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Best Eating Disorder Books

Stories or manuals that offer insight and understanding
1

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3.96 avg rating — 125,098 ratings
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2

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4.03 avg rating — 33,896 ratings
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3

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3.83 avg rating — 41,596 ratings
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4

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4.05 avg rating — 250,012 ratings
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5

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4.02 avg rating — 3,680 ratings
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6

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3.70 avg rating — 5,210 ratings
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7

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4.22 avg rating — 512 ratings
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8

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3.68 avg rating — 5,501 ratings
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9

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3.76 avg rating — 14,151 ratings
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10

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3.79 avg rating — 1,857 ratings
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11

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4.03 avg rating — 14,702 ratings
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12

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4.04 avg rating — 4,055 ratings
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13

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3.85 avg rating — 3,338 ratings
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14

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3.90 avg rating — 17,446 ratings
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15

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3.72 avg rating — 2,363 ratings
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16

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4.13 avg rating — 84 ratings
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17

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4.08 avg rating — 10,410 ratings
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18

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4.15 avg rating — 119 ratings
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19

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3.91 avg rating — 3,889 ratings
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20

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3.42 avg rating — 6,904 ratings
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21

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4.50 avg rating — 190 ratings
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22

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4.16 avg rating — 3,088 ratings
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23

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4.18 avg rating — 137 ratings
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24

by
4.18 avg rating — 163 ratings
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25

by
3.80 avg rating — 1,827 ratings
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26

by
3.81 avg rating — 1,107 ratings
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27

by
3.66 avg rating — 630 ratings
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28

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3.67 avg rating — 1,380 ratings
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29

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4.08 avg rating — 1,057 ratings
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30

by
3.84 avg rating — 69,189 ratings
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31

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4.29 avg rating — 66,489 ratings
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32

by
3.53 avg rating — 281 ratings
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33

by
3.84 avg rating — 963 ratings
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34

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4.05 avg rating — 3,340 ratings
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35

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3.31 avg rating — 2,479 ratings
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36

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3.95 avg rating — 5,688 ratings
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37

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3.91 avg rating — 358,607 ratings
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38

by
3.68 avg rating — 695 ratings
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39

by
4.14 avg rating — 78 ratings
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40

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3.75 avg rating — 3,065 ratings
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41

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3.68 avg rating — 2,200 ratings
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42

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3.62 avg rating — 235 ratings
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43

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3.49 avg rating — 2,208 ratings
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44

by
4.32 avg rating — 30,874 ratings
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45

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3.53 avg rating — 916 ratings
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46

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3.70 avg rating — 607 ratings
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47

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4.35 avg rating — 149 ratings
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48

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3.58 avg rating — 2,217 ratings
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49

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4.21 avg rating — 2,283 ratings
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50

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4.11 avg rating — 1,051 ratings
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51

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3.89 avg rating — 3,158 ratings
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52

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3.97 avg rating — 1,163 ratings
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53

by
4.70 avg rating — 20 ratings
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54

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3.70 avg rating — 39,821 ratings
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55

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4.13 avg rating — 254 ratings
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56

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3.88 avg rating — 656 ratings
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57

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4.37 avg rating — 27 ratings
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58

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3.50 avg rating — 303 ratings
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59

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3.78 avg rating — 542 ratings
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60

by
3.67 avg rating — 58 ratings
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61

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3.77 avg rating — 1,286 ratings
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62

by
4.17 avg rating — 23 ratings
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63

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3.89 avg rating — 26,452 ratings
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64

by
3.94 avg rating — 34 ratings
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65

by
3.75 avg rating — 769 ratings
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66

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3.56 avg rating — 4,338 ratings
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67

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3.54 avg rating — 895 ratings
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68

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3.67 avg rating — 1,012 ratings
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69

by
3.36 avg rating — 102 ratings
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70

by
really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 4,955 ratings
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71

by
3.75 avg rating — 493 ratings
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72

by
4.15 avg rating — 88 ratings
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73

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3.78 avg rating — 2,293 ratings
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73

by
3.44 avg rating — 34 ratings
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75

by
3.80 avg rating — 771 ratings
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76

by
3.43 avg rating — 732 ratings
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77

by
3.19 avg rating — 428 ratings
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78

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3.32 avg rating — 4,023 ratings
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79

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4.40 avg rating — 6,792 ratings
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80

by
3.46 avg rating — 207 ratings
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81

by
3.33 avg rating — 160 ratings
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82

by
3.96 avg rating — 184 ratings
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83

by
4.37 avg rating — 62 ratings
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84

by
3.36 avg rating — 446 ratings
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85

by
4.44 avg rating — 1,376,474 ratings
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86

by
3.74 avg rating — 69 ratings
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87

by
3.85 avg rating — 201 ratings
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88

by
3.40 avg rating — 1,376 ratings
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89

by
3.68 avg rating — 10,467 ratings
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90

by
3.88 avg rating — 598 ratings
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91

by
4.16 avg rating — 70 ratings
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91

by
3.65 avg rating — 5,107 ratings
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91

by
4.33 avg rating — 39 ratings
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94

by
3.29 avg rating — 91 ratings
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95

by
3.97 avg rating — 11,638 ratings
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96

by
3.72 avg rating — 299 ratings
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97

by
3.84 avg rating — 1,016,651 ratings
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98

by
3.39 avg rating — 661 ratings
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99

by
3.37 avg rating — 314 ratings
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100

by
3.70 avg rating — 5,865 ratings
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267 likes · 
Lists are re-scored approximately every 5 minutes.


