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I'll Have What She's Having: My Adventures in Celebrity Dieting
A hilarious look at the eating habits of the fit and famous--from Gwyneth's goji berry and quail egg concoctions to Jackie Kennedy's baked potato and Beluga caviar regimen--Rebecca Harrington leaves no cabbage soup unstirred in her wickedly funny, wildly absurd quest to diet like the stars.
Elizabeth Taylor mixed cottage cheese and sour cream; Madonna subsisted on "sea vegetables;" and Marilyn Monroe drank raw eggs whipped with warm milk. Where there is a Hollywood starlet offering nutritional advice, there is a diet Rebecca Harrington is willing to try. Facing a harrowing mix of fainting spells, pimples, and salmonella, Harrington tracks down illegal haggis to imitate Pippa Middleton, paces her apartment until the wee hours drinking ten Diet Cokes à la Karl Lagerfeld, and attempts something forbiddingly known as the "Salt Water Flush" to channel her inner Beyoncé. Rebecca Harrington risks kitchen fires and mysterious face rashes, all in the name of diet journalism. Taking cues from noted beauty icons like Posh Spice (alkaline!), Dolly Parton (Velveeta!), Sophia Loren (pasta!) and Cameron Diaz (savory oatmeal!), I'll Have What She's Having is completely surprising, occasionally unappetizing, and always outrageously funny.
Elizabeth Taylor mixed cottage cheese and sour cream; Madonna subsisted on "sea vegetables;" and Marilyn Monroe drank raw eggs whipped with warm milk. Where there is a Hollywood starlet offering nutritional advice, there is a diet Rebecca Harrington is willing to try. Facing a harrowing mix of fainting spells, pimples, and salmonella, Harrington tracks down illegal haggis to imitate Pippa Middleton, paces her apartment until the wee hours drinking ten Diet Cokes à la Karl Lagerfeld, and attempts something forbiddingly known as the "Salt Water Flush" to channel her inner Beyoncé. Rebecca Harrington risks kitchen fires and mysterious face rashes, all in the name of diet journalism. Taking cues from noted beauty icons like Posh Spice (alkaline!), Dolly Parton (Velveeta!), Sophia Loren (pasta!) and Cameron Diaz (savory oatmeal!), I'll Have What She's Having is completely surprising, occasionally unappetizing, and always outrageously funny.
164 pages, Paperback
First published January 6, 2015
75 people are currently reading
1833 people want to read
About the author
Rebecca Harrington
8 books133 followersRebecca Harrington is a writer living in New York City.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 471 reviews
February 15, 2016
Well that was a bit of fun!
Rebecca Harrington sort of/kind of follows the diet & exercise regimes of the rich & famous (& in some cases gullible. I would love to be thequack nutritionist earning good coin for some of the more bizarre ideas!)
Although Harrington has some odd ideas of her own (if she was serious) - self diagnosing a gluten allergy after coming off Gwyneth Paltrow's diet, for example.
The only diet I could follow long term would be Sophia Loren's - I mean it's pasta, like that's a hardship- but I could manage Jackie Kennedy's food for a week or so. My bank balance would struggle though!
Don't buy this though - even with all the blank pages & the cute pictures it only adds up to 164 pages. A book that's been on a successful diet maybe? Haha, I kill me!
Rebecca Harrington sort of/kind of follows the diet & exercise regimes of the rich & famous (& in some cases gullible. I would love to be the
Although Harrington has some odd ideas of her own (if she was serious) - self diagnosing a gluten allergy after coming off Gwyneth Paltrow's diet, for example.
The only diet I could follow long term would be Sophia Loren's - I mean it's pasta, like that's a hardship- but I could manage Jackie Kennedy's food for a week or so. My bank balance would struggle though!
Don't buy this though - even with all the blank pages & the cute pictures it only adds up to 164 pages. A book that's been on a successful diet maybe? Haha, I kill me!
Read
February 25, 2020I laughed so hard reading Harrington's piece "Mommy Can't Talk Right Now—She's Dopamine Fasting" that I immediately tracked down her book. Like Harrington, I often use myself as a guinea pig for theories, so this is just my kind of thing.
December 21, 2014
I love reading books about dieting(not to be mistaken with diet books). As someone who has tried a lot of different styles of eating I find it amusing when other people do the same. I am always curious about fad diets, but am consistently too lazy to pursue them myself, so reading about someone doing them for me is a perfect set up.
