Customer Reviews
Pulling at all your emotions... - By: Ms. Felicia Davis-burden, 03 Oct 2008 
This is an unusual acheivement, by turns hilarious & utterly tragic. The hilarity is supplied by Debbie (D.A.) Barhamin many excerpts of published articles & personal e-mails. I think that her wit made her a worthy successor to Peter Cook; every bit as unique & uncompromising. Debbie's tragedy - an exceptionally gifted woman destroyed by anorexia - breaks your heart. The reader is steered, from chapter to chapter, between experiencing helpless laughter at Debbie's laser-beam wit & horrified sadness at her disintegration.
Peter Barham clearly tried to understand his daughter's anorexia, & conveys his own helplessness as he & Debbie's step-mother tried to help her. There are also powerful testimonies by many of Debbie's work-colleagues on how they became aware of her illness & attempted numerous interventions.
Debbie's own references to her eating disorder punctuate many of her articles, often with startling cruelty. We get to know her complex personality & her brilliant, sometimes savage wit. As I savour Debbie's dazzling comic talent throughout the book, I remember reading Clive James's moving tribute to herin 2003 & sorely wish she was still here. Thankfully, many of her articles for the Independent can be found online (highly recommended)
This is an extremely moving book that pulls at your emotions. While I admire Peter Barham's strengthin telling the whole story (as far as he was able to) I think that a further (perhaps more suitable) tribute to Debbie Barham - & one that she would appreciate - would be a published collection of all her major articles including a compendium of all her finest gags. God bless, & Cheers, Debs.
A clumsy attempt at self-redemption from the father who never knew her. - By: EF Thomas, 26 Sep 2007 
Deborah would not have wanted this. Making money from Deborah's death at the expense of her dignity, intelligence & strength. After years of combating stereotypes & preconceived ideas about young women.. her memory has been permanently tainted by this sentimentalised, one-sided, tabloid portrayal of a woman who wasin reality so much more. This book is cheap & unworthy of the association.
Compellingly readable - By: Mrs. J. Redmond, 10 Sep 2007 
I have to admit, after just finishing this book, that I agreein part with all previous reviews,in that it is a fascinating story about a hugely talented girl who accomplished so much at such a surprisingly young age, but it also explores issues regarding anorexia which perhaps have not been properly researched.
I knew very little about anorexia & very little about Deborah Barham before reading this book. As a memoir & tribute to his daughter, I think Peter Barham has produced a moving account of her short life, revealing his regret about his lack of involvementin it, the bittersweet memories of what time they did spend together & perhaps more importantly a comprehensive account of her career with plenty of humourous examples thrownin for good measure.
I don't think it is foremost a book about anorexia & I did feel (as previous reviews have mentioned) that the disease was almost credited to some extent as being the driving force behind her creativity & work-driven existence. I'm not sure that necessarily sends out a particularly helpful message about eating disorders & left me fealing a little bit uneasy.
Allin all though, I'm glad I read this book & learnt something of the person whose comedy writings, unbeknown to me, I had been appreciating for years.
Whatever you say... - By: Only Me, 10 Jul 2007 
Despite what people are saying about Mr Barham not being allowed to write the book- well- firstly, it's HIS daughter- I'd want my daughter to be remembered too!
Secondly, you cannot force a person to go into hospital, & I believe that the father makes it perfectly clearin this book the love he feels for her.
Truth be told- if you are looking for a 'warts & all' book about the persons deepest thoughts & feelings, you will not find it here.
What you will find is a heartfelt account by a father written a daughter he lost contact with. You will find the effects upon the family. You will read about the love left behind.
Although at places somewhat hard to read, & maybe a little heavy going, he lays clear his love for her, shows how hard it is to live with someone with this illness, & does (contrary to belief) not sentimentalize such tragic illnesses. His pain became evident with each page, as it his raw affection for the girl she used to be, & the girl she became.
Debbie Barham will not be forgotten, her stubborn character & sharp wit immortalizedin the words of her grieving father.
Read it for a different take on the usual books one finds on the shelves. Read it for the experience.
totally confused me - By: S. Wallace, 20 Feb 2007 The invisible girl is a story that totally confused me & I believe should not have been written about anorexia or the death of some one who had the disease unless they truly know what they write. It is not a frilly funny artistic nor exciting disease. But rather a hell hole of emotions, crippling, & fed by a rash decision that escalate to unprecedented conclusions of mass proportions
Anorexics are emotionally disturbed people who starve them selves because food intake is about the only thing they can control. Not eating is a blanket that covers some times a multitude of other problems too painful for the sufferer to deal with. It's a pity her father was not involvedin her life as diligently as he wasin writing this book. I am a survivor of anorexia & bulimia & self harming so know I little what I say. This disease takes all rational thoughts & reasoning's & leaves the sufferer locked within their own confinement. I believe if the subject of eating disorders are to be written then those who have walked its mile should take the first step. Debs was a tortured soul who was allowed to indulgein her own quagmire of emotions & SOME ONE should have taken her reigns & drove her carriage while she passengered for a while. This book is not what some have portrayed & the truth is Debs was given permission to play devils advocate loosing her life along the way. Much more could have been done to save her she could have been sectioned under the mental health etc. I know if my daughter tried to kill herself by means of slow suicide, she would succeed only after exhausting me into submission. AND THEN SOME!
S Wallace author-a house full of whispers
