POSITIVELY CAROLINE

How I Beat Bulimia for Good and Found Real Happiness

One of the first books of its kind to tackle the subject of how eating disorder survivors can and do create lives of joy and health that persist past the early years of recovery. Some media reports have led people to believe that there is an “addictive personality” that careens from addiction to addiction without ever experiencing lasting wellness, but Caroline’s story is a demonstration that many people can, and do, put food into its proper perspective and then go on to handle other life challenges without sliding backwards into food abuse or turning to other addictive substances or behaviors. Positively Caroline is the sequel to the bestselling My Name is Caroline (Doubleday 1988), which was the first major autobiography to cover recovery from bulimia, and which continues to sell well today.

  • I was a huge fan of Caroline’s first book back in 1983 … so it was a real thrill for me to see this sequel and catch up on Caroline’s life again.  Five stars is not enough.

    Pamela Anne
  • What’s great about Caroline in this book is her resilience and explaining how she bounced back from it. She has practical advice in every chapter about how she does this. It’s a fascinating read and easy to lose track of time. It’s like eating perfectly buttered popcorn with a bit a caramel sweetness. Only there are no calories and you feel great after you’re finished.

    Susan
  • Positively Caroline is a very inspiring book about life, careers, and the power of zest and resilience… [I]t is a wonderful gift to all women and men who want to forge their own definition of happiness and success.

    Maria
  • I had planned to read this book on a vacation next month, but once it arrived I started reading it and could not put it down until I finished. Caroline has overcome so much and thrived despite everything life threw at her. This book will inspire many people whether or not they ever had an eating disorder.

    Kelly P.
  • Although the book is subtitled, “How I Beat Bulimia for Good,” this book is not just for those with eating disorders or other addictions. This book is for anyone who has felt overwhelmed by life and found their way to a better place.  The chapters at the end provide such a great example of how enthusiastic one can be when finding a calling – all the more so when the calling is about living well.

    Janice B. Stanley
  • This book is not just for those struggling with recovery issues or worrying about how well they support their children. We can all learn from people who have lived difficult lives with resilience and courage.

    Kathryn Britton
  • “Positively Caroline” is a very powerful book that will help so many people.  Caroline touches all who have had issues or trauma – not just food issues … I highly recommend this book not only to adults in recovery but to share with our teenage children as an example of how to conquer our challenges and become happy, whole people.”

    Victoria
PICKING UP WHERE MY NAME IS CAROLINE LEFT OFF

Positively Caroline

This book covers many of the issues that women struggle with, regardless of whether or not they are recovering from an eating disorder, including:

  • How to maintain a sane relationship with food throughout different life stages, such as pregnancy
  • How to role model healthy behavior so that children learn how to have positive feelings toward their own bodies
  • How to find happiness and balance between work and parenting
  • How to follow your own dreams in life and take risks so that life is fulfilling and rewarding
BY CAROLINE'S DAUGHTER, SAMANTHA

From the Foreword to Positively Caroline

Since the book [My Name is Caroline] ends when my mother was still in her twenties, the question “is long-term recovery possible for women with bulimia?” remains unanswered.

Positively Caroline is that answer. Like its predecessor, this book pulls you absolutely into the mind of Caroline as she deals with her disease in the years after My Name is Caroline ends. She becomes even more relatable as she experiences the joys of motherhood, the perils of bankruptcy, the stress of marriage and the dilemma of the work-home balance—all while maintaining her recovery. It is a tremendous story of triumph in the face of personal adversity, but manages to leave this impression without being self-congratulatory. In fact, Caroline is almost uniquely self-aware and consistently willing to work on herself.

Maybe I am a bit biased. Certainly, I love my mother and believe her to be an incredible person. But I love Caroline the character in a way that any reader can, and have learned from her experiences through her writing and self-reflection.

Positively Caroline is, broadly, a book about dealing with life. It tackles this ambitious task through the specific and personal lens of recovery from bulimia, but its message is universal: know yourself, improve yourself, and love yourself.

Interested in bringing Caroline in to speak at one of your future events?

To inquire about or schedule Caroline to speak at one of your future events, contact Caroline at caroline@carolinemiller.com and put "speaking" in the subject line or fill out the form below.

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