Status
Available
Series
Publication
Washington Square Press (2002), Edition: Reprint, 400 pages
Description
Fiction. Literature. HTML:#1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Weiner brings to life an irresistibly funny and relatable heroine in the novel The Boston Globe called "funny, fanciful, extremely poignant, and rich with insight." For twenty-eight years, things have been tripping along nicely for Cannie Shapiro. Sure, her mother has come charging out of the closet, and her father has long since dropped out of her world. But she loves her friends, her rat terrier, Nifkin, and her job as pop culture reporter for The Philadelphia Examiner. She's even made a tenuous peace with her plus-size body. But the day she opens up a national women's magazine and sees the words "Loving a Larger Woman" above her ex-boyfriend's byline, Cannie is plunged into misery...and the most amazing year of her life. From Philadelphia to Hollywood and back home again, she charts a new course for herself: mourning her losses, facing her past, and figuring out who she is and who she can become.… (more)
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LibraryThing member squirrelsohno
Being bogged down with work and with school, I have gone from reading six books a month to reading six books a year (other than academic journals and books related to the politics of East Asia). Good in Bed somehow managed to pique my interest, so I downloaded the kindle edition and started
The book went from plausible to being one unlikely scenario to another, from meeting and becoming BFFs with the number one Hollywood celeb in a bathroom to her screenplay being sold to her ex's new girlfriend being the cause of her baby's premature birth (maybe). Cannie became unlikable and quite frankly annoying, but by the very end I saw the return of the Cannie from the beginning. But by that point she had the man of her dreams, the baby of her dreams, the life of her dreams, the friends of her dreams, etc etc etc of her dreams. For me, it was like losing the Cannie I cared about on page 50 and replacing her with some Cannie that had been turned into a sterilized Hollywood version of herself that had to be rescued by the handsome love interest who is rich and handsome and kind and smart (so on and so on) instead of saving herself like we had hoped.
This book is good mindnumbing fun when you are riding the train to work every day, suffering through writing a Masters thesis while trying yourself to write a novel. But is it a great novel? Absolutely not. Just a little fun. But yeah, I might be putting the sequel on my TBR pile right now as we speak...
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reading. I have to admit, for the first 2/3 of the book I found myself easily identifying with the main character Cannie, minus the boyfriend issues (I'm single, ready to mingle, but I don't see any men knocking down my door) and family problems. She was likable, enjoyable, and well written. The last 1/3 of the novel, though, was where things went off the deep end.The book went from plausible to being one unlikely scenario to another, from meeting and becoming BFFs with the number one Hollywood celeb in a bathroom to her screenplay being sold to her ex's new girlfriend being the cause of her baby's premature birth (maybe). Cannie became unlikable and quite frankly annoying, but by the very end I saw the return of the Cannie from the beginning. But by that point she had the man of her dreams, the baby of her dreams, the life of her dreams, the friends of her dreams, etc etc etc of her dreams. For me, it was like losing the Cannie I cared about on page 50 and replacing her with some Cannie that had been turned into a sterilized Hollywood version of herself that had to be rescued by the handsome love interest who is rich and handsome and kind and smart (so on and so on) instead of saving herself like we had hoped.
This book is good mindnumbing fun when you are riding the train to work every day, suffering through writing a Masters thesis while trying yourself to write a novel. But is it a great novel? Absolutely not. Just a little fun. But yeah, I might be putting the sequel on my TBR pile right now as we speak...
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LibraryThing member Leeny182
I cant say enough about this book. Im not a huge chic lit fan but Im not even sure If I would consider this chic lit. It doesnt have the helpless heroine in it who is also a hopeless romantic. It does start off as your typical chic lit book about an overweight or self conscious woman who either
But as the story goes on she meets some interesting people that keep you wondering. An unexpected event halfway through the book changes her life and things start to turn around for her. Then tragedy strikes but she still manages to get through it with the help of her friends and family.
This book will definitely make you laugh and it will also make you cry. Most normal women of any shape or size can relate to this book in some way or another. I cant wait to read the sequel, I really want to find out what happened.
