Body Talk: 37 Voices Explore Our Radical Anatomy is a collection of essays that describe many experiences of people as they live in their bodies, and the way in which their body affects their struggles, triumphs, goals, and social interactions. These experiences include cancer, scoliosis, different body types, various disorders, and so much more. Most books about bodies are clinically about human anatomy, but 37 voices now reveal how that anatomy shapes the human experience.

This book, as it describes a wide array of human bodies and experiences, also made me experience a wide array of emotions. I wish I'd had this book as a child, and I think this is an essential book for young and old alike. Society treats imperfect bodies as if they are damaged and "wrong," but as the essays in this book illustrate, we are all unique and we all struggle in our own way. Some of these unique aspects also provide benefits we did not expect. In advertisement and in our social groups, there are many expectations that surface about our appearance that then causes us inwardly to reflect negatively upon ourselves. As somebody who deals with a chronic health condition, that creates struggle for me as I reconcile the difference between what I expect of myself, and where I am. This book reinforces the idea of being grateful for the amazing things our bodies do for us every day, accepting the reality of our struggles, and being kind to ourselves as we endeavor to improve the quality of life we experience in our body. Additionally, it asks us to accept the imperfections we see in others as a natural part of being human. I appreciated the depth and breadth of these stories, and I think we can all get something out of this excellent book about our amazing human bodies.

I haven’t had the opportunity to read non-fiction in a while and I was glad to have the chance to read this one. BODY TALK is all about the ins and outs of our bodies. From the way we look on the outside to the way that our bodies make us feel on the inside. This is an important and unique anthology and I would recommend this to any teen or adult who is confused about how to feel about their own body as this offers a plethora of voices. Even if I can’t personally relate to some of the stories, I feel that its important to hear from people who live beyond your own experiences. There were some stories that I could relate to regardless of my own experiences that I found emotionally impactful. I recommend taking your time with one as there are many stories to take in and each and every one brings its own lasting impression.

My personal favorites were from Rachael Lippincott, Eugene Grant, Tyra Banks & Carolyn London, Sara Saedi, D.M. Moerhle, Julie Murphy, Junauda Petrus-Nasah, Rosahni Chokshi, Jourdain Searles, and Gavin Grimm.

With 37 different voices sharing their struggles with body image, chronic pain, being disabled, and learning to love every imperfection and flaw, you're bound to shed a few tears and feel incredibly seen. This anthology really has it all: stories from people who use a wheelchair, have endometriosis, required surgery for scoliosis in high school, ran the London Marathon with period blood running down her legs, have cancer, and more. Interspersed are q&as about self-care, identity-first language, trigger warnings, what's normal about your period, body image, fat acceptance vs body positivity, and everything in between. I've flipped around, reading essays and FAQs that stick out to me, and honestly have loved them all. Some of these underrepresented voices are ones I've never had the privilege of reading before, like a boxer who is also dwarfish. Unafraid to tackle sensitive subjects, skin conditions, paraplegia, and what your urologist wants you to know about your genitalia are also included. I highly recommend these essays for a quick and eye-opening read whenever you're in the mood.

Thank you to Algonquin Books and Kelly Jensen for the early copy and the blog tour invite! See my post here: https://www.instagram.com/p/CEE3ttUpw5O

This book highlights 37 different personal stories about bodies, and it was truly enlightening to read. There are stories about fat bodies, disabled bodies, lgbtq+ bodies, Black bodies, Brown bodies, Latinx bodies, trans & non-binary bodies, and every intersection in-between about things like scoliosis, dwarfism, crooked teeth, cancer, cultural differences in body shaming, periods, PCOS and endometriosis, sex, endocrine disorders, eating disorders, and so much more. These stories talk about the struggles of learning to love and appreciate every body, including your own.

I really loved this anthology, and I think it's something that everyone should pick up and read. There was something I could relate to in almost every story, and even if I couldn't personally relate - all of them were interesting and important. I really can't recommend this enough, and it's definitely something I would love to share with my children one day.

I read this book for a blog tour, so thank you to the publisher for inviting me on this tour and letting me participate in it. Thank you also to Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

When I first got the email about this book, I immediately signed-up because it sounded like such a great book and I knew I was going to enjoy it, but I had no idea that I was going to get so many feelings from it.

In this book, we learn about 37 peoples' illnesses, struggles, body confidence issues, identity and gender, and so much more. I identified to so many stories and as someone which various chronic illnesses and body confidence issues, this book meant so much to me, and to finally know that other people feel the way I do was just a great feeling.

