Two Sides of a Coin: A Grief Memoir and its Readers

Bartlett, Richard A.; Elzen, Katrin Den; Moniz, Tracy; Sedo, DeNel Rehberg

doi:10.1080/14484528.2021.1949673

Cited by 3 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 29 publications

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“…Most investigations of reader responses to eating disorder-themed books use survey instruments (7,17,18,19,50). A few studies have analysed online reviews to assess the impact of books of other genres through manual techniques, as well as automated methods using content, sentiment, and/or thematic analysis (51,52,53,54,55,56,57,58,59). A hybrid approach was used in this paper, combining the question-answer element of surveys with the power of automated content analysis of online book reviews.…”

Section: Rationalementioning

confidence: 99%

Examining the superpower-based representation of eating disorder illness and recovery with data mining of The Art of Starving

Sargent

Tucker

2023

Preprint

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Background There is evidence that fiction books about eating disorders can promote eating disorder development and maintenance, but it is not clear what literary features cause adverse impacts. We responded to this issue by exploring the impact of books representing eating disorder illness and recovery using superpowers. Methods This was done by drawing upon lessons from reader responses to Sam Miller's The Art of Starving. Three research questions were devised that focus on the impact of the book's superpower-based eating disorder representation. To determine reader responses to these questions, keyword-based data mining using Python, followed by a qualitative analysis, was performed on Goodreads reviews of The Art of Starving (n=632). Results It was found that most readers were drawn to the book for its fantasy or mental illness elements. This suggests that the book exposed readers to themes they would not have otherwise encountered. Eighty-one readers stated that The Art of Starving provokes eating disorder-oriented thoughts and behaviours, with one common theme among them being that readers with greater eating disorder symptoms are worse impacted. Eighty percent of readers felt this reaction to the book was influenced by its superpower-based eating disorder representation. Conclusions The research points to the potential of using superpowers in books to represent eating disorder illness and recovery to contribute to the prevalence of these conditions. This indicates that there is a need to be cautious when writing and recommending fantasy books exploring eating disorders.

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Section: Rationalementioning

confidence: 99%

Examining the superpower-based representation of eating disorder illness and recovery with data mining of The Art of Starving

Sargent

Tucker

2023

Preprint

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Ambiguous Loss in Grief Memoirs: Meaning Making in Auster and Giralt Torrente Patriographies

Pinasco

2024

a/b: Auto/Biography Studies

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Grieving Bodily Loss in Celebrity Illness Memoir

Englund

2024

Illness, Crisis & Loss

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The relationship between public and private is central to celebrity memoir, even more so in connection to chronic illness that slowly progresses. This article examines the process of grieving publicly a life and body that are changing in Michael J. Fox's No Time Like the Future: An Optimist Considers Mortality (2020), and Selma Blair's Mean Baby: A Memoir of Growing Up (2022). Fox addresses the slow deterioration brought on by Parkinson's disease and other conditions, whereas Blair focuses on her childhood and increasing symptoms of multiple sclerosis, as well as alcohol abuse. The article draws on autobiographical perspectives on the aesthetics and purposes of illness narratives, examining the limits of public personal narratives when faced with progressing disease. The selected texts indicate that celebrity status provides opportunities for advocacy work as well as access to treatment, while also emphasizing bodily loss when illness manifests itself publicly.

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Two Sides of a Coin: A Grief Memoir and its Readers

Cited by 3 publications

References 29 publications

Examining the superpower-based representation of eating disorder illness and recovery with data mining of The Art of Starving

Examining the superpower-based representation of eating disorder illness and recovery with data mining of The Art of Starving

Ambiguous Loss in Grief Memoirs: Meaning Making in Auster and Giralt Torrente Patriographies

Grieving Bodily Loss in Celebrity Illness Memoir

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