In all seriousness though I have struggled with my weight in the past so I find books about weight very interesting, although I lean more towards weight memoirs then doctor books. Ironically enough when I did lose my excess weight, it wasn't from the help of a book. However my love of these little gems will never fade.
This book is a series of short stories following the exploits of the authors attempts at various celebrity diets. I found her to be funny and amusing and enjoyed all of these stories, I do feel like this content might fit better in a blog but this is still a quick and interesting read. 3.5/5
Note: I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
Disclaimer: No pounds were lost during the reading of this book. :P
August 8, 2014
Hugely disappointed by the laziness of this, squandering a brilliant concept. It's basically Harrington's New York Magazine's articles lumped together with no editing or additions.
Full review available on Bibliodaze.
http://t.co/GyuJ6LSKf5
Full review available on Bibliodaze.
http://t.co/GyuJ6LSKf5
May 31, 2018
This book had some very interesting facts and entertaining tidbits of celebrity weirdness, but I found the author’s writing a bit bland and amateur. It was a decent book for reading before bed.
August 24, 2014
ARC for review.
Really only one and a half stars....these types of books can be done well (see Julie Julia and the recent Jennifer Gwyneth Me) but this one.....I knew I was in trouble from the first chapter when she talks about her admiration of Gwyneth Paltrow and how her very favorite movie is..."A Perfect Murder". Wasn't that some horrible knock-off of "Dial M for Murder"? I'm of the firm belief that world can be divided into those who read "Goop" and sane people.
In addition, Harrington never met an exclamation point she didn't love, a huge pet peeve. Her bio says she's a Harvard and Columbia graduate, but those schools must have left her plenty of time to become totally immersed in celebrity culture and/or be so desperate for a book contract that she agreed to do this. Here's a bit of what you can expect.....in the chapter titled "I Tried Madonna's Diet" (note that she generally "tries" these diets for about three to four days) she notes, "I was so scared of this DVD the whole week that I actually hid it in my couch. Finally, I find it in my couch and play it. It is so hard! It involves doing push-ups with your feet on a chair."
Clearly this book was written for girls (and I use that term on purpose) whose idea of "reading" is catching up on Cosmo or Us Weekly (because, seriously you guys? Sometimes People has stories about people with cancer! Yuck!). No. Just no.
Really only one and a half stars....these types of books can be done well (see Julie Julia and the recent Jennifer Gwyneth Me) but this one.....I knew I was in trouble from the first chapter when she talks about her admiration of Gwyneth Paltrow and how her very favorite movie is..."A Perfect Murder". Wasn't that some horrible knock-off of "Dial M for Murder"? I'm of the firm belief that world can be divided into those who read "Goop" and sane people.
In addition, Harrington never met an exclamation point she didn't love, a huge pet peeve. Her bio says she's a Harvard and Columbia graduate, but those schools must have left her plenty of time to become totally immersed in celebrity culture and/or be so desperate for a book contract that she agreed to do this. Here's a bit of what you can expect.....in the chapter titled "I Tried Madonna's Diet" (note that she generally "tries" these diets for about three to four days) she notes, "I was so scared of this DVD the whole week that I actually hid it in my couch. Finally, I find it in my couch and play it. It is so hard! It involves doing push-ups with your feet on a chair."
Clearly this book was written for girls (and I use that term on purpose) whose idea of "reading" is catching up on Cosmo or Us Weekly (because, seriously you guys? Sometimes People has stories about people with cancer! Yuck!). No. Just no.
February 10, 2015
This was a hilarious quick read perfect for secret readers of People magazine and US weekly.
May 4, 2022
This book is ridiculous. This author is ridiculous. And celebrity diets are the most ridiculous of them all! Yet, I enjoyed reading this book much more than I thought I would. It was the perfect light & humorous palate cleanser after weeks of reading much deeper & heavier themed books.
September 26, 2022
I laughed out loud and cringed. Conclusion: I don’t believe any celebrity actually eats the way they say they do in their diet books all the time. Ultimately it comes down to your genes and how much money you have (for personal chefs and trainers, to devote hours to exercise, plastic surgery, and to lie around because you are too weak from the lack of calories you’ve had).
June 25, 2018
Rebecca is a talented writer with clear prose and a sense of humor, which makes this book all the more disappointing. I'm all for breezy beach reads, but when discussing eating habits and celebrity diets, the author completely abdicates her responsibilities to vulnerable readers, not to mention her critical thinking abilities. This book could be seriously dangerous for anybody with an eating disorder. It should be marked with a pro-ana trigger warning. Furthermore, she left so much potential on the table, which is just frustrating because the topic is so rich and so zeitgeisty. A cursory summary at the end does precious little.
