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Let's start a list of fat acceptance related books. Please also include a brief description of the book and/or a link to it explaining why it would be a good fat studies reference.

Here's a few of my recommendations:

Tipping the Scales of Justice: Fighting Weight-Based Discrimination by Sondra Solovay, J.D.
Details weight-based illegal hiring practices, workplace prejudice, harassment, unfair treatment, medical malpractice, and denial of public access. This book is essential for law courses and libraries, as well as for anyone concerned about weight as a legal issue.

Big Fat Lies: The Truth About Your Health and Your Weight by Glenn Gaesser, Gurze Books (2000).
The author debunks the myths of the height/weight chart and the standard belief that fat causes heart disease. Advocates a new definition of fitness that focuses on insulin sensitivity, light to moderate physical activity, and a low-fat diet (not for weight loss).

Losing It: America’s Obsession with Weight and the Industry that Feeds on It by Laura Fraser, Dutton (1997).
Extensive history and exposé of the weight-loss industry in America.

Rethinking Thin: The New Science of Weight Loss---and the Myths and Realities of Dieting by Gina Kolata. Gina was previously featured in an interview hereon the site. In her new book, she explores the history of dieting fads, the politics of obesity science, and the culture of appearance. Kolata also blasts those in the obesity industry—such as Jenny Craig and academic obesity research centers—who are invested in promoting the idea that overweight is unhealthy and diet and exercise are effective despite a raft of evidence to the contrary.

Fat History: Bodies and Beauty in the Modern West by Peter Stearns (NYU Press, 2002). A classic study that dissects "the meaning of fat and antifat in modern Western society," concentrating on the U.S. and France during the past century. The author chronicles the transformation of fat from something to be revered to something to be reviled, and includes good analysis on the ways in which fat has become gendered.

The Beauty Myth: How Images of Beauty Are Used Against American Women by Naomi Wolf. (William Morrow, reprinted in 2001). Wolf’s groundbreaking work is often cited by contemporary historians on women’s history, feminist scholars and sociologists. Wolf argues that the beauty myth – historical pressures placed upon women to achieve a certain and often unattainable beauty ideal – exist as a form of social control in which the patriarchy is maintained.

The Body Project: An Intimate History of American Girls. New York: Vintage Books by Joan Jacobs Brumberg. (Vintage Books, 1997). The prominent historian draws on diary excerpts and media images from 1830 to the present to examine the shift from Victorian concerns with character to the now modern focus on appearance.

Fat: An Anthropology of an Obsession edited by Don Kulick and Anne Meneley. (Tarcher, 2005). "The collection of essays by academic anthropologists examines fat as a symbol of aesthetics, social status, economic success and cultural belonging. Many of the pieces look at foreign societies or marginal subcultures that, contrary to the fat-phobic Western norm, view fat as a sign of beauty, health and prosperity."

What are some others you'd add to the list?

A Very Hungry Girl: How I Filled Up on Life...and How You Can, Too! by Jessica Weiner (2003). This compelling autobiography chronicles the journey of Jessica Weiner, who spent most of her life hungering to be someone else. She has taken her experience with her eating disorder and used it to help others through motivational speaking for positive body image and fat acceptance.

The Obesity Myth.

I love this book so bad! I even wrote a little blog on it.
it's about how stats have been twisted by FDA to cater to their
drug company lovers...and more...great read.

http://plushus.com/page.php?id=501

love
nati