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Your Body Is Not an Apology Workbook: Tools for Living Radical Self-Love by Sonya Renee Taylor
paz_books's review against another edition
5.0
ARC
This should honestly be distributed to EVERYONE! Working through this book truly made me realise so many things I hadn't thought about. Even as someone studying both psychology and sociology, this book still educated me in the media. I'm not one for non-fiction books, and I'm not too sure what called me to this book in particular but I'm so glad I did. More needs to be said and shared about these topics. While people are still suffering and feeling alone, this promotion will never be enough. I always thought I had come a long way from being self conscious, but this book just helped me realise that some things indoctrinated in me as a child remain. It used an example that really stuck with me because of how much I hear it on the daily; the whole "I look fat in this" "no you don't you look great. I'd look so much worse". Not only have we began to use normal body types and features as insults, but we as a society can't help but try to out-do others, even for negative reasons. The author of this book is such a blessing, and I am so in love with everything they have written here- having this as a workbook is such an innovative and admirable idea
I'd really like to buy this book physically in order to have my own written responses fully completed within it eventually.
This should honestly be distributed to EVERYONE! Working through this book truly made me realise so many things I hadn't thought about. Even as someone studying both psychology and sociology, this book still educated me in the media. I'm not one for non-fiction books, and I'm not too sure what called me to this book in particular but I'm so glad I did. More needs to be said and shared about these topics. While people are still suffering and feeling alone, this promotion will never be enough. I always thought I had come a long way from being self conscious, but this book just helped me realise that some things indoctrinated in me as a child remain. It used an example that really stuck with me because of how much I hear it on the daily; the whole "I look fat in this" "no you don't you look great. I'd look so much worse". Not only have we began to use normal body types and features as insults, but we as a society can't help but try to out-do others, even for negative reasons. The author of this book is such a blessing, and I am so in love with everything they have written here- having this as a workbook is such an innovative and admirable idea
I'd really like to buy this book physically in order to have my own written responses fully completed within it eventually.
rachelnevada's review against another edition
Your Body is Not an Apology Workbook is self described as a workbook to help folks develop tools for radical self-love, especially related to fatness and bodies.
This was the first read of Fat Girl Book Club and considering the running joke was our book club was mostly complaining about this book, it wasn't the most useful for three fat girls who had already thought a lot about our relationships with our bodies and the world around us. The most common theme was that we wanted a better acknowledgement about the tension between what we ourselves were responsible for and what larger systems in the world inflict upon us. This is alluded to in the workbook, but never really dealt with (much to our disappointment).
Really, this would only be useful for folks who have not thought much about cultivating a positive relationship with their bodies before and are new to the concept.
This was the first read of Fat Girl Book Club and considering the running joke was our book club was mostly complaining about this book, it wasn't the most useful for three fat girls who had already thought a lot about our relationships with our bodies and the world around us. The most common theme was that we wanted a better acknowledgement about the tension between what we ourselves were responsible for and what larger systems in the world inflict upon us. This is alluded to in the workbook, but never really dealt with (much to our disappointment).
Really, this would only be useful for folks who have not thought much about cultivating a positive relationship with their bodies before and are new to the concept.
help_tbr_2big's review against another edition
informative
reflective
slow-paced
3.0
Tbh considered a 2.5, the book feels like it needs updating, is too introductory for me, and was far too individual change (as opposed to collective change) focused.
laurareads87's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
medium-paced
3.5
3.5. I appreciate a lot about this book: it covers a wide range of interconnecting themes, it is written in a trauma-informed way (with, for instance, specific attention to ways that survivors can take care of themselves while exploring being present in our bodies), and Taylor's tone is encouraging and familiar and friendly (books like this that are addressed directly to the reader often read as a bit condescending to me, but this one definitely doesn't). Inevitably some sections will be more relevant to each reader than others (I don't really use social media, so a day without it isn't the revolutionary activity for me that requires reflection on how I feel about it). I wouldn't say that the content is groundbreaking right now, but I find Taylor's concepts and explanations useful and her connections between self and community valuable, and there were a few activities I found quite impactful and really appreciated.
I do think that ultimately I got more out of the book itself than I did this accompanying workbook, so if I had to suggest one of the two, I'd suggest the book over this.
<i>Content warnings:</i> this workbook invites the reader to consider a lot of challenging topics - body image, trauma, health, internalized oppressions. I have no 'content warnings' per se but the work this book asks the reader to do will absolutely bring up some things if done thoroughly.
I do think that ultimately I got more out of the book itself than I did this accompanying workbook, so if I had to suggest one of the two, I'd suggest the book over this.
<i>Content warnings:</i> this workbook invites the reader to consider a lot of challenging topics - body image, trauma, health, internalized oppressions. I have no 'content warnings' per se but the work this book asks the reader to do will absolutely bring up some things if done thoroughly.
thebooklover5's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
stagasaurus's review against another edition
I just wasn't in the right place for this.
specificwonderland's review
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
3.0
Either I'm too smart or too dumb, emotionally, for this. It felt like "Well, duh," but also like I won't change anything based on reading this book. I know I struggle with even body neutrality, so the idea of body positivity is a stretch, and I don't think this book made any major dents in that. I still need therapy, lol.
madelyn91's review against another edition
5.0
100% would recommend.
As a woman who has struggled with self-love, body positivity, and self-kindness my entire life this book was like a lifeboat. It is the perfect balance between book + workbook. The workbook part is tough. The questions really make you think and do a lot of "shadow work". It's beautiful, a little painful but so worth it. The artwork is beautiful and diverse as well as the work you do. I intend to purchase this book for my younger sister. Radical self-love is what we all deserve. Don't hesitate, read it!
As a woman who has struggled with self-love, body positivity, and self-kindness my entire life this book was like a lifeboat. It is the perfect balance between book + workbook. The workbook part is tough. The questions really make you think and do a lot of "shadow work". It's beautiful, a little painful but so worth it. The artwork is beautiful and diverse as well as the work you do. I intend to purchase this book for my younger sister. Radical self-love is what we all deserve. Don't hesitate, read it!