I can't really say much more about this book as it is an anthology about the body and you have to read it yourself to fully appreciate it and experience all the feels, but it had me laughing and also quite tearful at times. This book reminded me that I have a body and I can be powerful despite my conditions and issues, I can also be sensitive and vulnerable, but I have to listen to my body and be kind to myself.

This was a really good book, and I loved it. I gave it 5 stars and I highly recommend to everyone. I will definitely get myself a physical copy and I will keep revisiting it often!

Kelly Jensen, editor of the popular mental Health, is back with another book that celebrates diversity and creates open dialogue for teen audiences to talk about some difficult topics. In Body Talk: 37 Voices Explore Our Radical Anatomy, readers take a deep dive into different people’s experiences growing up with bodies that are outside what is considered the norm.
Filled with essays by activists, writers, celebrities, and more, this book really showcases what it means to love and accept your body.Between back braces, wheelchairs, makeup, deafness, and Crohn’s disease, this book highlights many different lives and does so from a real perspective. The book is broken up into six chapters that categorize the essays dealing with physical ailments, invisible illnesses, sexual topics, and more. It makes an effort to educate as well as relate to those who have either never heard of these illnesses/disabilities or who have experienced them. But most importantly, it celebrates the diversity of everyone’s beautiful bodies and seeks to spread awareness and self-love.
This is a book that everyone can benefit from reading. Whether it’s to educate yourself, entertain yourself, or step into someone else’s shoes for a few pages, Body Talk is a great read and will leave your feeling empowered and insightful.


*I received an ARC from Algonquin Young Reader in exchange for my honest opinion.

We are living in both a horrible and an amazing time. For the first time that I can remember, people are talking honestly about what it is to be their unique selves. Yes, there are those who judge them, who want them to shut up, and who are vehemently putting their opinions out there, but there are so many more welcoming the dialogue because when it comes right down to it, none of us are immune to frailties of mind and body.

Body Talk is filled with honest conversations. Essays written by individuals who have struggled or dealt with accepting or not accepting who they are or what others might think of them. I found most of the essays to be insightful and enlightening, opening my world and view. The essays don’t follow a party line, for which I was grateful. This was especially true for those essays dealing with weight, being fat. Being a person whose weight has been like a roller coaster, I identified with some of the voices but not others. And, I think that’s where these essays succeed. Each person’s experience is their own, and the reader accepts that. We do not live in other people’s bodies or minds, only our own so that is the limit of our experience unless others share.

None of the essays is particularly long. Some are told conversationally. Some dryly. All are well-written and informative. Some touch you. Some make you cringe. Many you’ll think about long after you’ve read them.

This book could not have been published when I was a teenager, but I am glad that it has been published now. While Body Talk is geared toward teenagers, I believe that it can and should be read widely across all age groups. I am positive that anyone who reads it with an open mind would discover something more about what it is to be human beyond their own circumstance. Perhaps if we truly understood what it was to walk a mile in another’s shoes, we would be far less judgmental–and imagine that world!

I very much appreciate the publisher providing me with a copy of Body Talk in exchange for an honest review.

I love how many different topics are covered in this book! There isn't enough visibility for a lot of these illnesses, and I think this is a good step forward.

I couldn't put this book down. Every person has a unique body and every body has a story. In this book, writers, models, actors, musicians, and artists share essays, lists, comics, and illustrations about size, shape, disabilities, hair, scars, and much more. Everyone has something about their body that may not be considered "ideal" by the world we live in and everyone can find something to identify with in this book. Even the stories that have nothing to do with my body or myself were stories I could learn from and empathize with.

Thank you so much to Algonquin YR for including me on the Blog Tour for Body Talk edited by Kelly Jensen!

I remember, when I was about 12 or 13, watching Tyra Banks look into the camera and say “Kiss my fat ass” while wearing a swimsuit she had been vilified in the press for wearing while on the beach. I don’t think I had yet allowed negative body talk to seep into my brain at that point, but I knew that was a significant moment. She effectively gave the middle finger to everyone and anyone who dared speak poorly about women’s bodies simply because they existed outside of a size 2.

Where was this book when I was in the throes of my eating disorder? If I could go back in time, I would give myself a copy of Body Talk and have every single page marked as “read when...you feel like punishing yourself for eating cake” “read when...you feel like you shouldn’t have one more slice of pizza” “read when...you want to play basketball, but running burns more calories.” I would tell my younger self that I really should focus more on my loss of control with my therapist now, rather than 6 years down the line. I would tell myself that every body is beautiful and is there to take us from place to place and there is nothing inherently better about a thin body than a fat body. Don’t listen to those “compliments” because they aren’t compliments at all, but rather society’s way of conditioning you to see yourself as ugly so you spend more money. Forget that!

