Skinny Bastard

March 30, 2009
Apparently fearing their market's reaching the saturation point, the latest iteration of Freedman and Barnouin's bestselling Skinny Bitch series goes after another demographic entirely-men-but without altering the strident, withering approach they've perfected in Skinny Bitch and its follow-ups. That may be a mistake-the kind of cutting humor that comes off as challenging when aimed at fellow women seems (rightly or wrongly) more chilling when aimed across the gender aisle, with the real possibility of turning men off. Still, those happy to take the scorn with the solution are invited to "strap on a pair...and get ripped." Much of the strict Skinny Girl regimen is translated directly: sugar, simple carbs, meat and dairy are out; fruits, vegetables, legumes, grains and whole wheat are in. The authors also discuss evidence for and against soy, the male epidemic of hypertension and heart disease, and the failings of government health-monitoring departments (like the USDA and FDA). Helpful grace notes include a chapter of support for the big changes (titled "Don't Be a Pussy") and shopping lists of approved brands and foods.

In this book's equally foul-mouthed antecedent, SKINNY BITCH, the authors--the two most vocal proponents of "thinness as virtue" since Wallis Simpson--gobbled up female diet trends with voracious aplomb. Here they tackle men's diets with the same tongue-lashing and lip-smacking zest, but their vegan-based philosophy leaves little room for error--meat, carbs, alcohol, soda, diet soda, and coffee are all intensely vilified, not merely as health and lifestyle decisions but also as deterrents to successful sexual conquest. Put in these terms, it's easy to see this book as a kind of shrill manifesto--which is no fault of narrator Hillary Huber. Her sinewy delivery, rich with well-timed pauses and thoughtful inflection, evokes the authors' scolding contempt with droll precision. Whether you agree with this book's extreme philosophy, it is inarguably provocative food for thought. J.S.H. (c) AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine