Real Women Don't Diet!: One Man's Praise of Large Women and His Outrage at the Society That Rejects Them

There have been books and magazine articles asserting that our society is dangerously obsessed with a single standard of female beauty, namely that of the thin body. Mayer's book stands out because it is written by a man and is a paean to what he regards as real beauty; strong, large women (preferably well over 200 pounds). Expressing heartfelt pain over tortures that overweight women endure (many were prescribed diet pills by alarmed doctors in their early teens), the book will offer comfort to any woman who falls outside the waif-like ideal. Mayer, a ``large-size'' fashion photographer and freelance writer, rallies facts and figures that verify that ``overweight'' women are not unhealthy and promotes the sensible idea that if a woman feels healthy, she probably is. Along the way, he throws in a lot of his own extraneous philosophy and practical tips (for instance, on how to reduce the cost of a home loan), and a veritable diatribe against this country's medical establishment and the destruction of the environment. However, with its arresting title and cover (a beautiful, 200 plus-pound woman, obviously pleased with herself and enjoying life), this book will have wide appeal. Photos. (Oct.)