This Mean Disease

The impact of anorexia nervosa on families can be devastating. Daniel Becker combines the innocent recollections of his childhood with the insightful observations of a mature adult in this story of his mother's 30-year obsession with food and her eventual death from anorexia nervosa. He provides an intimate portrayal of how he, his father, and his two brothers each struggled to balance their loyalty to Mom against the increasing awareness that only by separating from her could they ensure their own survival. Beginning with his earliest memory of her packing a suitcase to leave for the first of many hospitalizations, Daniel must reconcile his love for her with her repeated absences and bizarre behaviors. Part cautionary tale and part exploration of how a person with an eating disorder affects their family members, this biography is valuable reading for individual sufferers, their families, and those who treat them.