First of all, thanks to NetGalley and Amanda from Algonquin Books for sending me an eARC in exchange for a honest review. You can also find it on Goodreads and NetGalley - the Italian one is here.
You have to know English isn’t my first language, so feel free to correct me if I make some mistakes while writing this review.


This is an anthology series that I really like - very colorful and above all very curated in all the details.

After the volume on feminism and the one on mental health, now it's the turn of the human body - in all its forms, in all the meanings of sexuality, in all gender identities, in all diseases and problems that are seen and also those that are internal and therefore hidden, but no less important.

There are many experiences of scoliosis, how this impacted the author's life - how surgery sometimes had to be done and how long wearing the back brace has also changed their way of seeing things and increased their self esteem.
We read about dwarfism, about how the concept of "normality" often leads some people to ask too much from their body - only to realize that the concept of normality is relative.
We read about disability in general, about the barriers that these people sometimes face and that are real obstacles in their every day life.
We read deafness and neuro-degenerative diseases, of how often people are rude and wonder how it's possible for these people to have a "normal" life.
We read about dental care and how it's not accessible to everyone - especially immigrants.
We read about facial hair, endometriosis, poly-cystic ovary, a misshapen uterus, testicular cancer, menstrual cycle.
We read about chronic pain which is sometimes not taken seriously even by doctors, we read about invisible diseases and how the person who suffers from it is accused of pretending because he/she/they doesn't/don't look like someone who is sick.
We read about lean bodies, fat bodies, trans bodies, gender identity, fat-shaming and how the very concept of "body positivity" has limits and is not able to include everyone.
We read about how even the color of the skin is a discriminating factor, of how it's the white and thin cis-gender body that is considered the "normality" - to which marketing is aimed, to which reference is always made, which is considered a goal so people often ruin themselves in order to try to reach it.
We read about how the concept of thinness and fatness changes from one culture to another, of asexuality and relationships, of make-up used as armor.

We read about contempt for our own body, acceptance and even love for it.


It's a pity that I read it at a time when I work up to ten and a half hours always standing on my feet and therefore once at home I just want to sleep, because otherwise I would have spent much more time on it in order to absorb every single detail - instead the date set for the review loomed.

I've never had a good relationship with my body - I don't love it, in fact ... I hate it cordially.
All of these testimonies have often been not only sharp and sometimes funny, but above all heartfelt and moving - cathartic, in fact.

It's true that every body is different and each one of it has its own story, but I found myself in those who wrote about how they always wore clothes designed to cover more skin and their own shapes and how makeup can be worn as an armor for gain more self-confidence in themselves and out in the world.
And it's precisely the self-confidence that shines through all these testimonies - obtained despite the pain, insecurity and difficulties - because each one of these bodies has struggled to get to own their place in the world and make their voice heard.
And who knows, maybe after reading it, I will learn how to do like these authors in order to love myself a little more.

This third volume of the anthology, through these 37 entries, not only speaks of the human body - visible and invisible - but also takes up the themes of feminism and mental health addressed in the two previous ones.
This is because the female body is increasingly more subjected to criticism than the male one and because feeling bad in our own body - or having someone who always whispers it in our ear - leads to anxiety and depression.

It's an anthology that really deserves to be read, where its authors lay bare through essays, poems, comics, tips, FAQs, interviews, use and meaning of specific terminology, lists of things to say and not to say when dealing with someone different than us with their own story and experiences.

Do I recommend it? Yes, obviously I do.

If you've read Kelly Jensen's other anthology, (Don't) Call Me Crazy, you already know how wonderfully diverse the voices are inside. This one made me tear up and cry several times. Partially because I saw myself in some of these stories (who knew Tyra Banks would make me cry on a Sunday? Not I), and partially because you never know what someone's life is truly like.

Eric Smith (whose Don't Read the Comments was one of my favorite reads of this year) has a touching piece about being, well, kinda fuzzy as an 11-year-old. Sara Saedi's essay is about getting braces at 13, and how being an undocumented immigrant tied in with that. There's essays on body positivity, how sexuality ties in with bodies, and more

Much like (Don't) Call Me Crazy, the essays have facts and statistics interspersed throughout the book. Like a little blurb on how to talk about disabled folks, and accessibility, and the difference between body positivity and fat acceptance. (You can check out my instagram for possibly the most vulnerable picture I've ever posted of myself.)

This anthology is absolutely wonderful, and I highly recommend picking it up, regardless of how comfortable you are in your skin. I give Body Talk 5 out of 5 bear hugs. Thank you so much to Algonquin Young Readers for including me on the blog tour!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an eARC in exchange for a honest review!

