Fat Girls and Lawn Chairs | 
| Author: Cheryl Peck
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Category: Book
List Price: $12.95
Buy Used: $0.01
You Save: $12.94 (100%)
New (36) Used (47) from $0.01
Avg. Customer Rating:  20 reviews
Sales Rank: 107393
Media: Paperback
Edition: Warner Books Ed
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 224
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.4
Dimensions (in): 7.8 x 5.2 x 0.7
ISBN: 0446692298
Dewey Decimal Number: 362.1963980092
EAN: 9780446692298
ASIN: 0446692298
Publication Date: January 1, 2004
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: An ex-library copy. Used. Pages are worn. Cover has a few creases. Edges and corners are worn. Binding is solid and tight.
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Product Description
A gay Erma Bombeck meets A Girl Named Zippy in this delightful debut about the misadventures of a woman of size. Cheryl Peck has stories to tell-about her cats, about her family, and about what it's like to be a gay woman of size living in the heartland. There's the story of the time she hit her kid sister in the head with a rock. Then there's the time her father gave her swimming lessons-by throwing her into the water. When she came shrieking and spluttering to the surface, he said, 'Good-she can swim.' There are the reasons 300 pound Cheryl has become an inspirational goddess in her gym. There are universal stories about a daughter's love for her mother and father. Cheryl Peck unfolds all these stories with a healthy sense of humor and intelligent wit in a book that reads like fiction and explores the themes of family, growing up, love, and loss. The stories in this collection are about seemingly unremarkable events that make a life-but like fat girls sitting on lawn chairs, these are events that don't let go.
Download Description
Cheryl Peck has stories to tell-about her cats, about her family, and about what it's like to be a gay woman of size living in the heartland. There's the story of the time she hit her kid sister in the head with a rock. There's the time her father gave her swimming lessons-by throwing her into the water. When she came shrieking and spluttering to the surface, he said, "Good-she can swim." There are the reasons 300 pound Cheryl has become an inspirational goddess in her gym. There are universal stories about a daughter's love for her mother and father. Cheryl Peck unfolds all of these tales with a healthy sense of humor and intelligent wit in a book that reads like fiction and explores the themes of family, growing up, love, and loss. The stories in this collection are about seemingly unremarkable events that make a life#&151;but like fat girls sitting on lawn chairs, these are events that don't let go.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 15 more reviews...
One of the better memoirs I've read in a while June 28, 2008
Oh my. If the cover doesn't clue you in to what kind of book this is ~ check out the cat in the wig & specks ~ then you're in for a wild ride. This book is a trip. Ms. Peck has a sharp sense of humor and isn't above poking fun at anyone, including herself.
Originally self-published for her friends, her family, and her cat (a woman after my own heart!), this book is a fun romp through someone else's life. She pulls no punches in recounting the way she terrorized her younger sisters and peers by being driven to be the "first, fastest, loudest and best" in everything, and it's so refreshing to read about an overweight woman who isn't trying to fit into the heroin-chick mold everyone else strives to fill. She has no qualms telling it like it is, makes no excuses and offers no apologies, and you can't help but love her for that.
In regards to the title, she says, "No self-respecting fat girl ever really trusts a lawn chair." She tackles everything from weight issues to peeing in the woods ~ nothing is sacred to her, nothing is out of bounds. And cat lovers will enjoy the few essays written from the point of view of Babycakes, her spoiled feline friend.
One of the better memoirs I've read in a while. So many women will relate to Ms. Peck, regardless of their own personal sexuality. I look forward to reading more of her work.
Babycakes is my hero! June 15, 2008
I think everyone is way too hard on this book. Sure, it wasn't exactly what I was expecting, either. I guess based on the cover I was expecting the sections to be hilariously, uproariously funny like Laurie Notaro. But once I got past my preconceived notions, I was reading a warm, entertaining book.
I found the poetry to be poignant, and I didn't think her usage of "girlchild," or her attitude towards her brothers was flippant or annoying. I just enjoyed it, and I will be buying her second book.
 Summer Fun April 10, 2008
In Fat Girls and Lawn Chairs, Cheryl Peck breezily writes about the innocence of childhood, the perks of being the oldest sibling (i.e. tormenting her younger siblings), and loving herself no matter her size or age. This book is a delight. Peck has a charming way with words. She'll make you nostaglic for simpler days and remind you to see the humor in everyday situations. Fat Girls and Lawn Chairs should be on everyone's summer reading list.
 Boooooooooring January 3, 2007
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
While this book is not an utter garbage, there's nothing remarkable about it either, at least in my opinion. There's a certain wit and charm to "Fat Girls...", but that in itself doesn't save it from being mediocre. Even though miss Peck says that she's not a professional writer, by any means, it still feels as if though you need be a part of her family in order to enjoy this book. There's no humor in here, despite whatever reviews are saying - its just a number of observations on life, good ones at that, but I was looking for something else.
Bonus points for an excellent books cover.
 OMG this book is SO hilarious! July 20, 2006
Be prepared to be unable to stop laughing! The title story was my favorite, tied with "Litter String" (which is one of several stories written from the POV of Babycakes the cat). I can't wait to read more by this fantastic writer!
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