The book is ostensibly about the author's journey, but the author presents herself as an empty cipher, like a dietetic rice cake. There's no meaningful exploration of her own personal journey with weight or why she'd want to diet. She doesn't even share her body type, so you don't know if she begins the book overweight or is just a skinny girl who feels the need to get skinnier (a worthy discussion in itself, which was, of course, ignored).
I listened to this book on audio loan from the library, and it went down like a Diet Coke: smooth and sweet with a nasty aftertaste. I seriously want to take the author, shake her by the shoulders and say, "Why are you wasting your privilege, your talent and your platform on such drivel?!?! Get out there and do some actual good in the world! At least, stop writing in First Person till you grow the courage to be honest with your readers!"
If you want an honest, well-written and throughly more entertaining first person confessional, skip this and instead read Cat Marnell's How to Murder Your Life. That book is still problematic, but at least honestly so.
The book is ostensibly about the author's journey, but the author presents herself as an empty cipher, like a dietetic rice cake. There's no meaningful exploration of her own personal journey with weight or why she'd want to diet. She doesn't even share her body type, so you don't know if she begins the book overweight or is just a skinny girl who feels the need to get skinnier (a worthy discussion in itself, which was, of course, ignored).
I listened to this book on audio loan from the library, and it went down like a Diet Coke: smooth and sweet with a nasty aftertaste. I seriously want to take the author, shake her by the shoulders and say, "Why are you wasting your privilege, your talent and your platform on such drivel?!?! Get out there and do some actual good in the world! At least, stop writing in First Person till you grow the courage to be honest with your readers!"
If you want an honest, well-written and throughly more entertaining first person confessional, skip this and instead read Cat Marnell's How to Murder Your Life. That book is still problematic, but at least honestly so.
February 12, 2015
Light as souffle, and super fun, I'll have What She's Having is not without some meat. Chapters are divided by celebrities including: Gwynneth, Maddona, Liz, Jacki O and President Taft. Harrington ties a running commentary of each diet attempt with insight into that person's life. She hosts many dinner parties in which she foists her current meal plan ( such as quail, haggis or brown rice with kale and lentils..) onto her friends.
The person per chapter format makes it a wonderful book for vacation, lunchtime, the doctor's office or a quick read before bed. For me, it was such a good time, I consumed it too quickly and miss it already. My rating might be generous, but it was the right book at the right time.
The person per chapter format makes it a wonderful book for vacation, lunchtime, the doctor's office or a quick read before bed. For me, it was such a good time, I consumed it too quickly and miss it already. My rating might be generous, but it was the right book at the right time.
April 14, 2015
people who don't like this book are probably really boring
February 20, 2015
Funny but reading them all in a book got a bit tiresome. I can see why it works better as a column.
June 15, 2017
I suppose I should be thankful that this filled up the empty minutes while I was waiting for the dentist, but I am mostly not: Harrington can clearly write, but this is trite, repetitive fluff. I have a weakness for those "I put myself through ridiculous, artificial situations/constraints" books--thanks, AJ Jacobs--but, appropriately enough for a book about dieting, this is way too light and insubstantial.
July 18, 2022
Short and sweet audiobook, only about 2.5 hours. I liked the author's narration, but I thought it was strange how she randomly started venting about how offensive the word "lady" is (Cameron Diaz uses that word a lot in her Body Book apparently)... lol
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March 10, 2015The hardest line for me to write of a review is the first. Always, every time, I struggle to find the right words to capture the essence of the capture of the book I am trying to express. So, week after week, I open my review explaining how I got to be reading a particular book...
This week is no different. I found the author Rebecca Harrington through her hilarious series in NY Mag in which she trials the different almost always crazy diets of the stars. It's got everything - bizarre mixes of sour cream and cottage cheese (why, the seventies, why?), poking gentle fun at the stars, and loving Gwenyth the way she should be loved. I then read her novel, Penelope, which I liked a lot but did not love (which, by the way, is better than many of the books I read, which so often bore, infuriate and frustrate me that if I added up the first 50 pages of books I then either threw at the wall or calmly returned to the library, I'd read about 300 books a year). I periodically kept checking the NY Mag series and it was with delight that I discovered Harrington would be writing a book based on her adventures in celebrity dieting.
"Yipee!" I said, and immediately requested that my lovely local library purchase a copy. They did, and I impatiently waited for it to arrive, refreshing the "reservation" screen every time I hit a roadblock in my own writing (read: quite often). The "your item is in stock" notification came in, I picked up the book and I was kind of disappointed.
Firstly, the book is tiny.
It's just slightly taller than a DVD case but a bit thinner. Not very substantial in modern publishing terms.
The opening was great:
I have always noticed diets. Diets are everywhere. You can't be a woman and not think you need to go on a diet or get a face transplant. Preferably the face of a famous person so that you can never get lost. But noticing diets is completely different from doing many of them in succession. Who would do that? Me. Here is the story.
The premise of the book is that Harrington purchases a celebrity's diet book (or that of their personal chef) as well as the book/DVD of their exercise plan. The first one is Gwenyth's, which is (unsurprisingly) completely fab and incredibly ridiculously expensive. The celebrities go from Classic Hollywood (Greta Garbo was a notorious calorie counter who followed fad diets her entire life; she ate a ridiculously disgusting celery pie), Classical-ish Hollywood (Elizabeth Taylor is "an excellent broad with really bad taste in food") through to modern hardcore dieters like Elizabeth Hurley ("I wish I could stop finding diets that Liz Hurley has done. Then I could stop this nightmare" - Harrington only lasted four days following Hurley's punishing routine). It's really funny! Harrington is able to effectively identify the ridiculousness of celebrity lifestyles while gently and affectionately poking fun at the celebrities and those of us who emulate their lifestyles. The thing is, it's just her NY Mag series printed in a book. Other than a few extra celeb diets (maybe three or four?), there's nothing in here that I couldn't get from the mag itself. So, I would absolutely recommend this book, but I would also find it hard to explain why they should pay for content that they can just get for free from the Internet.
Finally, one thing that I found really disconcerting was the typesetting of the book. There were really huge gaps between each paragraph:
Usually that indicates a new section but it didn't here - they were all consisently that size. It was weird and annoying.
Overall, a funny book but with some major flaws. Three stars, but Rebecca, I would come to any of your dinner parties any time! Let's be friends :)
(photographs here: http://hereiread.blogspot.com.au/2015... )
This week is no different. I found the author Rebecca Harrington through her hilarious series in NY Mag in which she trials the different almost always crazy diets of the stars. It's got everything - bizarre mixes of sour cream and cottage cheese (why, the seventies, why?), poking gentle fun at the stars, and loving Gwenyth the way she should be loved. I then read her novel, Penelope, which I liked a lot but did not love (which, by the way, is better than many of the books I read, which so often bore, infuriate and frustrate me that if I added up the first 50 pages of books I then either threw at the wall or calmly returned to the library, I'd read about 300 books a year). I periodically kept checking the NY Mag series and it was with delight that I discovered Harrington would be writing a book based on her adventures in celebrity dieting.
"Yipee!" I said, and immediately requested that my lovely local library purchase a copy. They did, and I impatiently waited for it to arrive, refreshing the "reservation" screen every time I hit a roadblock in my own writing (read: quite often). The "your item is in stock" notification came in, I picked up the book and I was kind of disappointed.
Firstly, the book is tiny.
It's just slightly taller than a DVD case but a bit thinner. Not very substantial in modern publishing terms.
The opening was great:
I have always noticed diets. Diets are everywhere. You can't be a woman and not think you need to go on a diet or get a face transplant. Preferably the face of a famous person so that you can never get lost. But noticing diets is completely different from doing many of them in succession. Who would do that? Me. Here is the story.
The premise of the book is that Harrington purchases a celebrity's diet book (or that of their personal chef) as well as the book/DVD of their exercise plan. The first one is Gwenyth's, which is (unsurprisingly) completely fab and incredibly ridiculously expensive. The celebrities go from Classic Hollywood (Greta Garbo was a notorious calorie counter who followed fad diets her entire life; she ate a ridiculously disgusting celery pie), Classical-ish Hollywood (Elizabeth Taylor is "an excellent broad with really bad taste in food") through to modern hardcore dieters like Elizabeth Hurley ("I wish I could stop finding diets that Liz Hurley has done. Then I could stop this nightmare" - Harrington only lasted four days following Hurley's punishing routine). It's really funny! Harrington is able to effectively identify the ridiculousness of celebrity lifestyles while gently and affectionately poking fun at the celebrities and those of us who emulate their lifestyles. The thing is, it's just her NY Mag series printed in a book. Other than a few extra celeb diets (maybe three or four?), there's nothing in here that I couldn't get from the mag itself. So, I would absolutely recommend this book, but I would also find it hard to explain why they should pay for content that they can just get for free from the Internet.
