Geneen Roth is the bestselling author of When Food is Love. She is not a stranger to hard struggles, despair, and addiction. The lessons she gleaned from her sojourn with her family and Mister Blanche, and the way she brings these insights to her readers, make this book a healing tonic for anyone daunted (or delighted) by life in the human body, on planet Earth. I cannot recommend this book enough. You will howl with laughter, cry uncontrollably, want to go hug your pet or your children, and, ultimately, feel a rare and blessed peace seeping through your veins, helping you know that all is very, very well."
- from The Isabella Catalogue about The Craggy Hole in My Heart and the Cat Who Fixed It
Geneen Roth is the bestselling author of When Food is Love. She is not a stranger to hard struggles, despair, and addiction. The lessons she gleaned from her sojourn with her family and Mister Blanche, and the way she brings these insights to her readers, make this book a healing tonic for anyone daunted (or delighted) by life in the human body, on planet Earth. I cannot recommend this book enough. You will howl with laughter, cry uncontrollably, want to go hug your pet or your children, and, ultimately, feel a rare and blessed peace seeping through your veins, helping you know that all is very, very well."
- from The Isabella Catalogue about The Craggy Hole in My Heart and the Cat Who Fixed It
I read your books in January. I couldn't stand another diet, but I knew I needed a life change. I was reading Prevention magazine and stumbled on an article you had written. I orderd all of your books immediately. I was skeptical, of course. I had been dieting forever and I was terrified if I stopped the world would fall out from under me.
Something happened. Exactly what you said. I started getting full. Most importantly, I listened to my body and stopped eating when I was full. I stopped drinking when I crossed the line. I had thought about AA in the past, but nothing about it felt right. I never craved alcohol, I just had trouble listening to my body and knowing when to stop. I drank like I ate. Slowly all my wounds started to heal when I took time and was patient and forgiving with myself instead of harsh and punishing. When I asked myself why I was eating and drinking and if it was really going to make me happy.
Emotionally, I am a new person. I look at myself in the mirror and I love myself. This weekend I went and got a haircut. It looks great. I don't know what took me so long. I also spent 300 dollars on new clothes. Clothes that fit. Does it really matter if my tag has an 8 on it instead of a 4 or a 6? No. I am the only one who can see the tag. All everyone else sees is that I am wearing clothes that fit me nicely and that show off my glorious curves.
I am not waiting any longer to start my life. Life is now. It has been going on around me while I dieted and waited to be thin. I am done waiting. I deserved new clothes and a new hairstyle now, no matter what size I am. I deserve to look and feel good. And I really truly have both.
THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME MY LIFE BACK.
Samantha Stephens
I started reading your books a year ago when I committed to end my bingeing. I had been yo-yo dieting, bingeing and obsessing about my weight for 8 years of my life. Not dieting was one of the hardest things I've ever done. I definitely did gain weight but I decided to accept it and trust your approach. Just over a year later I'm happier than I've ever been. Your books completely changed my life. I eat whatever I want but I no longer obsess about food! I've just started losing weight which is nice but it doesn't mean as much as it used to. I just feel happy to feel fit and healthy. I used to think I could only be happy at a size six. I'm a size 12 and I feel beautiful. Thank you so much for sharing this secret to happiness and freedom from food / body obsession!
J. Reddings
... Your example and work has changed my life. I respect your courage to be so loving with yourself against your own reality of what you assumed yourself and your world around you to be and then make it your life's work to share your expression of love and help other's to love themselves. It is pure genius to use love as a healing tool. It seems obvious and simple, but to the majority of others it's not.
Thank You for writing your story,
With greatest appreciation and love-
- A. Lane
Geneen's writing has helped me change my life dramatically, helped me find my way home after a lifetime lost on the highways and byways of food obsession. Her books have helped me find freedom after being held hostage by a distorted body image and the values of a culture that I don't actually buy. She takes one of the most complicated and confusing and antagonistic parts of my life - my body and me, my body and food, my weight, my heart, my being - and she renders it clear and compassionate. She gently throws the lights on for me.
-Anne Lamott
- K. Nigard
I discovered Breaking Free from Emotional Eating when I was 15, desperately reading every self-help book available, trying to see if there was any way to NOT be suicidal (I'd failed at suicide too! Twice!), fat, miserably out of control with food and my emotions.
I've retained SO MANY ideas from your books--your helpful concepts have remained the baseline of why I've stayed at a lower weight for the subsequent 15 years of my life (I'm now 30). To my surprise, I've become that girl who eats whatever she wants and yet hovers around a size 2 (I'm 5'7"). I've been this way for years, but I've forgotten to thank you, the original keyholder. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
- A. Hall
I've read all your books. They're wonderful. I'm still struggling with food but in scary moments, if I pick up one of your books and read even a page, I feel better.
Thank you for your words. They are a gift. - K. McClaskey
As yet another junior high school year ends, amidst about 100 final exams to be graded, final grades to be entered, the classroom to be cleaned and vacated, cartons, crates, and boxes to be organized and put away in my basement, and one (always) disgruntled, dissatisfied parent to honor...I remain at a perfect normal weight because of the skills, the beliefs, the anchors, the love, your books have instilled in me.
