"I Was a Baby Bulimic" Review

There were several differences between “I Was a Baby Bulimic” by Frank Bruni and the two memoir excerpts we read last week.

First of all, this memoir seemed much more personal. “An American Childhood” was a somewhat comical story about the author getting into trouble with some neighborhood boys. “Salvation” was about a young boy who chooses to lie about having a religious revelation. Although both stories have deep, personal aspects, I think Bruni’s tale is much more private. He talked about his weight problems throughout adolescents, and his struggles with bulimia both as a child and as a college student.

Another main difference was the detail. “I Was a Baby Bulimic” was much more lengthy than the other two excerpts, which gave Bruni more room to add details. After reading his narrative, the reader really got a sense of what he went through throughout his entire childhood.

Also, I think Bruni’s story has an important lesson that can be learned. The other two stories were more self-directed—reflections of events in their childhoods—but Bruni’s story is also a warning about the hazards and health risks of eating disorders.