BODY TALK is 37 own voices short stories from all types of different human beings with all kind of different body types. This short story collection explores the body in a whole new way; with which struggles people can have with their bodies. Heartbreaking moments when it feels like your body has betrayed you, but also hopeful stories about what a body can do.

<i>How the things we so easily label as blemishes or shame inducing or worthy of hiding turn into something beautiful when looked at through the lens of the people who love us.</i> - Rachael Lippincott

I don't know how many times I wished I had a physical copy of this book, it was so many lines and quotes, sections and paragraphs I wanted to highlight, write down somewhere to remember in the future. To say to me when I struggle with my own body. For me, this book was somewhat triggering, due to that I'm, myself, have a chronic illness. I've scars on my stomach and on my upper chest that is visibly. I've been trying to hide those scars for years, and even though people around me have named them, for example, one of the scars is named "lizard", I've still struggling. Therefore, the quote above really made me think.

This is a short story collection to be read slowly. Really read every word and try to put yourself in other peoples shoes. Try to see how they see the world and what they need to do to accomplish each day to be a good day. What they have been struggling through throughout the years. And when you're done with one short story, reflect on yourself and your relationship with your own body.

I loved all of the discussions in this story collection, I really enjoyed how deeply diverse it was in every aspect. Read this, and think about what amazing things you can do with your body.

Review to come to Goodreads (not comfortable despite the great rating to post it on my blog) tomorrow.

I received this book from the publisher in exchange of an honest review.

A gorgeous book that I am delighted to have the pleasure to read. It features short stories about mental health, weight, muscles, scoliosis, braces, cancer, puberty, LGBT, and many more. All are honest and beautiful. These are the kind of stories I always tend to read first when I see them in magazines. I just love stories about people's lives, about something they experienced, well you get the idea. Some stories made me cry, others made me laugh, that all has to do with how the person wrote their story, some just wrote it with humour. I hope that explains it correctly, otherwise sorry. There are also illustrations added and I like the style of them. Next to short stories by various people we also have FAQs and some other things that fit the theme, I do like that they were added, though those were the ones the hardest to read due to what I will talk about in the next paragraph.

One of the things, and which is why it took me much longer to read than normal, was that the format just didn't work for my Kindle. While doing the blog tour for this book I went on Amazon to grab an excerpt and I found out why my Kindle just ate stuff up. Definitely not a book meant for Kindle, images here and there, borders, and more. So yeah, it wasn't always easy to read as words went missing or were in weird places, sentences broken. Random Body Talk throughout pages.

The other was that some of the stories could have been edited just a dash bit better. Now at times there were repetitions of sentences, jumping around which made me confused (like we would go from past > present and back again), and some other things. Again, the stories were great, honest and wonderful. Yes, I repeat this as people are very sensitive about things.

All in all, a collection I would highly recommend to all.

** Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an E-ARC. All opinions are my own. **
I've read Kelly Jensen's other books: Here We Are and (Don't) Call me Crazy so when I saw this one was coming out, I was really excited. This book has so much rep including fat rep, LGBTQ+ rep, disability rep, chronic illness rep, and hard of hearing rep. All of it is own voices. A lot of the subjects discussed in this book are concerned taboo in society, but this book I think will be breaking down barriers for different discussions. This book gives everyone a chance to see themselves in it because it has so much representation in it. Not only that but the representation is own voices and nonfiction. I can see this being required reading for schools as well as ways to teach kids, young adults, and adults how to be respectful to people that are considered different from what the media shows. This is something that is super important for young adults as it talks about the body and different types of bodies and doesn't shy away from taboo subjects. This could easily make a kid feel safe in their own body by reading that there is absolutely nothing wrong with them and that there are other people that have gone through the same thing and are successful.

This is a collection of essays by people with bodily differences and disabilities for disabled or bodily different readers. The authors include writers and advocates and activists, musicians and actors and others, all of whom share their experiences with their bodies in a society where they are treated as Other. Topics range from body positivity and fat acceptance to gender identity, from using makeup to scoliosis, from eating dosorders to paralysis. Many of the essays are good--well-written and compelling. Others are weaker, and there is repetition among the essays that probably should have been avoided. But overall, this is an appropriate collection for readers who are unaware or only somewhat aware of how society treats bodily difference and how the different or disabled experience society.