Finally, one thing that I found really disconcerting was the typesetting of the book. There were really huge gaps between each paragraph:
Usually that indicates a new section but it didn't here - they were all consisently that size. It was weird and annoying.
Overall, a funny book but with some major flaws. Three stars, but Rebecca, I would come to any of your dinner parties any time! Let's be friends :)
(photographs here: http://hereiread.blogspot.com.au/2015... )
January 8, 2015
Happy New Year! Who's starting 2015 off with a diet? EVERYONE, right? Well, you might want to check out one of these fabulous celebrity diets that Rebecca Harrington serves up in I'LL HAVE WHAT SHE'S HAVING: My Adventures In Celebrity Dieting (VintageAnchor). Rebecca tries out the diets of fourteen celebrities, so you can pick what you think will work best for you. Just so you know, Rebecca is quite the funny one and writes the most clever anecdotes, so this whole thing is lots of fun. You'll be laughing your head off while you're starving! Ha, ha!
Her first celeb? Miss Perfect herself, Gwyneth Paltrow! Rebecca buys her cookbooks, workout DVDs and basically finds out its all about expensive foods, kale and heavy on Tracy Anderson "abuse." By day ten, Rebecca writes "I have consciously uncoupled from the Gwyneth diet and lost four pounds in the process." The take away: a great way to live if you can afford it.
Next? Elizabeth Taylor who in 1960 was the world's most beautiful woman. Rebecca tells us she's a big believer in daily "controlled pig-outs" and totally ambivalent about exercise - standing on your toes will work. That I could do if it didn't involve so much peanut butter and bacon! Rebecca goes on Liz's diet for fifteen days, loses six pounds and finds herself hungrier than ever.
We find out Karl Lagerfeld drinks up to 10 diet Cokes a day and still is able to sleep seven hours nightly. Marilyn Monroe loved raw eggs. Cameron Diaz can eat whatever she wants but still wrote "The Body Book." She's a huge advocate of drinking water and eating kale! Then there's Madonna who has been on a very strict macrobiotic diet, basically only sea vegetables forever, and her workout regimen is legendary. Is Madonna's diet hard? DUH! We can ALL skip that one! All hail M!
The fun doesn't stop with Madge. Rebecca keeps on her diet-athon making you thrilled you're not the one doing it, but laughing along the way. Just wondering... Have you tried kale? I have and I don't like it. I don't care if it's IN. I'm not putting it in my mouth - ever again. There are other much more flavorful types of lettuce. That's my one personal comment for this story.
Thanks to Netgalley http://www.netgalley.com and Vintage Books http://www.knopfdoubleday.com for a kindle copy of I'LL HAVE WHAT SHE'S HAVING for an honest review. You can also read Rebecca's weekly column, "The Cut" at New York Magazine on-line at http://www.nymag.com/thecut/ Go to http://www.cindyroesel.com to read more of my reviews and news about my novel "Viewer Discretion Advised."
I'LL HAVE WHAT SHE'S HAVING: My Adventures In Celebrity Dieting will be published January 15th so now is the perfect time to pre-order your copy on-line or from your local bookstore.
Wishing all my wonderful readers a happy and healthy 2015
Her first celeb? Miss Perfect herself, Gwyneth Paltrow! Rebecca buys her cookbooks, workout DVDs and basically finds out its all about expensive foods, kale and heavy on Tracy Anderson "abuse." By day ten, Rebecca writes "I have consciously uncoupled from the Gwyneth diet and lost four pounds in the process." The take away: a great way to live if you can afford it.
Next? Elizabeth Taylor who in 1960 was the world's most beautiful woman. Rebecca tells us she's a big believer in daily "controlled pig-outs" and totally ambivalent about exercise - standing on your toes will work. That I could do if it didn't involve so much peanut butter and bacon! Rebecca goes on Liz's diet for fifteen days, loses six pounds and finds herself hungrier than ever.