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works at a magazine and/or newspaper who has been dumped (well she did the dumping) but feels alone and needs a man to complete her. But as the story goes on she meets some interesting people that keep you wondering. An unexpected event halfway through the book changes her life and things start to turn around for her. Then tragedy strikes but she still manages to get through it with the help of her friends and family.
This book will definitely make you laugh and it will also make you cry. Most normal women of any shape or size can relate to this book in some way or another. I cant wait to read the sequel, I really want to find out what happened.
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LibraryThing member StoutHearted
This book surprised me: It features a heroine who makes dumb decisions because of a guy and is obsessed with her weight -- pretty much the standard, annoying chick lit heroine. Yet Cannie Shapiro, journalist and would-be screenwriter, manages to be charming, thanks to Weiner's wit. This is the
Candace Shapiro's two banes are closely entwined: her love of food and distrust of men. The latter began when Cannie's distant dad took off in her teen years, described in a mature, heartbreaking chapter. From there, her life is thrown into turmoil. Her mother comes out and installs her girlfriend in Cannie's old room. Her relationship with longtime boyfriend Bruce blows up and, in revenge, he writes a column for a women's magazine about loving a larger woman, with lots of intimate details about her life revealed for all to read. While Cannie pines and suffers, she hold on to the positives in her life, mainly her friends and her dream of selling her film script. While her love life and body image issues continue to plague her, the constants of her friendships and talent remain strong, even during a crisis where she almost loses sight of both.
While this book is a better take on the chick lit genre, it is by no means revolutionary, just written better. Cannie has the benefit of incredible luck to pull her through: she befriends a Hollywood starlet, who showers her with generosity, and she actually passes along a film script to this actress and gets it turned into a movie. In her most darkest hour she is still well cared for by family and friends -- not many people have that benefit. And, of course, her love life: Love finds her where she leasts expects it in a way that may suspend belief. While everything changes for the better, Cannie stays physically the same as she was in the beginning of the book; too many chick lit writers will give their heroines makeovers and weight loss to complete their characters' paths to improvement. Weiner took care that any weight loss of Cannie's was seen as a sign of distress, not improvement. The heroine at her happiest is full-figured and confident.
Readers from the Philadelphia area will appreciate the name-dropping of local eateries and culinary landmarks, but it might be a bit much for non-local readers. It does, however, capture Center City Philadelphia at its best and most idealistic.
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first chick lit I've read in eons where the jokes didn't fall flat, where the dialogue wasn't awkward, and actually provided a little more meat and conflict to the drama.Candace Shapiro's two banes are closely entwined: her love of food and distrust of men. The latter began when Cannie's distant dad took off in her teen years, described in a mature, heartbreaking chapter. From there, her life is thrown into turmoil. Her mother comes out and installs her girlfriend in Cannie's old room. Her relationship with longtime boyfriend Bruce blows up and, in revenge, he writes a column for a women's magazine about loving a larger woman, with lots of intimate details about her life revealed for all to read. While Cannie pines and suffers, she hold on to the positives in her life, mainly her friends and her dream of selling her film script. While her love life and body image issues continue to plague her, the constants of her friendships and talent remain strong, even during a crisis where she almost loses sight of both.
While this book is a better take on the chick lit genre, it is by no means revolutionary, just written better. Cannie has the benefit of incredible luck to pull her through: she befriends a Hollywood starlet, who showers her with generosity, and she actually passes along a film script to this actress and gets it turned into a movie. In her most darkest hour she is still well cared for by family and friends -- not many people have that benefit. And, of course, her love life: Love finds her where she leasts expects it in a way that may suspend belief. While everything changes for the better, Cannie stays physically the same as she was in the beginning of the book; too many chick lit writers will give their heroines makeovers and weight loss to complete their characters' paths to improvement. Weiner took care that any weight loss of Cannie's was seen as a sign of distress, not improvement. The heroine at her happiest is full-figured and confident.
Readers from the Philadelphia area will appreciate the name-dropping of local eateries and culinary landmarks, but it might be a bit much for non-local readers. It does, however, capture Center City Philadelphia at its best and most idealistic.
