Landwhale

On Turning Insults Into Nicknames, Why Body Image Is Hard, and How Diets Can Kiss My Ass

By: Jes Baker

Narrated by: Jes Baker

By the author of Things No One Will Tell Fat Girls and a heroine of the body image movement, an intimate, gutsy memoir about being a fat woman

Jes Baker burst onto the body positivity scene when she created her own ads mocking Abercrombie & Fitch for discriminating against all body types -- a move that landed her on the Today Show and garnered a loyal following for her raw, honest, and attitude-filled blog missives.
Building on the manifesta power of Things, this memoir goes deeply into Jes's inner life, from growing up a fat girl to dating while fat. With material that will have readers laughing and crying along with Jes's experience, this new book is a natural fit with her irreverent, open-book style.
A deeply personal take, Landwhale is a glimpse at life as a fat woman today, but it's also a reflection of the unforgiving ways our culture still treats fatness, all with Jes's biting voice as the guide.

Critic reviews

"Baker is back with a captivating look at her life as a fat girl and how our culture still devalues those whose bodies have been deemed unruly. True to form, Landwhale is full of wittiness and a lot of truth."
—Bitch

"It's tempting to call Jes Baker 'fearless,' but to do so would diminish her profound capacity for vulnerability and, by extension, her strength. The thing that makes Jes such a force is that she is so brave, so funny, so blazing, so herself, even in the face of fear. I do not know what we would do without her."—Lindy West, New York Times bestselling author of Shrill

"Funny, kind, wise, generous, and incredibly real-Jes Baker's writing will have you feeling seen, heard, and held. I enjoyed every minute of reading this book, even when it made me cry. Instead of calling to us from a finish line that seems impossibly far away, Jes shares a path to self-love that she's still on with us. And in her story we can find the joy in the journey itself, even if we can't yet see the destination."—Ijeoma Oluo, New York Times bestselling author of So You Want To Talk About Race

"With the perfect tidal wave of humor and candid emotion, Jes once again shows me how to not only love my own body, but every body around me, as well. It's as if she's written Landwhale about the daily complicated love affair I have in my skin, and I'll never stop reading it. All women, at all stages of their journey, must read this book!"—Brittany Gibbons, New York Times bestselling author of Fat Girl Walking and The Clothes Make the Girl (Look Fat)?

"In Landwhale, Jes Baker asks the hard questions of herself and of our fat-hating culture, and she never sugarcoats the answers. Her memoir is full of humor and grace and honesty. She treats the reader like a friend, and on every page she sends the message: You're not alone."—Sarai Walker, author of Dietland

"Jes Baker's words are ointment for the soul. I want to give this book to every person who's ever struggled with their body and its place in this world. Read this book. Thank me later."—Julie Murphy, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Dumplin'

"Jes Baker is building a world I want to live in. In it, fat people can be beautiful, powerful, messy, imperfect, self-aware, courageous, vulnerable, real and human--just like anyone else. Landwhale is a lifeline to that world. I can't thank Jes enough for her funny, brave, empowering work to create it."—Your Fat Friend

I found myself crying at work...

I don't normally write reviews, but I had to. Jes is an amazing human being, and I'll be forever grateful she thrust her heart, soul and humor into the universe. Because I listened to the audio book, I found myself crying at work during a particularly relatable chapter. The tears were probably long overdue, but consider yourself warned just the same. ;)

Aside from some much needed emotional catharsis, most of the book is very uplifting and inspiring. She says that sharing herself and her story has largely been a powerful experience. I think watching her be so vulnerable, open and honest about her struggles and achievements is powerful too... at least it was for me. I suspect it will be for you too.

It’s about being ok with you right now

Very empowering topics. A no holds barred view of life as a person whose body is large and heart is full

Thank you for a beautifully, bravely told story

Jes Baker is a vulnerable insightful storyteller. My favorite thing is to learn how I can be more human and kind and I did.

Uhg I just love her.

Jes’s writing is Powerful, thoughtful and brave. This book means a lot to me as a fat lady it’s really wonderful to hear someone speak to me like I am a real valid person.

Landwhale is a must read

Jes Baker gets to the heart of things with so much humor and honesty that you feel like you're chatting with a best friend over coffee and donuts. I'd say this is a must read for anyone "of size", but it really should be a must read for everyone. There's so much to learn and work through and feel through in these pages.