We find out Karl Lagerfeld drinks up to 10 diet Cokes a day and still is able to sleep seven hours nightly. Marilyn Monroe loved raw eggs. Cameron Diaz can eat whatever she wants but still wrote "The Body Book." She's a huge advocate of drinking water and eating kale! Then there's Madonna who has been on a very strict macrobiotic diet, basically only sea vegetables forever, and her workout regimen is legendary. Is Madonna's diet hard? DUH! We can ALL skip that one! All hail M!
The fun doesn't stop with Madge. Rebecca keeps on her diet-athon making you thrilled you're not the one doing it, but laughing along the way. Just wondering... Have you tried kale? I have and I don't like it. I don't care if it's IN. I'm not putting it in my mouth - ever again. There are other much more flavorful types of lettuce. That's my one personal comment for this story.
Thanks to Netgalley http://www.netgalley.com and Vintage Books http://www.knopfdoubleday.com for a kindle copy of I'LL HAVE WHAT SHE'S HAVING for an honest review. You can also read Rebecca's weekly column, "The Cut" at New York Magazine on-line at http://www.nymag.com/thecut/ Go to http://www.cindyroesel.com to read more of my reviews and news about my novel "Viewer Discretion Advised."
I'LL HAVE WHAT SHE'S HAVING: My Adventures In Celebrity Dieting will be published January 15th so now is the perfect time to pre-order your copy on-line or from your local bookstore.
Wishing all my wonderful readers a happy and healthy 2015
March 20, 2015
I would give this five stars for writing style, but only three for content. Was it a life changing memoir or reflection on food and dieting throughout time? Absolutely not. But it was a witty and quirky fast read that made me giggle. So, points for that. (Points people, not review stars.)
Chronicling and following(ish) the diets of 15(ish) celebrities couldn't have been easy. Following some of their lifestyle tips at the same time, well that maybe made it easier? Or harder, depending on said tip. (I for one, would not want to follow the 2-hrs a day cardio dance routine that Gwyneth follows.). Sophia Loren and her pasta, dolly and her cabbage soup, Karl and his...nothing?, posh spice and her...nothing?, and even Madonna's whacky macrobiotic nuts and berries and Beyonce's master cleanse...these are just a handful of the undertakings explained here.
Of course, no diet was followed to the letter, but after reading about them, I hope to god the origami person didn't follow them to the letter either. I like meat, but only meat all day every day? No way.
I don't think I need to tell you the concluding thoughts. You've heard it before: pizza.
Chronicling and following(ish) the diets of 15(ish) celebrities couldn't have been easy. Following some of their lifestyle tips at the same time, well that maybe made it easier? Or harder, depending on said tip. (I for one, would not want to follow the 2-hrs a day cardio dance routine that Gwyneth follows.). Sophia Loren and her pasta, dolly and her cabbage soup, Karl and his...nothing?, posh spice and her...nothing?, and even Madonna's whacky macrobiotic nuts and berries and Beyonce's master cleanse...these are just a handful of the undertakings explained here.
Of course, no diet was followed to the letter, but after reading about them, I hope to god the origami person didn't follow them to the letter either. I like meat, but only meat all day every day? No way.
I don't think I need to tell you the concluding thoughts. You've heard it before: pizza.
February 7, 2015
To be fair, I should say that at 58, I am probably 45 years too old for this book, written by a 29-year old who (incorrectly) uses "literally" at least eight times in this slim, slight book. There are also several "awesomes," many exclamation points, and unapologetic worship of Gwyneth Paltrow's nutrition advice and the memoir of Posh Spice. Although the concept is interesting -- how do famous women eat? - Harrington's style struck me as more like a series of cute Facebook posts than of a book.
June 13, 2016
I'd give this book a 2.5-2.75.
I love the concept of learning about past and present celebrity diets and exercise regimens to stay their thin fabulous selves. And how Rebecca tried quite a few out herself would have been interesting but I felt like she flew through each one way too quickly and without enough description.
The most positive thing I can say is she is a much braver person than I for trying all those crazy diets and if I learned anything from this book is it is best for your own sanity to eat healthy, exercise regularly and to thank god you don't live in the public eye!
I love the concept of learning about past and present celebrity diets and exercise regimens to stay their thin fabulous selves. And how Rebecca tried quite a few out herself would have been interesting but I felt like she flew through each one way too quickly and without enough description.
The most positive thing I can say is she is a much braver person than I for trying all those crazy diets and if I learned anything from this book is it is best for your own sanity to eat healthy, exercise regularly and to thank god you don't live in the public eye!
