DEAR CHERRY: Questions and Answers on Eating Disorders

by Cherry Boone O'Neill ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 17, 1985

Hang on, get help, and good luck: the themes of this unremarkable collection of letters written in response to Starving For Attention. As is well-known by now, O'Neill (singer Pat Boone's oldest daughter) successfully fought a 10-year battle against anorexia; fellow sufferers of eating disorders wrote her in large numbers after O'Neill's previous account of her ordeal. There is no new light shed on the disorders here, and O'Neill's message in reply to her correspondents is simple and repetitive: ""The main question I would put to you is this: do you truly want to get well? If so, seek help--the sooner the better!"" O'Neill continually urges counseling, especially family therapy, and is always reassuring. Several frightened letters refer to singer Karen Carpenter's death during a relapse into anorexia (O'Neill had spoken to her about their disease), and O'Neill uses that to reiterate her message: relapses may occur, but sufferers must strive to survive and keep working on getting better through therapy--""For those who have truly dealt with the root, casual issues in their illnesses, relapse is unlikely. Don't give up--you can make it!""Mostly, then, reinforcement for O'Neill's fans.

Pub Date: June 17, 1985

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Continuum

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 1985

Categories: NONFICTION