Unbearable Lightness: A Story of Loss and Gain

Portia de Rossi chronicles her descent into anorexia and bulimia while starring on the television show Ally McBeal. She details a daily regimen of caloric restriction, limiting herself to 300 calories, alongside obsessive physical exertion and the use of laxatives. The narrative tracks her psychological state as she hides her sexuality from the public and her body from herself. She documents the physical toll of organ failure and the mental distortions required to maintain a facade of perfection within the Hollywood industry.

Readers looking for a clinical look at eating disorders and the mechanics of body dysmorphia will find a technical account of the illness. The book serves those interested in the reality of celebrity culture and the internal pressure of living in the closet. Readers finish the text with an understanding of the specific behaviors involved in disordered eating and the steps required for medical and psychological stabilization. It provides a blueprint of the recovery process from near-fatal starvation to physical health.

Inward-looking and clear-cut; an easy read.

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