What is it about life in the West these last two decades that has caused the enormous upsurge in cases of anorexia and bulimia? In exploring this question Richard Gordon reviews the clinical symptoms of these disorders, highlighting both their similarities and their differences before tackling larger causal issues. Gordon examines why certain psychological disorders achieve epidemic proportions at certain times in certain cultures, taking the explosion in cases of hysteria at the turn of the century as a case in point. He explores whether other cultures have different models or templates for psychological disorder. With these data and questions as a background, Gordon draws out demographical and cultural patterns discernible in cases of anorexia and bulimia. Added to these, the book argues other contributory causes, including the pressures and dilemmas of a changing female identity within society and the family, and the conflicting messages of the media. The author also discusses the diet industry which argue concern for the problem, but simultaneously markets images of anorexic glamour, and portrays the typical victim in terms that prove ironically attractive.