My Belly

A candid, sharp-witted account of one writer’s relationship with a seemingly-innocent body part.

Hilde Østby is a successful author and cultural critic on the cusp of her forty-fifth birthday. But instead of celebrating her many accomplishments, all she can think about is how much she hates her stomach—an insecurity that has ruled over her existence ever since she was fifteen. 

How did a girl from an academic home—where intellect counted more than looks—become the kind of woman who would obsess over her appearance during a photoshoot for her latest book? In My Belly, Østby decides to, once and for all, write about her most hated body part, exploring how the male gaze, diet culture, stress, capitalism, fashion, beauty, and trauma have played into her obsession. Eventually, through knowledge and wonder, she finds the answer to overcoming her self loathing in unexpected ways.

Hilde Østby is the author of the international nonfiction bestseller, Adventures in Memory, with her sister Ylva, and, most recently, The Key to Creativity. Her books have been translated into twenty different languages. She lives in Oslo, Norway.