At age 14, Nadia Shivack developed an eating disorder. She named it Ed, which tells you something about her whimsical and humorous approach to a serious problem. Later, as an inpatient treated for anorexia and bulimia, Nadia drew illustrations of her battles with and capitulations to Ed on napkins and notepads after meals, in order to calm her mind and distract herself from thinking about food. Those drawings have been adapted into a fascinating and refreshingly honest account of her struggle, Inside Out: Portrait of an Eating Disorder. In addition to being beautiful to look at, the book includes a page of resources with information for others who deal with anorexia and bulimia. The author’s hope is that by getting the subject out in the open, she can ensure that other girls won’t feel they have to keep it hidden the way she did. And with Inside Out, she succeeds brilliantly in accomplishing this goal.
Valiant Women is a vital and engrossing attempt to correct the record and rightfully celebrate the achievements of female veterans of World War II.