June 10, 2015
Read this one in a single sitting yesterday evening (it's short), as I didn't want to put it down. Seems some readers hated it, but I thought Harrington was funny as hell! Yes, it's a compiled series of blog entries, and yes, she only tried each diet for a few days, but you get the idea what they're like. Most of my Goodreads friends should like this book ... unless, of course, they end up hating it.
February 17, 2021
I'll Have What She's Having: My Adventures in Celebrity Dieting is a fun romp through the insanity that is celebrity diets. Rebecca Harrington tries everything from Karl Lagerfeld's (it includes a winter and a summer option) to Elizabeth Taylor's (all the yucks). Originally a collection of essays for New York Magazine, this works as a great palate cleanser when the news is too much and a reminder that diets—even when touted by Gwyneth Paltrow—don't work.
May 3, 2015
While I enjoyed the anecdotes of the celebrity whom's diet she was trying at the time; I had one big problem with this book. In my opinion, trying a diet for 3-10 days (Mostly, she did the diet for 3 days), is not trying a diet. Of course you are not losing any weight, you are not even trying. Quick read though if you need something to read while in a waiting room or on the train to work.
September 25, 2020
This is a cute book, although it doesn't really translate to today's world. It's amazing how things change in just a few short years. But it goes to show, that with dieting the more things change the more they really stay the same. It's the same diets repackaged. I liked Harrington's snarky outlook on her experiences.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy .
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy .
October 15, 2019
In my late teens, my rowing crew decided to go lightweight. It was my introduction to the TJ Miracle Diet. Also known as the cabbage soup diet. Also known as the Dolly Parton diet. I don't know how successful cabbage soup was for Dolly but for me, during regatta weeks, the diet worked alarmingly well (like 3-5kgs well). I'm quite sure that within twelve months I had done irreparable damage to my metabolism.My crew never had any success in the lightweight division.
Any time I see the details of diets that cut out whole food groups, or put foods in bizarre combinations, I'm taken back to the TJ Miracle Soup and the vile smell of overcooked cabbage. So it was with morbid curiosity that I read Rebecca Harrington's I'll Have What She's Having . Harrington spent several months trialling celebrity diets, eating like Gwyneth, Beyoncé, Marilyn, Karl Lagerfield and more.
Of all the celebrity diets Harrington tests, a few stand out, particularly the chapter on Elizabeth Taylor.
But, as Harrington notes, all great eras in history must come to an end, and when Taylor had to lose some pounds, she penned a diet book, Elizabeth Takes Off .
What follows is weeks of horrible food combinations - cottage cheese with sour cream over fruit, steak with peanut butter, and Harrington alienating most people she knew with a blue cheese, shallot and boiled egg mixture. Although this would prove to be not as bad as Greta Garbo's celery loaf, which '...smells like I just put vomit in a baking pan and baked it for thirty minutes.'
But enough about the celebrities, what about the writing? First up, it's a great concept. Mad but great. Harrington's dry humour and fabulous pop culture references are evident throughout. For example, she holidays with her family at Cape Cod during one diet and says -
But as witty as she is, it's not enough to sustain the book. Some of the diets fizzle after days, others have little detail, and I was left thinking that this whole thing should have been a feature article rather than a book. Furthermore, the structure, with each chapter dedicated to a different celebrity, is obvious and repetitive.
Conclusions? 'Put eggs where they don't need to be. Make seeds into falafel.' Other than that, Harrington does believe she gained understanding about people by eating like them - even if that understanding is that they are totally bananas. And no, I don't think she lost any weight.
2.5/5 Skim only.
Any time I see the details of diets that cut out whole food groups, or put foods in bizarre combinations, I'm taken back to the TJ Miracle Soup and the vile smell of overcooked cabbage. So it was with morbid curiosity that I read Rebecca Harrington's I'll Have What She's Having . Harrington spent several months trialling celebrity diets, eating like Gwyneth, Beyoncé, Marilyn, Karl Lagerfield and more.
Their nutritional regimens are now part of the business of being a celebrity. In our current antigluten, GMO-phobic culture, this often means celebrities must espouse a 'healthy', 'non-processed' lifestyle, even if they actually keep their bodies in shape with a combination of excellent genes and cigarettes.
Of all the celebrity diets Harrington tests, a few stand out, particularly the chapter on Elizabeth Taylor.