- J. Holman
I am really thankful because you inspired me with your book "When Food Is Love." I found a new reason to live in this empty world, good for you.
- M. Cowper
"I am trying not to cry while I'm typing this but it's hard not to. I am sad that your books were out there for so long and I never knew about them. But maybe then I wasn't ready for them, I'm 34 now. I don't have access to the kinds of words I need to tell you how I feel, they just haven't been invented yet and probably never will. No stranger has ever affected me in this way and I am trying to tell everyone I care about what I learned but all I can do is tell them to read what I have read. To me, your message is the most important in the world."
- S. Williams
It simply seems too melodramatic to say that my favorite book of all-time, the book that saved my life, the book that brought me back to me is Geneen Roth's When Food is Love.
- J. Grigsby
I just read your article "why am I eating this" on prevention.com. I have never cried at work before. I know now that today I don't have to go home and binge. Thank you.
- Jessica Spencer
Just finished The Craggy Hole in My Heart and thought this book was about me (the proverbial "I don't like cats person") and my 27 pound cat Derby (Darbie) who now owns me, the house and everything else. Oh my god - hysterical - I laughed, I roared and yes, I wept and identified every step of the way with your feelings, humor and devestation!!!! Well done; this will be forwarded to my cat loving friends. What a gift.
- Beverly Warner
When I get stuck and ask myself why I'm eating, I go back to one of your books and mindfulness returns along with calm serenity and I feel wholly myself again.
For suffering yourself, for having to find the way before you can show the way, for writing difficult things, for telling the truth, for being willing to talk to us about our place in society as full, rightful members of society, I give you thanks. Being thinner is no longer the point. Being who I am, wearing the colors of my soul, giving myself permission to live gently, to create the life I want with the gifts I have been given IS the point. I thank you again for your help and encouragement. I don't think I would have found the way without you. A Blessing on you and your work, for us all,
- Virginia Bono
I saw an episode of Oprah last week called "The Secret." It was amazing and life changing... but it was missing one thing. Geneen. With out Geneen I wouldn't be here today. She teaches you to love yourself unconditionally no matter what you weigh. Then, she shows you that your thoughts and actions about/with food create who you are in relationship to it. Once you see that, you can start consciously creating who you are in relationship to food. I can't thank Geneen enough for what she's done, and I would love to see her message spread all over the world.
- Sandra Ernst
I recently read When Food is Love and I find it hard to describe the impact it has made on me. Your honesty and openness has helped me to see more clearly what my issues with food really are. I wanted you to know that reading your book has brought me the beginnings of freedom from the hold of food on my life.
Thank you so much for sharing your life with me.
- Andrea Scott
I have had your book, Breaking Free from Compulsive Eating, for about 4 years. It has sat on my shelf. I even moved it with me to another country 9,000 miles away. Last week, I finally opened it, and it has changed my life. The weight is dropping without me doing anything other than listen to my body (the body I have ignored for so long) and give my self permission to eat what I want when I truly want it.
Thank you.
- A. Tucker
Thank you so much for your work. I've read your book Appetites. You were one of the first people who helped me realize that my uncontrolled eating had little to actually do with food. Now I actually can have chocolates or formerly "dangerous" items in my house and forget to eat them!
Hope you'll continue to publish your beautiful writing for a long time. I'm hoping I'll get to come attend a retreat with you in the future as well. Until then, take care and best wishes for 2007.
- Martha Rutger
Thank you. I listened to your CD yesterday, while I was working & again when I got home. I am working this through with your guidance. I have been stuck and how wonderful to find you Geneen,
- Marsha Friedman
Your book Why Weight gave me permission to quiet my mother's voice, which was always critical of my body, and to eat and enjoy food. I have lost 100 pounds in the last five years and I live by the rule to eat when I am hungry and stop before I am full -- I eat what I want -- when I want -- and I enjoy every bite. I am happy with my mind, body and spirit.
May Light and Love always surround you,
- Theresa Leyes
Your voice in writing is like a funny, intelligent and insightful reflection of my inner dialogues. Thank you for being my friend and guide for all these years.
- Sue Gregg
Thank you for putting into words what I have been feeling for such a long time. I prayed to God that this year my life would be different, I want joy, peace and freedom. I did not realize how life changing your book would be.
Thank you for writing to help me and people like me who just want to be happy and free.
- Cindy Wheaton
I just want to say this: after nearly 40 years of dieting, starvation, humiliation, low self esteem and basically trying to become invisible, you are the first person who, through your writing, has made it clear to me that I am worth saving. Thank you.
- Christina Small
...I read When Food is Love 14 years ago and started on a journey that including losing more than 80 pounds. I have kept it off for 11 years and continue to learn and discover more about myself, my relationship with food and my body every day.
I made two promises to myself after reading When Food is Love. One - I would never diet again. Two - I would learn to listen to and trust my body. I can not thank you enough for empowering me to think those things were possible. Your words allowed me to change my life - thank you for that gift.
- Edna Cook
