Starving for Attention

by Cherry Boone O'Neill

In this dramatic book, Cherry reveals the horrifying cycle that became her own flirtation with death. She tells of fasts, exercise, diet pills, gorging, forced vomiting and laxative abuse that became a routine and how, at age 21, she plummeted to 80 pounds, was hospitalized and, near death, still "felt fat". The true story of a desperate struggle for survival in the heart of Hollywood. Pat Boone's daughter triumphs over anorexia nervosa, and in this book tells how.

Genres: Memoir, Nonfiction, Psychology, Biography, Biography Memoir, Womens, Health

183 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1982

Reviews

[Susan Bailey · Rating 4 out of 5]

In my quest to learn more about what goes on in the mind of a sufferer of Anorexia Nervosa, I turned to this book after it was mentioned in Little Girl Blue: The Life of Karen Carpenter. I didn't expect much out of this book but I was quite surprised at candid the author was about her illness. It was the perfect follow-up to Little Girl Blue in that now I was getting into the mind of the person who had the disease.

O'Neill tiptoed around her parents which was one part of the book I found disappointing. In fact, she gave a tantalizing tease later in the book when she talked about her therapy but again, did not reveal any details. I was not interested in seeing her parents trashed in public (and it's obvious she loves her parents) but family interaction plays such a role in the disease that it was a critical part of the story that was missing.

I finally understand what an anorexic sees in the mirror. I never understood the whole distorted body image thing but O'Neill explained it very well. And while I was somewhat familiar with the obsessions and rituals that anorexics go through with food (having seen it in my own family), I was shocked at the self-abuse O'Neill imposed on herself. It's a miracle she didn't suffer more permanent health consequences from the things she did. She spared no detail which made for some rough reading. I learned a lot from reading it.

I was convinced that O'Neill wrote this book to help others. Why else would you lay out your life in that way? It certainly was not going to do her reputation any good for people to know such intimidate details. O'Neill had shared her manuscript with Karen Carpenter hoping it would help her, and she also befriended Carpenter.

O'Neill's insights are sharp and clear. I never felt like her story was self-indulgent in any way. Her husband came off as human, struggling to understand the disease as she did. They both, however also came off as courageous and committed to O'Neill's recovery.

Do not be put off because O'Neill is a Christian or because she is Pat Boone's daughter. This is not squeaky clean reading by any means. There is no "miracle;" instead there is hard work, failure, and climbing back up the hill yet again to recovery.

A key factor to O'Neill's recovery was her ability to turn her focus to others and away from herself. A mission trip to Hawaii with her husband that was only supposed to last two months lasted two years and had an amazing healing effect. This was no vacation; there was a lot of hard work involved. But that focus on the welfare of others really made a difference in her life.

I enjoyed hearing from her parents in their letters at the end of the book, and especially from her husband Dan and her therapist, Dr. Vath. Dan O'Neill employed the use of Elisabeth Kubler-Ross' stages of grief (for death or a terminal illness) to describe his and Cherry's journey through anorexia. It was most enlightening. And Dr. Vath provided much needed medical input which was easy to read and understand.

I recommend this book if you have a loved one with this terrible disease. I have found it very helpful in deepening my understanding of my family member and our family in general.

[Lenny Husen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this in 1982-1984.
This is a good book, and memorable, just because it is so awful--I found Cherry's lack of insight extremely disturbing and creepy, while at the same time I did not judge or blame her for her disease, and I certainly sympathized with her disease.
What I remember regarding this book is a heartfelt memoir of having an Eating Disorder, and a whole lot of Self-Blame. She seemed to blame herself for not being perfect enough, for her inept doctors inability to diagnose her, she saw no problem in their praise of her for losing weight (when she was able to lose enough weight to be noticed) and conforming to their standards. She implies that she needed or required the forgiveness of Jesus or God to recover, and laments the grief she caused her father.
Knowing nothing else about her father, I hated him, based on Cherry's groveling words regarding him.
Who should read this: I think I would only say folks like me who are compelled by memoirs about Eating Disorders--I wouldn't actually recommend it for those suffering and not ready yet for recovery, because it might be triggering. It is a sad book--to me, I think she ends it on a slightly desperate sounding "everything is fine now because I found Jesus and my Daddy loves me" note.

[Margot Note]

1) I have a morbid fascination with anorexia memoirs.
2) Cherry grew up in a home in which you couldn't lock doors, and she was spanked as punishment until she was 18.
3) When she got married, her husband spanked her (for punishment) too.

[Robyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Found this book cleaning up the guest bedroom bookshelves of my late grandmother, who used to be a high school librarian. I'd heard of Pat Boone & his music, even though he was waaay before my time (or my parents' time), but it was interesting to read on the life of his oldest daughter, Cherry, since as the oldest she's expected to be so perfect (understandable, since I'm an oldest child), & her dad wants the family to be good role-models, not just in the music & entertainment world, but also as part of the church & community. I read this during a time in my life when trying to find my own niche & calling, & Cherry does a good job describing how she got thru that as well.

[Mom · Rating 5 out of 5]

An old book, written in the 1980's. Book about anorexia as well as binging & purging. It was one of the first written at that time about this subject matter. Author is the daughter of Pat Boone. What was once hypothetical & experimental when this book was written, has now become the approved course of treatment for these diseases.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Detailed, highly disturbing and very accurate account of one woman's experience deep, deep in the throes of anorexia and bulimia. O'Neill is so honest, her obsession so shockingly bizarre that it makes for a painful read. Fortunately, there is a happy ending though it is an exhausting journey to get there. (And that's just for the reader!)

[brie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read almost every eating disorder memoir out there, and this was one of my favorites.

[Debby · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very open and honest look into life with an eating disorder and being the daughter of Pat Boone. This is a very good book!

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good book to read to learn about eating disorders and about the "control" issue it seems to center around.

[Sandra Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a inspiring to show everyone can get help with eating disorders. No matter if your famous or not everyone needs help sometime.

[Connie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'd forgotten that I'd read this back in the 80s. Remember it being very good at the time.

[Dani · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very intense, dramatic true story of a girl's struggle with anorexia and how she survived. I have read this book so many times and every time, I am inspired.

[Strawberry Witch · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s not always easy for me to articulate why I like a book. Certainly, this book is not particularly well-written, it’s dated, and, if you have or have had an eating disorder, it’s triggering af. She talks about numbers on pretty much every single page (82 lbs at her lowest; 140 at her highest, at a height of 5’7”). But I love it. I’ve read this book dozens of times. It was published in 1982, before anorexia was a widespread phenomenon; before we had the internet. Poor Cherry had to do it up old school.
Re-reading this book for the nth time today, I felt really sorry for her. Her parents were very loving, but extremely strict. None of her family or friends, while supportive, really understood her struggles. Her husband just seems like a controlling jerkwad who made her worse. She has exactly nine appointments with a therapist, about ten years into her illness, after she’s gotten married. Why did no one think to get her to therapy at any other point? I mean, I know therapy wasn’t as popular then as it is now, but they pretty much just had her pray and cry.
I like the little references to things we don’t have anymore, like Estracal, Metrecal, saccharine tablets, morals.
Anyway.
At the end of the book, she gets better and gets her period back and has a baby and says she’s cured. I highly doubt that, but, hey, at least she was pretending she was recovered.
I mean, this is no Wasted, but it has a very special place in my hungry, hungry heart.

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a quick read. Cherry Boone O'Neill shares her life story of growing up in her dad's shadow. Its the story of growing up in show business and the limelight. Cherry tried to be perfect and in doing that it lead to an eating disorder that she tried to hide from her family and in the process nearly cost her her life. I enjoyed reading this journey of her life.

[Janet Holt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 4
Read for Internship

[Taitum · Rating 4 out of 5]

The time that this story took place was the 70's and through out the 80's. The main "character" of this memoir is Cherry Boone O'Neill. Cherry wanted to write a memoir to help others with anorexia nervosa. Some significant events that happened in her life is that she had anorexia for ten years. She learned to love herself when most of her life she tought herself to not like herself. She had a child and a husband. There were parts in the book where i lost interest. It was mainly at the end of the bookwhen youn read about what others think about Cherry's anorexia. Like her parents and other important people in her life. Some good things about the book was how she told her story. Basically the book was good but it could have been a little more intersesting. In would recommend this book if you are into learning and reading about illnesses.

[Teandra Knapp · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a sad but true story of the life of anorexia. I would recommend this book to people living with someone who has anorexia or a family member of someone who has it. I would NOT recommend this book to someone struggling with anorexia. This book goes into extreme detail about what this person did to lose weight and I believe could impede the healing process in someone still struggling with anorexia. A great book with real life insight into the life of an anorexic.

[Deanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I actually read this book in middle school and wrote a report on it. I remember it made quite an impact on me.

[Katrin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really great book!! Great reading! Shows realities and frustrations of this disesase.

[Erica · Rating 2 out of 5]

The ending was really boring. The whole book felt outdated.

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Revealing and story of a young woman who struggled with anorexia. Tragic but full of hope.

[Suzy]

I saw this book when mention when I read Little Girl Blue which was about Karen Carpenter. I always knew who Pat Boone was, but never heard his music. This was sad story about his daughter who struggled with Anorexia. Thankfully she got the help she needed and overcame it.