Conversations With the Fat Girl (40 page)

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

324 319

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

Visit our Web site at www.5-spot.com

$12.95 US / $17.95 CAN.

ISBN 0-446-69395-2

51295>

9780446693950

Cover design: Brigid Pearson

Cover photo: Comstock Images

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