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LibraryThing member cindywho
What charm this chicklit book had in its ridiculous plot, was lost in plodding exposition. I was just barely able to make it through in a few spots. Zaftig Canny thinks nobody loves her because she's overweight and her ex-boyfriend is kind of a tool. She moons, she gestates, she runs off with her
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new celebrity BFF to LA, she freaks out. I was happy to see her happy end. Show Less
LibraryThing member kindergirl
This was every bit as good as I'd heard it was. A lot of books just don't live up to the hype, but I've never read one by this author I didn't LOVE. How I missed this after devouring In Her Shoes, Little Earthquakes, and Goodnight Nobody, I'll never know. No wonder Weiner is touted as a mastermind
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of "chick lit'. Chick lit or not, this book spoke to me. I could relate to Cannie on so many levels - and yet there were so many facets of her life that were SO unlike my own. I was fascinated with her life and what she would do with her circumstances. I wanted to beat her over the head with the book from time to time - WHY couldn't she see that her ex was a LOSER and she deserved so much better!!!??? I realize she had some self esteem and abandonment issues, but it still made me mad! I will read and reread this awesome tale over and over. I have the sequel, but am waitng to read it this summer. I want to put some time between the novels - especially since I SHOULD have read this ages ago, and don't want to lose something from reading them too close together. Hope this author keeps them coming. Show Less
LibraryThing member KMT01
Somehow, when this book first came out, I never did read it. However, I have read and enjoyed many of Jennifer Weiner’s books. I jumped at the chance when NetGalley offered to provide me the book in exchange for an honest review. After reading it, all I can say is, that this book just did not cut
Cannie Shapiro is a plus size 16 who has battled the bulge all of her life. At 28, she works for the Philadelphia Examiner. When she picks up the current edition of another magazine and discovers that her ex-boyfriend Bruce has written a lengthy account of their relationship, “Loving a Larger Woman”, exposing some of her most personal details to the world, Cannie gets upset, trying to figure out how to handle this. Jennifer Weiner provides an interesting though somewhat long and convoluted story about just how Cannie does that. The reader follows Cannie through the aftermath of the article discovery, her confrontation with her ex, her attempts to “slim” down, and her unexpected discovery, after a one-night tryst with her ex in an interesting (to say the least) attempt to console him and make up after his father’s funeral, and how her life moves on to new, interesting directions.
The story moves along steadily, as Cannie moves along in life after her ex. However, I did find a few of the events that occurred in Cannie’s life to be a bit mind boggling and almost too much to believe, which is one main reason I think I found the book wanting. Yes, things happen in life, but the author threw in a bit too many, rather far-fetched events for my taste. I also never did grow to like or respect the main character Cannie. She came across as too self-centered and somewhat immature and non-accepting, always seeming to blame others, wanting things she had to know were really beyond her reach. She also became too obsessed with her ex, when he made it plain he never intended to get back with Cannie. Finally, there was Peter, who just happened to come along at the right moment. A bit too many “coincidences” for one story line, in my opinion. In addition, I am not sure about her relationship with Peter, her one-time doctor when Cannie was trying to lose weight. Not sure about the blending of personal and professional lines.
The book is okay, just not great. I think there are many other books by Jennifer Weiner that are far better and which I like more. However, this is an early book, so she obviously has matured as a writer. I read somewhere that a lot of the book was autobiographical, which I found interesting. It was good to see such a well done book about larger women, and to learn about some of the discrimination they experience. I think anyone who enjoys the author and who is looking for a book they may have missed years ago or who wants to reread the book might enjoy this one.
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it for me. Cannie Shapiro is a plus size 16 who has battled the bulge all of her life. At 28, she works for the Philadelphia Examiner. When she picks up the current edition of another magazine and discovers that her ex-boyfriend Bruce has written a lengthy account of their relationship, “Loving a Larger Woman”, exposing some of her most personal details to the world, Cannie gets upset, trying to figure out how to handle this. Jennifer Weiner provides an interesting though somewhat long and convoluted story about just how Cannie does that. The reader follows Cannie through the aftermath of the article discovery, her confrontation with her ex, her attempts to “slim” down, and her unexpected discovery, after a one-night tryst with her ex in an interesting (to say the least) attempt to console him and make up after his father’s funeral, and how her life moves on to new, interesting directions.