Lisa 623 books
85 friends
Rachel 16 books
35 friends
Asli 285 books
23 friends
Gwen 396 books
65 friends
Mary 690 books
54 friends
Lee 784 books
63 friends
Tania 180 books
0 friends
Melissa 440 books
9 friends

More voters…


Comments Showing 1-20 of 20 (20 new)

dateUp arrow    newest »

message 2: by Mary (new)

Mary I cannot believe this book isn't on the list. It's completely brilliant, and anyone interested in body disorders in Western culture should start with Bordo.


message 3: by Sirja (new)

Sirja Ellen Wasted, always and forever <3


message 4: by Ruthy (new)

Ruthy I've got to agree with Mary, Unbearable Weight by Susan Bordo really should be on this list


message 5: by Bettie (new)

Bettie (You can)add it! Click ADD BOOKS TO THIS LIST, then click the search box and enter the title.


message 6: by Morgan (new)

Morgan Vank <3 this list


message 7: by Truth816 (new)

Truth816 <3


message 8: by Jessa (new)

Jessa Just wanted to suggest that if you are recovering/have recovered/are trying to recover from an ED, you should check out my new book group on here:

Eating Disorder Recovery Reading Buddies
http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/5...


message 9: by Bettie (new)

Bettie

SPAM ALERT!


message 10: by Jessa (last edited Oct 31, 2011 04:00PM) (new)

Jessa Sorry I didn't think it was spam to tell people rating a thread about eating disorders on Goodreads that there is now a group here ON GOODREADS where people can talk about eating disorder recovery and read eating disorder recovery books together, such as many of the books on this list...doesn't seem like spam to me at all. If I were posting to some external link or something, then I would totally agree.

I was really just trying to let people know it was there and reach out so that they could join and we could all help each other with this ED journey :( while enjoying good stories about it and helping each other know which books are triggering, etc. If you think that is spam, I am sorry. That is unfortunate.


message 11: by Heather (new)

Heather Faye I must admit to being sad that Wasted is number 1. For me, it did much more damage than good, triggering me and giving me more tips and strategies than it did aid my recovery. I hope that I am alone in this fact but I fear that it leads to more relapse than it leads to recovery. I actually found a book called Going Hungry to be very helpful.


message 12: by Andrea (new)

Andrea Adler PUSHING UPWARD, by Andrea Adler is another wonderful book, about to become a film, on eating disorders.


message 13: by Jenny (new)

Jenny Mary wrote: "Unbearable Weight: Feminism, Western Culture, and the Body, Tenth Anniversary Edition"

I read excerpts from this book for my literary criticism class and ended up writing two papers based around its ideas. I love this.


message 14: by Jen (new)

Jen The 8 Keys to Recovering From an Eating Disorder by Carolyn Costin. Costin delivers an honest, realistic, authentic approach to finding your way out of an ED and finding yourSELF.


message 15: by Jen (new)

Jen Sirja wrote: "Wasted, always and forever <3"
I read Wasted several times while in my raging eating disorder. I swear this book taught me how to be a better anorexic. This book is great if you want to be sick. I appreciate her honesty but, at time, it is too honest. I saw her speak at Harvard last Fall, which helped me come to terms with Wasted and Marya. She said that when she wrote Wasted, she was very sick and did not mean for it to be a guide for killing yourself. I wouldn't read this again.


message 16: by Laura (new)

Laura Shields Heather wrote: "I must admit to being sad that Wasted is number 1. For me, it did much more damage than good, triggering me and giving me more tips and strategies than it did aid my recovery. I hope that I am alon..."

See I feel the problem with people reactions to this book is that itwas in no way supposed to aid in anyones recovery, it was simply an account of the authors personal thoughts and experiences, which can be very intense and triggering. I loved the book, it really put into words some of my own personal experiences, and it was nice to see someone else had thought like me at one point as well, if that makes sense. Yes, it was triggering, but so has been most ED books for me, especially winter girls, but if triggering is a problem, its best to stick to self help books strictly. For me it was nice to find a book that wasn't 50% BS, or some 'cute' little story about a teenager who doesnt eat for a week and miraculously gets better after she faints and goes to the hospital for a month, or a book that lies about the experience and skips all the horrible parts. Its the first ED book I've read thats been raw and honest and real about the hell that is an eating disorder. I personally think books like this are very important.


message 17: by Valerie (last edited Dec 07, 2017 12:34PM) (new)

Valerie Foster A warrior-mother's perspective? Read this story! Dancing with a Demon
https://www.amazon.com/Dancing-Demon-...


message 18: by Romy (new)

Romy I have removed Before I fall by Lauren Oliver for not meeting the criteria. It's an amazing book but not one that focuses on eating disorders.
Please stick to the theme when adding books.


message 19: by Allie (new)

Allie Hey y'all,

I just started a new book club called "Damage" under groups that you can join if you'd like! It focuses on reading a book every other month that is about physical, mental, emotional, or intellectual differences. (And yes, I redefine how "damage" should be viewed in the group description!) Hope you join!


message 20: by [deleted user] (new)


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