Reviewed by Cathy Miller(NAAFA) There is nothing more powerful than the visual image. In fat activism, we've had only powerful words to speak our truth: "Fat is beautiful!," "Fat is not unhealthy!," "Fat is neither stupid or lazy." With Women En Large at last we have pictures to trumpet our news. Beautiful, powerful photographs of naked fat women. Fat women of all sizes, ages, and colors. Fat women int heir homes, in their gardens, in their wheelchairs. Fat women dancing, fat women dreaming, fat women sharing the solidarity of each other's company, fat women looking out of the page with pride and hard-won strength. "Here I am, here we are;" they say, "we are here for ourselves but we want you to look at us, to see our truth. Drink us in, see the fat woman reclaim her place among valuable human images." There are 41 black and white photographs, most faced by a blank white page. A few of the photos are accompanied by a poem or thought (by the model pictured opposite); however, the main text was wisely included at the end of the book. In so doing, the power of both word and image is preserved, the one not diluting the other. Author Debbie Notkin has penned two eloquent essays. In the first, "Enlarging: Politics and Society," Notkin speaks of the double-whammy of being fat and being a woman, and shares other women's stories about living fat. Some of the models' voices are heard, recounting their experiences of posing for the photos and how being in Women En Large affected their lives. The second essay, "Enlarging: The Personal Story," tells the story of how two friends - one fat and one thin, both aware of fat oppression - birthed the idea and finally the book. When they proudly presented the finished product to prospective publishers - over 25 feminist and alternative presses - not one was brave enough to publish the book. So these two women went back to work, raising the capital necessary to publish the book themselves. It's a great story, and a blueprint for grassroots endeavors. Women En Large is a very important book. It speaks out with love and strength and pride for fat women and, because of the universality of its message, for all women and all fat people. "Please join me in singing honor and praise to fat women" asks a recovered anorexic woman in Women En Large, "that we may come to a time when no more of us need to starve ourselves to death for lack of having enough room, or love, to be who we are." Laurie Edison with her camera, and Debbie Notkin with her pen, have created an anthem of praise with Women En Large: Images of Fat Nudes. Let it sing from your bookshelf.