Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

The Other F Word was a really great collection, full of a diverse range of essays and stories. It did change the way that I viewed my body and I commend the book for that. I still think about it quite alot and I recommend it!

I was quite apprehensive about this book to begin with because of the title and I requested it out of curiosity and I’m really glad that I did because it’s a very interesting piece of non-fiction with a very interesting concept that we don’t often see in books today. This is one of those books that I would recommend to very certain people and would happily re-read again because of the messages embedded within. We absolutely need more books like this!

I have bought three different copies of this anthology for various groups since its release. It's so important to the world.

This book is important. The content is body positive - empowering and expansively intersectional. Some contributions hit harder than others but that's a reflection of the reader vs the writer. A fantastic anthology for young and old.

The (Other) F Word is an incredible collection of work edited by Angie Manfredi, and filled with an amazing range of illustrations, poetry, and essays from so many different contributors (more that I’ve ever seen in an anthology before). While it is celebratory and encouraging, it acknowledges the real and painful experiences fat people have moving through the world. I got my copy as an egalley, so it didn’t include the final layout, but looking at how gorgeous the finished product online I think I'm going to have to get myself a copy.

I really appreciated the commitment to showing such a diverse range of fat experiences and really, really showing the ways various aspects of identity intersect in your experiences as a fat person. There are so many common factors while showing all the ways these are also unique experiences.

It was such a joy to read, even when it made me cry. There are so many parts that I highlighted, and wrote down. I started a list of which contributions resonated the most but it got too long. A couple I want to mention are: Evette Dionne (who is an excellent follow on twitter) and her fascinating exploration of the history of the fat acceptance movement in America. David Bowles, whose poem Things I Would Tell Eleven-year-old Me made me cry on the bus and Isabel Quintero’s vulnerable and inspiring thoughts in Fat and Thriving

In a world that teaches us ‘fat people don’t deserve dignity’(Bruce Sturgell) the contributions in The (Other) F Word resoundingly rejects this message.

I would really recommend reading this if you want a very clear and broad picture of what these experiences are. Some of which I really strongly related to, others which were very far out of my own experience. But overall I felt really enriched by reading this.

The Other F Word, edited by Angie Manfredi is a collection of essays, poetry, art and prose all about fat acceptance. What I specifically appreciated from this collection was the variety of perspectives we heard from. As stated at the beginning, discussions around being fat are so often from cis, able bodied, white women. The focus on featuring a variety of perspectives and intersections with being fat was therefore essential and provides a diverse range of experiences.

I really appreciated the depiction of being fat in its entirety. At its heart, this book is a celebration of fat acceptance and body positivity, but that's not to say that hard discussions about that struggle to come to terms with accepting your body as it is don't also feature. In fact, because fatphobia is so rife within society, overcoming that societal expectation that if you're fat, you need to 'lose weight' is a big hurdle and step into loving yourself.

Some particular passages I resonated with were the discussions around exercise. Specifically, wanting to exercise as a fat person to feel strong and to experience your body in a different way, not to "lose weight"

I've rated this book 4.5 stars, only because some parts felt a little repetitive with similar conversations happening. However, that is not necessarily a bad thing - as it shows that even throughout a variety of different perspectives, some experiences of being fat overlap and are universal.

Overall, this book both resonated with me, and also highlighted where fatphobic thinking is still ingrained within me. I would highly encourage everyone to read this book - no matter your body size.

5 stars out of 5 stars. A well done anthology. Thank you publisher and netgalley for the early copy.

This anthology, a powerful reclamation of the word fat, read like a breath of fresh air. I loved the multiple mediums that were used by the contributors, and it was a thoroughly enjoyable collection.

Never came back here to say thanks for this and for the print copy, which is definitely always my preferred platform :-) Angie's brilliant; you all are LUCKY to have her! Do a second edition or a "sequel" with more! Hire her to edit a fiction anthology with the same theme! Literally anything! Angie is a queen!

One of my fave ever anthologies. Beautiful stories that––in their authentic and innocent portrayals––force us to confront our own biases. The stories are moving and gorgeous. Highly rec <3

Thank you to Netgalley for sending me an arc of this book - this review is rather late but I loved this. I thought it was empowering and beautiful. It was a super short read but I enjoyed every second of it

3.5/5

A raw, beautiful anthology - though as with anthologies in general, I enjoyed some sections more than others.

I think this is an essential addition to any high school library, or any book collection teenagers have access to. Between the poetry, anecdotes, advice, and humour, there will be something here for anyone to connect to. This is really a book that could change lives, and I hope it gets into the hands that need it.

//Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review//

As a fat person, I still struggle with calling myself one. The word has so much painful memories behind it, from doctors, "friends", strangers, and even my family. My grandma would constantly tell me how I need to exercise and eat healthier, because I don't want to be fat. "Fat is not beautiful."

This is the book that made me feel better about myself. The numerous entries in this anthology share positive and negative experiences, but mainly how to grow into loving one's body. The list of fat-positive bloggers and fashion companies at the end had me crying because I absolutely hate shopping for clothes in public, because it felt like there weren't clothes for me.

I think this is a must-read for people, because it shows how the body positive movement isn't "promoting obesity", but promoting self-confidence and self-love.

The perfect introduction for teen readers to fat politics and movements such as fat acceptance, health at every size and body positivity. Adult readers, particularly those who are well versed in the politics of fat, may find some of it reductive or simplistic, but for young people it's an essential collection of essays.

I absolutely loved this book!

Often when I read collections of essays or stories by a variety of authors, I like a few of the pieces but not all of them. I loved every essay and piece of work in this collection. I could relate to most of them, and I learned new things from the ones I couldn’t relate to.

This collection is so important. It isn’t just for fat readers. Everyone can benefit from reading this book, because it gives a glimpse into the lives of fat people. Being fat is treated as even worse than other traits. When sexist and racist jokes aren’t allowed in mainstream media today, fat jokes still remain. This may be because people think you can change your weight easier than you can change your skin colour or gender. However, this is not always the case.

I’m so glad that I had the opportunity to read this book. It really means a lot to me! I would have loved to have read it when I was a fat teenager. I hope this book gets the recognition it deserves!

Thank you Abrams Kids for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Anthologies are really hard to rate and this was even harder than normal because I wanted to love it so much. Unfortunately, the disparity in the quality of stories was pretty bad. The stories that were good were really good and the stories that were bad were really bad. I think it tried to include *everyone* without realizing that not everyone who was included has an approachable voice.

I really enjoyed a great many things about this book. Characters were fleshed out and the plot was well spaced. Some of the secondary storylines could've used a bit more page space but all in all an enjoyable read!

I wasn't able to read through the whole book before archive date, but what I did read was awesome! I'm glad we're seeing more books geared towards fat acceptance :)