For a lot of people, the most complicated and fraught relationship they’ll ever have is the one they have with their body. Even for the most well-adjusted and confident of us, it’s important to remember that everyone has something they’d like to change about their bodies. That’s why this anthology collection of essays written by a diverse group (writers, models, artists, etc.) feels so powerful and uniting. It’s a universal experience to wish you could alter yourself so that you would feel more accepted by the world.

This collection felt more geared towards a younger generation to me because there are FAQs and extra information on anatomy and body issues sprinkled in between the stories. This made it feel a little more educational than if the stories were introduced by themselves. But the range of topics is wonderful – everything from living with a physical disability to wearing makeup to feel more powerful. Each writer shares their story with a refreshing amount of honesty and transparency. The selections that dealt with gender identity and eating disorders were especially powerful. Even though there’s a YA vibe, this book could easily be relatable for anyone that can remember back to what it felt like to be an awkward, confused sixth grader.

As much as I appreciated the editor’s drive to include a varied and diverse group of people, I did feel like there was a tad bit of repetition. For example, there were three stories about women who suffered from scoliosis and had to wear extremely unattractive and uncomfortable back braces in their adolescence. I know this is a terrible affliction and can cause serious damage to someone’s self-esteem and body image, but I felt like the usage of three stories on the same condition made them end up feeling less compelling. Additionally, there were three entries by Tyra Banks; although her stories have a light-hearted tone to them that the book benefits from, I would have rather seen more writers getting to share their experiences than hear from her more than once.

I also felt like there was a missed opportunity in regards to trauma and the body. Because it’s unfortunately so common for many young women and men to experience some form of sexual abuse by the time they reach adulthood, I think it would have been fascinating to have a story included about someone’s hatred for their body because of this type of experience. Trauma is often at the root of many mental illnesses (especially eating disorders) and they can be such a huge part of how we relate to and think about our bodies. I think it would have been a great inclusion to have a story that focused on how abuse can make self-love for the body so challenging. It’s almost a form of disability in itself and can be just as hard to overcome as a physical malady but still is talked about so rarely.

I’m all for books that work to make people feel less alone in their experiences and in the world in general. I wish there had been more books like this when I was growing up so that I could have read of other people struggling with body image or shame. Feeling less alone can be an invaluable part of healing body issues and feeling more comfortable in our skin, and I definitely think this book can help with that.

I am so incredibly lucky to have read this book, which features many stories by various authors about their own experiences about their body, and this was just, inspiring. I think this is a book everybody should read because the stories in themselves are important, but it is so much body positivity and I feel everyone needs that in their life. Heck, it made me figure things about my own body and I am grateful for that.

I’m not gonna lie, at some points I had tears in my eyes (and sometimes all over my face) because just reading the experience from the point of view of the authors? It really made me feel things. I felt for them and their sometimes pain. I felt for the fact that they were now happy and accepting with their bodies.

All these stories are uniques because they are someone's, but we still can all relate to some of the things people felt (or not) in their own way, especially for the people who have the same disability or problem the author talked about. How many times did it bring me to tears (of pain or joy)? Too many to count.

This book also allowed me to discover things I didn't know before, things about some disabilities, or the disability itself and I feel I learned a lot just by reading these stories. This is why ownvoices is important, these people are the more qualified to talk about this, because it's their experiences. Of course it will be different for everyone because we all are unique but it gives us people to relate to.

It was not only stories about the body, but also stories about the emotional journey the writers all took when learning to live with what they, at first, didn't like or accept. Seeing them be more (or totally) OK with themselves by the end of the day makes me hopeful. One day I will also accept my body as it is. I am capable of that.

This anthology is also incredibly diverse within itself. There are talks about disabilities and about the body itself, inside and outside of it, but also artworks, FAQs and many other little things that allow us to learn.

I will say it once again, this is a book everyone needs to read. Its message is so important, people need to read it, see it, and accept it.

Body Talk discusses the ways our body shapes our world, opportunities, and mindset. The ways it alters our perceptions of what is possible. It's a genuine, and raw, discussion of the bodies which house us. The suffering and pain we feel which we cannot put into words. The ways our body feels alien, disconnected from ourselves. All the fears, doubt, guilt, resentment, and anger boiling within us. When it's a misrepresentation of ourselves. In a world that sees people as pieces, identities, images from a glance, it's an important anthology about self-acceptance in a world of lived experiences.

This was a fantastic introduction to body differences and body positivity for teens! I already had liked Don’t Call Me Crazy, so I was excited to see this come up. The stories were all engaging, some were especially relatable to me and some gave me quality insight into other people's bodies and struggles, and the information sprinkled in was a helpful resource without getting dry. Definitely recommend for teens, but for anyone who wants to see into other people’s lives and who wants to accept all bodies (Even their own).