Table of Contents

AcknowledgmentsAn Introduction: Becoming the GodfatherWho ... What ... Is Crazy?Forever FatA History of My FatherMr. MeyersTeethDog StoryClarityWaiting AwayCharlie Looks GoodDesperately Seeking IreneLow-Clearance StoryWWMGIntimate DetailsSource Acknowledgments

Promotional Information

A memoir in essay form that explains and defends the concept of creative nonfiction by the "godfather" of the genre

About the Author

Lee Gutkind is the founder and editor of the journal Creative Nonfiction. The author and editor of a dozen books, including the award-winning Many Sleepless Nights: The World of Organ Transplantation, he is a professor of English at the University of Pittsburgh and the director of the Mid-Atlantic Creative Nonfiction Writers' Conference at Goucher College.

Reviews

"Lee Gutkind writes, 'Trusting other people is the easy part.' But the truth is, whether he's writing of Plantar's warts, coffee in a Pittsburgh diner, or even divorce and fatherhood, Lee Gutkind is the one it's easy to trust. He takes care with the word in all its glory." Bret Lott, author of Jewel and Fathers, Sons, and Brothers "Forever Fat is a deeply moving account of one man's physical and spiritual transformation, where the words, 'Never, never, never give in' have particular resonance for anyone who has tried to piece together the truth of one's life on the page, against the doubting voices that surround us." Terry Tempest Williams, author of Leap and Refuge: An Unnatural History of Family and Place "A book about identity, the cruel threats one's family can make to one's sense of self, and the courage and clarity of vision it takes to transcend the injury. The essays are brimming with dramatic intensity, astute observation, wit, and narrative skill." Lee Martin, author of From Our House "Lee Gutkind has a wise, compassionate soul, evident everywhere in this story of one large life---father, writer, fat boy, literary pioneer, at once vulnerable and firm fisted---Gutkind shows us, in this book, how everyday intelligence and grace can combine to elevate our days to things of carefully crafted beauty." Lauren Slater, author of Welcome to My Country "In Forever Fat Lee Gutkind rigorously practices what he preaches: he tells true stories---tales by turns painful and funny, with an often startling candor and an always redeeming humanity." Mark Singer, author of Funny Money and Citizen K

"Lee Gutkind writes, 'Trusting other people is the easy part.' But the truth is, whether he's writing of Plantar's warts, coffee in a Pittsburgh diner, or even divorce and fatherhood, Lee Gutkind is the one it's easy to trust. He takes care with the word in all its glory." Bret Lott, author of Jewel and Fathers, Sons, and Brothers "Forever Fat is a deeply moving account of one man's physical and spiritual transformation, where the words, 'Never, never, never give in' have particular resonance for anyone who has tried to piece together the truth of one's life on the page, against the doubting voices that surround us." Terry Tempest Williams, author of Leap and Refuge: An Unnatural History of Family and Place "A book about identity, the cruel threats one's family can make to one's sense of self, and the courage and clarity of vision it takes to transcend the injury. The essays are brimming with dramatic intensity, astute observation, wit, and narrative skill." Lee Martin, author of From Our House "Lee Gutkind has a wise, compassionate soul, evident everywhere in this story of one large life---father, writer, fat boy, literary pioneer, at once vulnerable and firm fisted---Gutkind shows us, in this book, how everyday intelligence and grace can combine to elevate our days to things of carefully crafted beauty." Lauren Slater, author of Welcome to My Country "In Forever Fat Lee Gutkind rigorously practices what he preaches: he tells true stories---tales by turns painful and funny, with an often startling candor and an always redeeming humanity." Mark Singer, author of Funny Money and Citizen K

Gutkind (English, Univ. of Pittsburgh), whom Vanity Fair once called the "godfather behind creative nonfiction," has put together a collection of essays whose form, style, and topics further redefine the genre. The collection opens with a credolike introductory essay that is followed by a series of somewhat formulaic pieces touching upon a range of experiences, such as the author's painful relationships with his parents, his two ex-wives, his son, his various acquaintances and colleagues, and those he meets on his adventurous travels through America. This master of the form doesn't merely describe the mundane, however. Instead, he transforms it into an eternal truth about life that is applicable to anyone. With Gutkind ultimately emerging as a more understanding person, readers benefit from the realization that the process of learning is both humorous and traumatic. Gutkind recounts his past experiences with clarity and wisdom. Recommended for any composition course as an example of excellent nonfiction writing and for public libraries collecting literary memoir. [This title is part of the publisher's "American Lives" series, which aims to showcase a variety of styles and content in the works of creative nonfiction.-Ed.]-Morris Hounion, New York City Coll. of Tech. Lib., CUNY Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.