Brave Girl Eating

A Family's Struggle with Anorexia

By: Harriet Brown

Narrated by: Harriet Brown

Millions of families are affected by eating disorders, which usually strike young women between the ages of fourteen and twenty. But current medical practice ties these families' hands when it comes to helping their children recover. Conventional medical wisdom dictates separating the patient from the family and insists that 'it's not about the food', even as a family watches a child waste away before their eyes. In Brave Girl Eating Harriet Brown describes how her family, with the support of an open-minded pediatrician and a therapist, helped her daughter recover from anorexia using a family-based treatment developed at the Maudsley Hospital in London. Chronicling her daughter Kitty's illness from the earliest warning signs, through its terrifying progression, and on toward recovery, Brown takes us on one family's journey into the world of anorexia nervosa, where starvation threatened her daughter's body and mind. Brave Girl Eating is essential listening for families and professionals alike, a guiding light for anyone who's coping with this devastating disease.

©2010 Harriet Brown (P)2013 Audible, Inc.

A must read!

I read this book as part of a college psychology class. The book helped me understand anorexia better but also gave an intimate look into what happens to the families affected by this disease and the tremendous struggle of those who have anorexia. It also speaks to the love of families and places importance on treatment that empowers families to help those they love so much. Even if you are not interested in anorexia this is a powerful and deeply moving memoir...beautifully and powerfully written with amazing truth and vulnerability.

great book for understanding anorexia

this book is a must if you have someone that you love that is struggling with anorexia. thank you to the author for putting it out there for everyone.

Very accurate and informative book

The author shares her families journey supporting her daughter with anorexia. It is a very good representation of what the child and the family go through.

Amazing! H. Brown's story resonates with our own

Truly an excellent portrayal of AN. Our daughter was diagnosed one month ago and this book spoke to me deeply. She shares a lot of valuable data, especially regarding the Maudsley approach, highlighting certain studies, reviewing Ancel Keys' experiment, and emphasizing the importance of aiming toward a goal weight based on one's own growth chart data and not a useless BMI. The descriptions of Kitty, especially her "not-Kitty" are absolutely spot on. It's what we see in our daughter. She is not herself, takes on a different persona, filled with rage, and even her tone of speech is altered. It is very sad. Harriet Brown's book is a vital read for those struggling with a family member with AN. Thank you, Harriet Brown, for sharing your story and your wisdom. I wish the book had not ended - I wanted - actually, needed to hear more advice. I know I have a long road ahead but knowing I'm not alone provides some strength and encouragement. Ignore an overly analytic, negative review of this book, rating it as two stars and criticizing her labeling the AN as "anti-Kitty". The review is short-sighted and irritating to those who are struggling with a loved one - the reviewer is clearly devoid of any knowledge of an eating disorder. For those fortunate to not have a family member with AN, read this book and be thankful but from our perspective, it is a very accurate account. You can't argue with an eating disorder. The cognitive distortions skew any ability to see reality. It may be the AN's reality - and trapped they are in this distorted thinking - but the approach of a caregiver labeling this as something "different" (not-Kitty) is important and a healthy approach in coping and maintaining a reminder of who your child really is and what your anger should be directed at.

Must-listen for anyone touched by anorexia

This book is a MUST read for anyone whose family member or friend is diagnosed with anorexia (or suspects it). My dear friend's daughter was just diagnosed and their closest family friends are all reading the book in order to better support, encourage, and sympathize with their deeply challenging journey on the road to recovery. The author includes not only memoir, but also sprinkles in interesting and helpful data, facts and history on the condition. Very well written, too. Cannot recommend highly enough. It will help families dealing with this feel less alone and will offer a helpful alternative to sending a child away from home for treatment--one that seems to be more effective.

A wonderful story of family support

Where does Brave Girl Eating rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

It was an interesting story. Well written with a mix of personal memoir and research.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Brave Girl Eating?

There were many. The honesty of Kitty and total support of her family. I have a bit of an understanding of the fear that the disease causes the sufferer.

Any additional comments?

It showed how it really does impose itself on the whole family. It takes an entire family to be part of the recovery so it has a chance of working.

Must read

This is one of the best eating disorder books I have read. This story shows the true ups and downs of eating disorder recover and the impact the disorder has on the family. I recommend this book if you want to learn more about treatment and recovery as it impacts not only the individual with an individual, but to those surrounding her as well.

Very insightful ,based in facts

It was recommended by the F.E.A.S.T website. If you want to know more about ED or you are someone that is struggling with ED with your loved one ,this book gives facts, insights and their story might resemble to yours. Great read.

UNREAL

What did you love best about Brave Girl Eating?

The narration was so powerful. This is a real mother describing her own excruciating battle against her daughter's anorexia with such candor and bravery.

What about Harriet Brown’s performance did you like?

She writes it the way it really happened. And she says it the way it happened. She is not overly emotional. She is straightforward in a very real way.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I listened to this book with hardly any breaks - TWICE!

Any additional comments?

Thank you for sharing your story. It helped us immeasurably in our own fight against this horrible devil.

Should be required reading for anyone with a daughter

An absolutely outstanding book. The real life account from the mother’s perspective does a great job at helping to understand the disease, the torment it inflicts on the sufferer and the family challenges of dealing with it. It also makes you feel like “we are not alone in dealing with this”. So thankful to the author.