I decided to clean up some of my files that seem to be accumulating on our dinning room table of late. Amongst them I found three half written book reviews so thought I had better do some catching up. One of them is on a book I had read over the summer (Christmas) period. Remember I had said I love books that move me, make me cry or laugh. This one would have me doubled up in laughter and often in the car during my lunch hours or while waiting for my hubby to finish work, when I was picking him up. The title is interesting and sure to bring a smile of curiosity at least…

“Short Fat chick in Paris”    

 written my Kerre Woodham with Gareth Brown.

Kerre is a well-known New Zealand Talkback radio host, Television presenter and magazine columnist, (I love listening to her talkback radio). I had picked up her book, while browsing in a bookshop waiting for someone, and flipped through the first few pages until I came across the second chapter, “Looking Back”. What caught my eye were her frank, hilarious, misconceptions on being a first time published writer. This was indeed her second book, having been approached by HarperCollins to write her first one about her venture into marathon running.

Brutally honest, she tells of wrestling with  HarperCollins Publishers over the title of her first book “Short Fat Chick to Marathon Runner”, to waking at 4am in the morning wondering if she would have to mortgage the house to buy back all the books that weren’t bought, to nearly missing deadlines.

The description on the back of the book reads:….

A book for chicks of all ages who sometimes get it wrong but keep on trying anyway…

When celebrity broadcaster and columnist Kerre Woodham becomes the Short Fat Chick who runs marathons, she changed lives. Hugely successful, her first book is now followed by a funny, inspiring and devastatingly honest continuation of her personal story. This time Kerre shares more of her physical and emotional journey through a life lived out loud – the highs and lows of a woman who has privately battled flab, the piss fairy and midlife crises behind a public life of glitz and glamour.

One piece that comes to mind is Kerre giving a rendition of “Guantanamera” a party trick she used to do, and as she attempted to stand on the bar and her sense of equilibrium had deserted her, she toppled forward into the fruit bowl on the servery behind the bar. You will have to read the book to find out what she said next… but her friends managed to get her upright albeit with their eyes closed….ha-ha

The description continues…

After the euphoria of the New York Marathon, Kerre set her sights on London – and failed miserably. Did that stop her? Hell, no. With a training programme designed for her by long-term trainer, friend and co-author Gareth (aka “Gaz”) Brown, the Short Fat Chick decided to go French. With a group of friends and fellow runners, Kerre went to Paris.. And rediscovered her joie de vivre.

Kerre mentions that as she had heard from so many women who had said because of her and her book they thought that if an “old boiler” like Kerre can do it, then I can too. But it also confirmed her belief that she was obliged to be doing the hard yards alongside them. She owed it to them!

The book is dotted with excerpts from Gaz, his thoughts on Kerre and her approach not only to marathon running but life in general. There is also a section on exercise and diet for the would be runner, as well as excerpts from women who have found Kerre’s book to have changed their way of thinking towards a healthier life. What I love about this book is that through all the humour, she shows us that she is human, with faults, and fears, with friends who accept her for who she is and not for what they think she should be and love her anyway.  This is a laugh out loud read to inspire you to…. well,….move you!,