Perfect girls, starving daughters : the frightening new normalcy of hating your body /

It is no longer enough for girls to be good, says journalist and teacher Martin in her debut book. Girls must now be perfect, and that need for perfection is played out in women's bodies. But beneath the high-achieving "perfect girl" surface, seven million American girls and women suffer from an eating disorder; 90% of high school-aged girls think they are overweight. Drawing on more than 100 interviews with women and girls ages 9-29, Martin constructs a cultural critique of a generation of girls steeped in the language of self-control. "If I'm not thinking about my body or calories, I'm probably sleeping or dead," a 14-year-old confesses. Such heartbreaking quotes fill the book and fuel Martin's anger. In chapters devoted to the influence of "porn culture," the role fathers play in shaping their daughters' self-image, eating disorders among athletes, the narrowly circumscribed role of women in hip-hop and more, Martin explores the forces that drive young women to sacrifice themselves on the altar of perfection. A self-described perfect girl, Martin brings a personal perspective to the topic. If occasionally overambitious in her reach, Martin has a valuable mission: calling on young women to harness their intellectual and emotional energy and learn to enjoy their bodies, "imperfect" though they may be. (Apr.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

Martin's first book is ostensibly about eating disorders. But its real topic and real usefulness concerns women of Generation Next, who are trying to move from having potential to building a life of their own. The move to adulthood can be full of frustration and disappointment, especially for a generation of women, the author argues, that thinks it has to be perfect. These women make up the third wave of feminists, and their expectations and those of their parents can be crushing. Martin's argument that eating disorders reflect the spiritual emptiness of these young women is sometimes overwrought, but it will resonate strongly with young women in this early stage of adulthood. The book can be wordy but offers several strong chapters, especially those on girls and athletics, what men want, and post-college disappointment. The author has interjected some statistics, a resource list, and some words from authorities in the field of eating disorders, but this is not a scholarly work. Recommended for public libraries and a good addition for self-help collections and for YAs.-Fran Mentch, Cleveland State Univ. Lib. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.