The Body Biz:The Pilates Story By Joan Breibart

On the surface this book, Body Biz is a witty chick-lit feast complete with celebrity endorsements, humorous diatribes, designer wardrobes, great shoes, vacations in the South of France, intriguing men, bonding between women, and treacherous and scheming friends:just like Breibart's real life.

It also offers, however, an insightful history of the Pilates movement, dating back to its namesake founder, German immigrant Joseph Pilates, and the legal turmoil that ensued after he died and left the question of who owns Pilates unanswered for decades. While this is a novel that tells the Pilates story within the context of the past 35 years of the diet and fitness revolution, its themes are more universal.

The heroines battles on two fronts--promoting Pilates while at the same time securing her role as its leader and innovator--imparts insights into the machinations of the fitness industry, the quagmire of trademarks, the legal issues of intellectual property, and the deviousness of New Age partners. It is a cautionary tale for those considering entrepreneurship in an uncharted field without deep pockets and an established business model.

Reviews:

• "Pilates is the closest that you can get to the perfect workout" - Elle Magazine
• "No Pain, Plenty of Gain" - Albuquerque Journal
• Pilates is to the body what maintenance is to a car. Left uncared for, a car rusts out" - Lear's Magazine