The story moves along steadily, as Cannie moves along in life after her ex. However, I did find a few of the events that occurred in Cannie’s life to be a bit mind boggling and almost too much to believe, which is one main reason I think I found the book wanting. Yes, things happen in life, but the author threw in a bit too many, rather far-fetched events for my taste. I also never did grow to like or respect the main character Cannie. She came across as too self-centered and somewhat immature and non-accepting, always seeming to blame others, wanting things she had to know were really beyond her reach. She also became too obsessed with her ex, when he made it plain he never intended to get back with Cannie. Finally, there was Peter, who just happened to come along at the right moment. A bit too many “coincidences” for one story line, in my opinion. In addition, I am not sure about her relationship with Peter, her one-time doctor when Cannie was trying to lose weight. Not sure about the blending of personal and professional lines.
The book is okay, just not great. I think there are many other books by Jennifer Weiner that are far better and which I like more. However, this is an early book, so she obviously has matured as a writer. I read somewhere that a lot of the book was autobiographical, which I found interesting. It was good to see such a well done book about larger women, and to learn about some of the discrimination they experience. I think anyone who enjoys the author and who is looking for a book they may have missed years ago or who wants to reread the book might enjoy this one.
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LibraryThing member Krumbs
I guess women's fiction just isn't my cup of tea. Everything was sad and depressing. This woman had no control over her life. And (yes, spoiler, sort of) she magically becomes skinny when she faces a tragedy so she stops eating, walks constantly and does various other things to endanger her health.
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But that's ok...because she's skinny? What a weird overall message. I put the book down feeling just sad and wishing I hadn't read it. Show Less
LibraryThing member Lindsayg
I have a general aversion to anything that looks like "chick-lit". This is partly because I find that term horrible and condescending, and partly because I've read some terrible books that were in that genre. I had been meaning to get around to this one for years though because several people I
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trust as readers had sworn up and down to me that it was good. Since I've been extremely gloomy about my weight lately (sigh) I thought it might be comforting to read about a heroine with the same problem. It was. I liked the main character a lot. She was smart and funny and broke a lot of "big girl" stereotypes. The story surprised me several times in ways I enjoyed. All in all a good read. I liked it better than Goodnight Nobody by the same author. Show Less
LibraryThing member jedisluzer
Was pleasantly surprised that this was more quality and less fluff than I expected.
LibraryThing member magst
I got this book on a whim and I'm so glad I did. I loved it, couldn't put it down, and didn't want to put it down. All the characters and situations were so real to me. I can't wait for the next Jennifer Weiner book to come out.
LibraryThing member kikianika
People kept telling me it's a must-read. And I agree. It is refreshing, tender and moving, with a heroine whose issues don't leave you groaning at the stupidity. Body issues affect most women, and this heroine deals with them ina realistic (and often painful to watch) fashion. One of the top chick
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lit books I've ever read. Show Less
LibraryThing member kattepusen
Trapped by its own genre...
Bridget Jones pulled it off - and she remains the queen of chick lit. This book fits comfortably in the same genre; however, when the author tries to become more "serious" and gives her heroine a "psycotic" adventure, it becomes almost too painful to continue reading...
The first part of the story is the most engaging - and the most clever. The periodic columns written by her ex-boyfriend works quite well in driving the story forward; however, after they cease to exist, the hum-drum starts. After the "reunion" with the uber-mean father figure, the plot skids downhill. Finally, the ending just keeps going and going - a more over-the-top finale is hard to imagine (did she perhaps just die and go to paradise?)
A decent book for the beach, which the author probably was aiming for in the first place :)
Bridget Jones pulled it off - and she remains the queen of chick lit. This book fits comfortably in the same genre; however, when the author tries to become more "serious" and gives her heroine a "psycotic" adventure, it becomes almost too painful to continue reading...
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The first part of the story is the most engaging - and the most clever. The periodic columns written by her ex-boyfriend works quite well in driving the story forward; however, after they cease to exist, the hum-drum starts. After the "reunion" with the uber-mean father figure, the plot skids downhill. Finally, the ending just keeps going and going - a more over-the-top finale is hard to imagine (did she perhaps just die and go to paradise?)
