The Predatory Lies of Anorexia

A Survivor's Story

By: Abby D. Kelly

Narrated by: Susan Crawford

"I want you to like me, to think I am the most beautiful, the smartest, the thinnest...." With these words, Abby Kelly encapsulates the overwhelming struggle of her 15-year bout with anorexia. Beginning in her teenage years when the predatory lies of the disease took root in her psyche as she felt pressured from family and peers for not being "enough", Abby lays bare the reality of anorexia. In her quest for a greater sense of personal power, she concludes, "I'll be 'more', but it will be on my terms." Her reasoning is a classic example as to why and how eating disorders dig in and persist as long as they do. From this new self-awareness to make change, she targets her body as the agent to show others that she is disciplined and focused. She sets out to restrict her food intake and adheres to an extreme schedule of exercise. While others close to Abby see a person who is dangerously thin, Abby, in fact, derives a sense of personal achievement from her weight loss. In this spellbinding account, Abby exposes the battles, defeats, and ultimate triumph-taking the listener on a poignant odyssey from onset to recovery, including how she fooled the many who tried to help her - from dietitians to therapists, from one inpatient treatment center after another, and reveals not only the victim's suffering, but also that of those who love her. Deeply personal, this raw and passionate story eloquently describes how Abby finally freed herself from this life-threatening condition, and how others can find courage and hope for recovery, too.

©2014 Abby D. Kelly (P)2016 Bettie Youngs / Bettie Youngs Book Publishers

The Narrator Needs to Relearn English

Kelly’s story is heavy, it’s a lot to sit through. Her battle with anorexia nervosa is a fight that seems almost impossible at times. It would be a better listen, however, if the narrator didn’t pronounce “choral” as “corral”. There’s other little issues with the recording, such as skipped words and cut-out audio blips, like a record scratching. I wish I hadn’t bought this so I could return and get my credit back. Just read the book itself, or borrow this. Don’t waste your credits or your money on the audiobook.