Having just come back from meeting so many amazing women at the Curvy Con and New York Fashion Week, I’m more invested in body positivity than ever! I was so inspired to see the incredible range of diversity on the runway this season. We’re definitely headed in the right direction, and I’m proud to be part of the movement.



Since so many of you enjoyed the list of body positive documentaries I shared last month, I’m adding some books to your fall reading list that will keep the wave of empowerment and acceptance going.

 

 



1. The Body Project: An Intimate History of American Girls
  
If you think our generation of women is the first to obsess over what they look like, think again. Historian Joan Jacobs Brumberg uses real diary entries and media from the 1830s through the 1990s to explore how women’s self-perception has been affected by societal expectations for generations. Key takeaway: You’re not alone.

View the book here.

 

 

Body Positive Books: Health at Every Size via @GirlWithCurves
2. Health at Every Size: The Surprising Truth About Your Weight

Our society still equates thinness with health, and that’s where the problem lies. If you’re constantly worried about the number on the scale, this scientific look at what truly constitutes good health will open your eyes and arm you with knowledge to make choices with your wellness, not weight, in mind.

View the book here.

 

 

3. The Gifts of Imperfection

If you haven't watched researcher Brené Brown’s TEDTalk on the power of vulnerability, do it now. Then, pick up her book on facing your imperfections head-on. Using a series of realistic guideposts, she teaches you to fully accept your vulnerabilities and turn them into strengths - a must-read for anyone who’s ever felt you aren't “good enough.”

View the book here.

 

 

Body Positive Books: Things no one will tell fat girls via @GirlWithCurves
4. Things No One Will Tell Fat Girls: A Handbook for Unapologetic Living


Want a major dose of self-help inspiration? Longtime blogger Jes Baker shares her own experience and enlists a group of guest essayists to discuss everything from body shaming to social media, to getting inside your own head. 



View the book here.

 

 

5. The Beauty Myth: How Images of Beauty Are Used Against Women
If you feel like you’re constantly battling messages from the media that you aren’t beautiful, journalist Naomi Wolf assures you it’s not all in your head. The societal obsession with physical perfection is very real, very dangerous, and it needs to change soon.

View the book here.
Body Positive Books: Big Gal Yoga via @GirlWithCurves
6. Big Gal Yoga by Valerie Sagun


Sometimes the best way to feel good about your body is to use it! Social media star Valerie Sagun’s step-by-step yoga guide is for people at all levels, shapes, sizes, and includes major inspiration for accepting the body that does so much for you.

View the book here.

7. Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Body

The line between self-comfort and self-care can be a tricky one to navigate when our desires come into play. The writer of New York Times Bestseller Bad Feminist opens up about her own struggles with body acceptance, exploring the places where love, pleasure, and food intertwine.

View the book here.

Have you read any great books about body positivity lately, share them with everyone in the comments!