Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Body

Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Body is a memoir by Roxane Gay, published in 2017. It explores Gay's personal experiences with weight, body image, trauma, and self-acceptance. The memoir details her struggles with food, her body, and the complex relationship between her emotional state and physical form.

The book delves into the aftermath of a gang rape Gay experienced at the age of twelve, and how she used food as a way to cope with the trauma and create a physical barrier between herself and the world. Hunger chronicles her journey toward self-understanding, acceptance, and navigating a world that often marginalizes and stigmatizes individuals with larger bodies.

A significant theme within the memoir is the concept of visibility and invisibility. Gay discusses how her size both makes her hyper-visible in some contexts, attracting unwanted attention and judgment, while also rendering her invisible in others, particularly in terms of being seen as a whole person beyond her physical appearance.

Hunger is noted for its raw honesty, vulnerability, and unflinching examination of societal attitudes toward fatness and body image. It has been praised for its contribution to conversations surrounding body positivity, trauma, and the challenges faced by individuals living in larger bodies. The book is a personal narrative, but also serves as a critical commentary on cultural biases and the pervasive impact of societal expectations regarding body size and shape.