Bad Yogi- Alice Williams

A funny and powerful book about food, self and yoga that gifts the reader with much to mediate on…

THE BARE BONES... (a brief overview)

I don’t do yoga and I loathe any self help style articles so it’s a miracle that I sought out this book, read it and appreciated it.

Alice recognises that she needs help when she almost intentionally puts herself in front of a bus. ‘Bad Yogi’ follows the journey of a thirty-something disillusioned Aussie girl who is totally lost. She has a terrible relationship with food and longs for ‘enlightenment’. I know that this sounds absolutely melancholy, but the book is hilarious. It is multi-layered with very deep philosophical insights into how most of us have formed views about food, exercise and our value and purpose. I’ve included two ‘preview’ pages for you to see how wonderfully Williams writes about her experience with yoga and also her struggle with food. (warning: language!)

Alice Williams is a crack up! Her writing is so honest

From later in the book- an example of how Williams causes the reader to be mindful of their history and relationship with food

Throughout the book Alice is aware that she needs to submit to some higher power but stubbornly refuses to admit the existence of a god that could accept her many flaws. While there is a voice continually calling to her (in a very real way) I felt the book doesn’t conclude with her getting true spiritual fulfilment. This isn’t a spoiler, but rather my main disappointment. The book is a memoir and I’m deeply sad that the main character (the author) could not grasp the grace of my God.

#A_V_Williams #affirmpress #badyogi

FLAVOURS OF... (other books like this one)

The humour (and language!) in this book was a little bit Bridget Jones’s Diary. This book is on the non-fiction shelves (613.7046WIL at my library). I think this is a shame as I think only yoga nuts would be browsing/gliding in that section of the bookstore/library, when this book is totally for non-yoga/normal people too.

SNAGS ON THE BARBIE (rating out of 5)

4 out of 5 snag rating

4 out of 5 snags. I found Bad Yogi entertaining while being fascinating and heartfelt. I ‘zoned out’ during most of the descriptions about different yoga philosophy and history which became a lot more concentrated towards the end of the book.

It was like one of Pete Evan’s famous bone broths (maybe with a KFC chicken drumstick thrown in)… Something you wouldn’t think you would be interested in, but so full of authenticity and rawness that you know you will reap the benefits. But it's not tackily wholesome. It's a journey with all the greasy secret herbs and spices.

“I put on my mask, tell the stories, make the jokes, do the voices, act incredulous at the appropriate times, but inside there’s a void, like I’m watching myself and wondering how on earth I’m putting on such a performance.”