Big, Bold and Beautiful: Living Large on a Small Planet

Lynne Perras teaches communication arts at the University of Calgary.

Big, Bold and Beautiful is the autobiography of a woman who fought
against society’s rejection of heavy women and achieved a decisive
victory. Jackqueline Hope chronicles her life from her days as an
insecure young bride to her present career as a model and owner of a
successful fashion boutique that caters to large-size customers.

Although the book relates Hope’s story, it is not organized
chronologically but rather divided into chapters that examine such
weight-related topics as overall health, exercise, sensuality, and the
fashion industry. Although some readers may find this structure
frustrating since it is difficult in places to keep track of key events,
it serves Hope’s goal of empowering heavier women and showing them
that they are entitled to more than the tent-shaped polyester garments
that have traditionally been available to them.

Despite some uneven writing, this book will no doubt inspire and
benefit those who are in search of self-acceptance.