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Unfortunately, this isn't so much the history of anorexia nervosa so much as the history of how it came to be thought of as a specific disease with its own specific pathology. That is possibly the only unfortunate part about the book, and it's mainly unfortunate because the author was very good, and in the end, I was wishing that the book were about twice as long (or three times) with the same sort of analysis and coverage that she directs toward the Victorian era.
Because she wants to understand why anorexia nervosa has taken on the form it has today, Brumberg traces back the origins of the disease and the cultural phenomenon of the fasting girl, starting a little with the female saints who claimed to live on nothing. The book really begins to hit its stride when Brumberg reaches the Victorian era and begins to talk about the many interstices of culture, disease, and the practice of medicine. I really liked how she doesn't claim to have the one single answer to why anorexia nervosa has become more and more prevalent. Instead, she is very careful to say that while a disease may be the same disease through history, and while even the symptoms may be the same, the manner in which the symptoms manifest themselves and are treated are very culturally specific. Anyhow. I was quite fascinated reading the gradual change from the view of fasting women as a kind of holy figure and fasting as a sign of their holiness to a society increasingly preoccupied with body image and with food as a symbol for parental care and for sexuality.
The whole thing was very good, but the postscript (added for the 1999 edition) is particularly interesting. Brumberg says in order to prevent the rise of anorexia, everyone must somehow fight it. Stop worrying about weight, about body image, etc. And while I think that's perfectly sound advice intellectually, I know I'm not going to give up wearing my pretty clothes or ogling at models. Or even watching my weight. Sigh. Thinking about my weight and the fit of my clothes and etc. has been too deeply engraved in my mind to not do it. And it also doesn't help having my mom telling me every single time how much fatter I've gotten, etc. Part of me doesn't quite understand anorexics. I like food far too much to ever not eat, and I have too little self-control. I suspect if I did develop an eating disorder, it would be bulimia. The other part understands too well the pressure of society and family and everyone to be thin and fit in certain size clothes.
Because she wants to understand why anorexia nervosa has taken on the form it has today, Brumberg traces back the origins of the disease and the cultural phenomenon of the fasting girl, starting a little with the female saints who claimed to live on nothing. The book really begins to hit its stride when Brumberg reaches the Victorian era and begins to talk about the many interstices of culture, disease, and the practice of medicine. I really liked how she doesn't claim to have the one single answer to why anorexia nervosa has become more and more prevalent. Instead, she is very careful to say that while a disease may be the same disease through history, and while even the symptoms may be the same, the manner in which the symptoms manifest themselves and are treated are very culturally specific. Anyhow. I was quite fascinated reading the gradual change from the view of fasting women as a kind of holy figure and fasting as a sign of their holiness to a society increasingly preoccupied with body image and with food as a symbol for parental care and for sexuality.
The whole thing was very good, but the postscript (added for the 1999 edition) is particularly interesting. Brumberg says in order to prevent the rise of anorexia, everyone must somehow fight it. Stop worrying about weight, about body image, etc. And while I think that's perfectly sound advice intellectually, I know I'm not going to give up wearing my pretty clothes or ogling at models. Or even watching my weight. Sigh. Thinking about my weight and the fit of my clothes and etc. has been too deeply engraved in my mind to not do it. And it also doesn't help having my mom telling me every single time how much fatter I've gotten, etc. Part of me doesn't quite understand anorexics. I like food far too much to ever not eat, and I have too little self-control. I suspect if I did develop an eating disorder, it would be bulimia. The other part understands too well the pressure of society and family and everyone to be thin and fit in certain size clothes.