My Good Bright Wolf

An insightful, intellectual memoir about, among other things, dealing with anorexia from girlhood through middle age. I loved the first section, in which the author views her childhood through the lens of what she was reading at the time, with thoughtful feminist analysis of classic books from Beatrix Potter and Laura Ingalls Wilder to Jane Eyre and The Bell Jar; I was gripped by the later sections that describe the author’s struggles with life-threatening anorectic episodes that she just can’t get the better of through her formidable intelligence and penchant for self-analysis. Something that really elevated this one for me was the author’s ability to engage throughout with her own whiteness and axes of privilege. It’s not a book about race but it’s a book that doesn’t ignore race, and I honor it for that. Also appreciated is the bibliography with sources for coping with disordered eating. Some books that deal with anorexia can be triggering, and this one might best be read with caution depending on your personal issues, but I found it beautifully honest and sadly brave in its willingness to stare down and embrace the wolf.

I loved this book and read it twice! Literally started again as soon as I finished it. I don't know Moss's other work but will now seek it out. I admired this book's scope and vivid writing. The handling of eating disorders and body dysmorphia was outstanding and truly demands our attention.

There is just so much going on in the memoir! It is so much more than the story of a woman with an eating disorder. This book is told with so much detail and honesty, and it allows you to really feel the pain and emotion that Sarah suffers through. This story deals with women’s mental health, and how often it is disregarded in society as important, or even real. This is a must read!

Devastating and powerful. A deeply personal and reflective memoir about food and disordered eating; femininity; literature. Moss weaves these different narratives together so seamlessly and paints a vivid picture of what it is like to live in a world that is so concerned about the way others look.
Choosing to write from the second-person narrative, I feel, is always such a risky move and it can be very hit or miss but Moss knocks it out of the park. Her second-person narrative invites readers in for a more visceral and intimate feel.

Can't get over how wonderful this book is.

Thank you Farrar, Straus, and Giroux and NetGalley for the digital copy in exchange for an honest review! Available 10/22/2024.

Sarah Moss offers a memoir that feels both personal and universal, exploring the tangled relationship between food, body image, and the expectations placed on women. Growing up in the 1970s, Moss captures the pressures to conform—how society teaches girls to be ambitious yet small in every way.

What sets this memoir apart is her choice to write in the second person, which pulls you right into her experiences. It creates an almost palpable intimacy, allowing you to feel her struggles and the weight of those early messages about food and self-worth.

Moss doesn’t shy away from the darker moments, including her fraught relationship with her father, whom she refers to as the "owl." She deftly weaves in reflections on the literature that shaped her—works like *Jane Eyre* and stories of Laura Ingalls that both comforted and challenged her understanding of herself.

Her writing is rich with humor and heartbreak, making it a captivating read. This memoir is not just a recounting of a childhood; it’s a powerful meditation on resilience, identity, and the freedom that comes from telling your own story. Moss's voice is honest and compelling, making this an unforgettable book that lingers in your mind long after you’ve finished.