Read Conversations With the Fat Girl Online
Authors: Liza Palmer
similar to her mother? How are they different?
4.Despite Maggie's attempts to quell her sexuality, the tension between
Domenic and her is palpable-why does she not act on it? At what point
did you think Domenic had feelings for her? Why does Maggie never pick
up on it? Why isn't Domenic more aggressive?
5. Do you think there is one character that represents the reader more
than the others? Is there one character that
323 318Reading Group Guide
you waited for to enter the scene, knowing that they would speak for you
and shake some sense into Maggie when she needed it?
6.Think about your own adolescent fantasies. Do you think they are still
embedded in your head today? Knowing now what you know about reality, do
you still yearn to bump into the starting quarterback or head
cheerleader and show them how well you turned out? How do you think
Olivia twisted these fantasies and do you think her life now mirrors
them? Why doesn't Maggie fit in with Olivia's new life?
7.What do you think Peregrine's role is in Maggie's life? Do you feel
everyone has a Peregrine in his or her life? What do you think fuels
Peregrine to be the center of attention in everyone's social calendar?
8.What do you think the head table represents to Olivia? To Maggie?
9.Kate and Maggie are opposites. Why did they turn out so differently
and do you think this is commonplace among sisters? Do you think Kate is
a positive force on Maggie or does she keep Maggie in that
"baby-of-thefamily" role? What is it about the bridal shower that sends
Kate over the edge?
10.Peregrine asks Maggie if she would choose Christina over herself-if
given the opportunity-to be Fatty or Bobo. What would you do? Why do you
think we as a society put so much importance on physical beauty? And
accordingly, those who are overweight, especially women, are ostracized
as untouchables. Does society banish the overweight-or, like Maggie, is
it the overweight that banish themselves?
11.There is a tragic quality to Cole Trosclair-do you think that makes
him a sympathetic character, or is he so
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dispicable that no amount of melancholy would sway your feelings for
him? Do you think as a society we spend too much time trying to save the
bullies and not enough time protecting the victims? Why do you think
Maggie cares so much what he thinks?
12.With years of education and obvious talent on her side, why do you
think Maggie still works at Joe's after so many years? Do you think this
concept of "it's just easier" could be a thematic thread throughout the
entire novel? Do you see this concept in your own life?
13.What do you think of the passage in the bridal shop regarding the
"subculture" that surrounds the overweight? Do you think it is
accurately represented-or has your experience been different? Why do you
think women compare themselves in this way? How would you react in
Olivia's circumstance-would you extract yourself from that world as she
did-or would you wear the weight loss as a badge of honor?
14.If you could write the next chapter what would you write? Would it be
more important to focus on Maggie's happiness or Olivia's misery in your
version?
325 326 About the Author
I'm a public-school kid from Pasadena, California, with just a high
school diploma and elaborate fantasies of what the inside of a writing
class looks like. Taking the poor man's route to higher education, I
"studied" at my local bookstore. I went to author readings and sat in on
their Saturday morning workshops until I felt I had learned all I could
in those hallowed halls. I then gave myself an extravagant graduation
ceremony and presented myself with a PhD in "Book Learnin."
One night, newly hopped up on literary knowledge, I was driving in my
car on a mission. It was like the final scene in Indiana Jones and the
Last Crusade, the one with Sean Connery, where Harrison Ford has to pass
a series of tests in order to finally get his hands on the Holy Grail.
Right away in the first test, knives are coming out of the walls of the
cave. -Only the penitent man shall pass . . . only the penitent man
shall pass," he mumbles. Well, that was my ass at about 11:30 at night
buzzing through the city in search of my own Holy Grail-a box of Lucky
Charms. So I buy the box of Lucky Charms, along with nonfat milk, and as
I'm walking to the cash register I grab a Shape magazine. This internal
civil war that women and girls fight every day-Lucky Charms versus
nonfat milk and Shape magazine-is what bore Conversations with the Fat
Girl. Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got a soggy bowl of Lucky Charms to
get to . . . oh, and a Shape magazine.
If you haven't had enough and want to read more, my blog is
carmenandjane.blogspot.com.
327 SPOT SEND OFF
5 foods and why they actually have zero calories:
1.Any birthday cake-yours, theirs, the guy at the next table.
2.Halloween Candy-because, after all, they're not called fun size for
nothing.
3.Shared desserts-how do you figure the carb count on half a creme brulee.
4.Food from someone else's plate-what? You mean, all I get is this
freaking salad?
5.Food taken from children-yours, theirs, the guy at the next table's.
328 329 ?This is the one you've been waiting for?smart, funny and
heartbreakingly honest. Liza Palmer infuses her novel with humor,
candor, and lots of heart. This is one conversation I never wanted to
end!?- JOHANNA EDWARDS, AUTHOR OF THE NEXT BIG THING
CONVERSATIONS WITH THE FAT GIRL
Maggie and Olivia
have been best friends since they were in
grade school. Both overweight, they befriended each other when no one
else would. Now grown up, Maggie is still shopping in the
euphemism-if-there-ever-was-one "women's section," while Olivia went and
had gastric-bypass surgery in search of the elusive size 4, the holy
grail for women everywhere. So now Olivia's thin and blond and getting
married to a handsome surgeon, and Maggie's the fat bridesmaid, again,
in charge of planning "The Shower" and keeping Olivia's secret: that
she's really a fat girl in a thin body. Ain't life grand?
With wit and wisdom, Liza Palmer gives voice to women everywhere who
wish for just once that they could forget about their weight.
"All the qualities of the ideal best friend: it is reflective yet
riotous, sardonic yet compassionate... An accomplished and wonderful debut."
-AMANDA STERN, AUTHOR OF THE LONG HAUL
"Touching, funny, and oh, so human... This is a conversation I felt
lucky to be part of!"
-CAREN LISSNER, AUTHOR OF CARRIE PILBY
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