The Weight of Beautiful

By: Jackie Goldschneider

Narrated by: Jackie Goldschneider

Jackie Goldschneider, star of The Real Housewives of New Jersey, bravely chronicles her decades-long battle with anorexia and public journey to recovery in this “courageously candid” (Kirkus Reviews) memoir.

All Jackie Goldschneider ever wanted was to be thin. As a child, she’d stand in front of the mirror, sucking in her stomach and arching her back to feel her ribs, praying to see a model-like figure looking back. As an obese teen, lonely and tormented by her weight, her doctor encouraged her to start dieting, ultimately leading to a prolonged battle with anorexia that nearly took her life.

After decades of hiding her eating disorder from friends, family, and the world, Jackie is ready to expose the realities of her devastating struggle, including the harrowing day-to-day tactics she employed to count calories and restrict meals, her struggles with fertility and pregnancy, the effects of her eating disorder on her relationships with her husband and children, and ultimately how, in a twist of fate, becoming a reality TV star saved her life.

The Weight of Beautiful is Jackie’s personal story, but within it are also the stories of millions like her, striving to lead healthy, happy lives despite their eating disorders. In the vein of Unbearable Lightness, Hiding from Reality, and What Remains, The Weight of Beautiful is a moving testament of strength, honesty, and recovery.

Excellent!

A really great listen! You can hear the anguish in Jackie’s narration of her journey with anorexia. At points it’s hard to listen to the torture she put herself through. I congratulate her for her recovery! She’s a beautiful person inside and out.

Vulnerability

Jackie...thank you for your exceptional transparency. This book shines a light on a disease that I believe has continued to be overlooked. The emotion behind your words is palpable. I highly recommend this book not only to see what's behind the wall anorexia but to see through to the heart of a character we see week after week. What we learn through the personal words of an incredible journey is that you are not a character at all. You are a person who has silently lived the trauma of food, a basic need that no one should ever fear. What a tremendous journey! Thank you for sharing this with us. May you continue to walk in strength. You are worthy of a healthy life of love, success and triumph. My only recommendation would be to please put a warning about the level of transparency as you take us through your journey given the level of detail.

Great book!

Every woman should read this book. So relatable it made me cry and laugh. Beautifully written and so vulnerable. Chapter 9 and ten made me sob.

Very interesting story

Jackie does a great job providing a glimpse into her world and her struggles with anorexia

Thank you

Powerful and honest. I love that this was sugar coated and didn’t pull any punches.