Thinner Than Thou by Kit Reed

This book reminds me quite a bit of Harrison Bergeron by Kurt Vonnegut Jr. In the future america that Harrison lives in "equality" has taken on a whole new meaning. Average people are given handicaps so they do not perform better than below average people. A definete satire on what equality could mean. At the time it was written- the story reflected an america dealing with great issues of social change and equity and equality-for minorities and women and the uneducated. Thinner Than Thou is similar-in the fictional future america being such an extreme while at the same time eerily familiar-made modern with the current buzz of health, dieting and staying young. Thinner Than Thou is a satire for a future world where the new "religion" is being young and thin. It starts at birth and continues all of the way through to middle age-"old" people-(grandparents)-travel-and are never seen again. This religion of looking your best is enforced by law. The main characters are Annie-the anorexic and bulemic teenager who is trying to control her life by making her body perfect. Her parents find out her dirty little secret and sign her into a dedication sisters-nuns-hospital to cure her. Jeremy the ultra educated, ultra riche, over-weight accountant who wants desperately to succeed at being thin and young, voluntarily signs away his life to the leader of the Thinner Than Thou cult-Reverend Earl-thinking it will guarantee him a spot in the AfterFat (heaven). Kelly-who is a teenager who is too fat to walk who befriends Annie in the Dedicated Sisters ward. As well as Betz-Annies younger sister who is traveling with her twin-Danny and Annies boyfriend Dave to rescue Annie from the dedicated sisters "deds". This book is funny and sad. As unrealtistic as it is-an america with no civil rights at all-it is also eerily valid. How many people starve themselves in an attempt to reach an unreal, unattainable and unhealthy image? How many women and increasingly men hate themselves or feel like failures because of the way they look? We are bombarded all day everyday with perfect, thin, young, beautiful models and actors-who have been enhanced through surgery and photo/computer touch-ups to look perfect-setting the average person up for failure. The diet and excercise industry is billions of dollar a year industry. Yet-so is fast food and junk food. Americans are getting fatter as they spend billions of dollars in an attempt for a quick fix of this problem. I think this book addresses that unhealthy obsession in a humorous way.
~~~~Where ever you go, There you are!