A decent book for the beach, which the author probably was aiming for in the first place :)
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LibraryThing member rcooper3589
i like how this book starts out as "fluff" but slowly turns into a serious (and great!) story. i really empathized with the main character and enjoyed the authors voice.
LibraryThing member ktptcruisin
A must for any young woman to read! Jennifer Weiner's writing never disappoints!
LibraryThing member seka760
This is the book that got me loving Jennifer Weiner (not just because it's her first). Something about Cannie's view of herself and how she thinks others view her reminds me a bit of myself. I loved that the main character was not a tiny, beautiful woman but someone with a little more depth to her.
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I loved that despite a bad relationship, Cannie can move on and find something better without compromising who she is. I have recommended this book to everyone who has asked me for a good "beach" read. Show Less
LibraryThing member suesbooks
This book was ok, but not one I'd really recommend. It was pleasant to read about an overweight heroine, although helath risks were not mentioned. Much believability needed to be suspended, and the ending was more conventional than I liked. The writing was ok, but the sarcasm became tedious.
LibraryThing member whimsyblue
This story has something for every woman. All of my girl friends and
I loved it.
I loved it.
LibraryThing member urduha
Spoiler Alert: I would have like the book better if it didn't spiral down to a total wish-fulfillment exercise (protagonist gets a free apartment makeover from her famous movie star best friend, doctor falls in love with her despite the obvious ethical problems this presents) for Ms. Weiner.
LibraryThing member mybrokenwings
I am very disappointed in this book. It might be because Cannie, the main character, drives me up the wall with her obsession about her ex boyfriend. Just as I start to feel like she might move on and get over him, she starts harping again. She does eventually "move on", with the help of her
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unrealistic movie star friends, and her lesbian mother. I still felt at the end though, even with a new guy in the works and having everything else her little heart desires (again, unrealistic), she would still bring up her ex again and again if this book was allowed to continue on. Thank god it ended when it did. This was the first novel I read by Jennifer Weiner and sadly, I'm never picking up another book by her again. Perhaps my type of book is not the "chiklit" type. Show Less
LibraryThing member cindyloumn
Loved this book! She's an overwt 20 something, full of problems, but smart, funny, indep. Her family and friends are funny also. I liked that she found true love and NOT with the father of her baby. good book.
8/9/04
8/9/04
LibraryThing member bibliophile26
Although this book fits into the “chick lit” category, it is extremely well-written and a fabulous story. Cannie breaks up with her boyfriend, Bruce, and then is embarrassed to find that he is writing very personal articles about her in a women’s magazine, the first entitled, “Loving a
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Larger Woman.” As many women do, Cannie has dalliances with Bruce and winds up pregnant. A fantastic book. Show Less
LibraryThing member SFG
If you are looking for writing technique and vocabulary, this author is perfect.
LibraryThing member whoot
a very entertaining read, can't wait to read some of her others!
LibraryThing member helenvigg
Great read. This book should be read by every woman who ever struggled with her weight. It validates that oversized women are beautiful and should love themselves for who they are.
LibraryThing member hwphoto
First off, let me say the title of this book is misleading and don't base your decision to read on the fact that you think it is solely about sex. It's not. The first chapter won't even give you insight to what's to come later on.
Cannie is a writer who decides to take a break from her immature
At times, some of the situations in the book are a little far-fetched but the character development is great. Cannie is very easy to love, with her sharp wit and loving personality. She is like a sister. At times you want to laugh with her, others you want to cry with her and sometimes you just want to smack her.
Cannie is a writer who decides to take a break from her immature
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boyfriend only to find out a while later that he's written an article about her called "Loving a Larger Woman." She realizes that she underestimated how well he understood him and has to have him back. At times, some of the situations in the book are a little far-fetched but the character development is great. Cannie is very easy to love, with her sharp wit and loving personality. She is like a sister. At times you want to laugh with her, others you want to cry with her and sometimes you just want to smack her.
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Subjects
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2001
Physical description
400 p.; 8.25 inches
ISBN
0743418174 / 9780743418171