In 1960, when she was generally considered to be the most beautiful woman in the world, Elizabeth Taylor's daily diet consisted of the following: scrambled eggs, bacon, and a mimosa for breakfast. A hollowed-out piece of French bread filled with peanut butter and bacon for lunch. And for dinner, a feast: fried chicken, peas, biscuits, gravy, mashed potatoes, corn bread, homemade potato chips, trifle, and a tumbler full of Jack Daniel's.
But, as Harrington notes, all great eras in history must come to an end, and when Taylor had to lose some pounds, she penned a diet book, Elizabeth Takes Off .
How could a woman who appreciated the best of everything - food, furs, men, diamonds - create a bad diet? She couldn't, or so I thought.
What follows is weeks of horrible food combinations - cottage cheese with sour cream over fruit, steak with peanut butter, and Harrington alienating most people she knew with a blue cheese, shallot and boiled egg mixture. Although this would prove to be not as bad as Greta Garbo's celery loaf, which '...smells like I just put vomit in a baking pan and baked it for thirty minutes.'
But enough about the celebrities, what about the writing? First up, it's a great concept. Mad but great. Harrington's dry humour and fabulous pop culture references are evident throughout. For example, she holidays with her family at Cape Cod during one diet and says -
I go to the beach and stare into the ocean, thinking about food and how much I miss it. This must be the opposite of how Taylor Swift feels when she is in Cape Cod.
But as witty as she is, it's not enough to sustain the book. Some of the diets fizzle after days, others have little detail, and I was left thinking that this whole thing should have been a feature article rather than a book. Furthermore, the structure, with each chapter dedicated to a different celebrity, is obvious and repetitive.
Conclusions? 'Put eggs where they don't need to be. Make seeds into falafel.' Other than that, Harrington does believe she gained understanding about people by eating like them - even if that understanding is that they are totally bananas. And no, I don't think she lost any weight.
2.5/5 Skim only.
April 22, 2017
I didn't dislike this book and might have given it 3 stars if the author hadn't gushed so much about Gwyneth Paltrow (I am not a fan of GP at all). The lighthearted writing style was cute and matched the concept of the book. However, this felt like a missed opportunity with its celebrity idolatry and the let's give them a break because it's hard to be in the spotlight assertion. Often these diets are harmful and celebrities are looked to as experts in health and fitness. The author concedes that many of the recipes were created for the celebrity by a chef but provides no analysis on the importance of working with professionals. Maybe I would have enjoyed this more if in conclusion the author would have explored why she did not maintain her weight loss from any of the diets, actually assessed her observations about the journey, and worked less to glorify celebrities and their diets. The final thought was basically a shrug - "I don't know why I didn't keep the weight off" and wanting to be like Gwyneth (ew). In the end, this book would have been more fun as fiction similar to Bridget Jones' Diary.
March 31, 2024
I feel conflicted saying that I really liked this book because this undertaking of wacky celebrity diets is not something to pursue. Some of these diets are basically starvation and/or extremely disordered eating.
My favorite chapter is the final chapter in which Rebecca Harrington talks about the pervasiveness of diet culture.
The author is quiet funny, and she does a good job of narrating. The biggest issue I had with the book is the author's decoration to scam queen Gwyneth Paltrow.
My favorite chapter is the final chapter in which Rebecca Harrington talks about the pervasiveness of diet culture.
The author is quiet funny, and she does a good job of narrating. The biggest issue I had with the book is the author's decoration to scam queen Gwyneth Paltrow.
April 6, 2025
A half assed attempt at documenting celebrity diets. She’s a funny writer and I appreciate the effort — for sure a fun concept. Read 163 pages in 24 hours. Didn’t do herself justice. Could’ve been a smidge more interesting had she tried harder. Perhaps the lack of effort is just a commentary on a deeper societal issues regarding celebrities and their insane need to look unrealistic? Perhaps Im looking too deeply at something that’s just not there lol
October 1, 2017
3.5: This was surprisingly fun!! Rebecca Harrington tries a dozen celebrity diets/eating habits. I enjoyed the great descriptions of all the funky foods she encountered in her trials. That said, this was only 150 pages and way too brief to be an entire book. Perhaps a blog or article series would have been more appropriate.
January 23, 2023
This book was such a delight! The writing was funny, it was light hearted but still interesting, and I was fully into reading the author's obsessions with her dieting subjects. Probably the only problem was putting it down as I wanted to read "just one more" diet.
Now I'm totally interested in reading some of Rebecca Harrington's fiction too.
Now I'm totally interested in reading some of Rebecca Harrington's fiction too.
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