Eating the Shadow: A Memoir of Loss and Recovery

by C.L. Watson, Celia Watson Seupel

When CL Watson discovers that her brother, Carter, has topped 400 pounds and can no longer bathe himself, she decides to do something to save him. By turns hilarious, insightful, and moving, CL's true story about trying to save her brother from obesity is a journey into the very meaning of self-esteem. As children of alcoholics, both CL and her brother are at risk for addiction and depression. Even more frightening, CL's two boys are at risk, as well. "Addiction in the family is a cold shiver in the genes," says CL, "and the question sits in my consciousness like a cocked Will I find a way to break the cycle?" Eating the Shadow tells the story of how we consume illusion in search of nourishment, and how we discover healing in truth.

256 pages, Paperback

First published September 15, 2006

Reviews

[Leslie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is about a sister's attempt to save her mordibly obese brother who is dying from the medical complications of his obesity. As I read and read, waiting for him to start getting better, I realized it wasn't going to happen. He died. I thought, hey, it wasn't supposed to end this way. But the book is the story of real people, it isn't a movie or fairy tale. The lessons the author learns along the way, about her whole family's various addictions are very interesting. Someimtes she gets quite preachy and way off the subject, but it general, this was a good and very sad book.