Men Writing Eating Disorders: Autobiographical Writing and Illness Experience in English and German Narratives

Eating disorders are situated at the complex interface of biology, medicine, culture, society, and politics, and are seen differently from each perspective. This book brings together discussions of eating, food, gender, sexuality and mental health through analysis of published autobiographical narratives authored by men with experience of living with one of the main eating disorders (anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge-eating disorder) as well as associated mental health problems such as body dysmorphic disorder and depression. Written by a literary scholar, the book speaks with authority on the value of literary narratives for much-needed qualitative research and training on the lived experience of eating disorders in men.

With its transnational and comparative focus on texts from the US, UK, Germany, and Austria, Men Writing Eating Disorders will appeal to readers working across the arts and humanities and science disciplines. Its interdisciplinary approach offers new insights for readers interested in autobiography, illness narratives, Gender Studies and Critical Masculinity Studies; for scholars keen to explore the nexus of the arts, humanities and sciences within the emerging disciplines of Health Humanities and Medical Humanities; and for healthcare professionals and clinical researchers who recognize the importance of personal narratives in training and practice.