humor

I couldn't resist reading this book. Saw it on a table in a Borders bookstore; took a peek, and started laughing right then. A few weeks later I bought the book and read it within a few hours. The thing I remember the most about Skinny Women Are Evil is laughing. Screaming. Wiping tears. Gasping for breath. It's a very funny book and may just affect you to that degree. Mo'Nique is a brash, unapologetic, tell-it-like-it-is type of sistah. And although I couldn't relate to most of the scenarios she described for her life as a big women, I could relate to some. (Eg. Last year this short and skinny guy asked me if I was pregnant. Very embarrassing to have a fat tummy but no baby is inside. Oh well.). A lot of her material, however, should be relatable whether you're a thick sistah or a skinny one. It's all about how we treat others regardless of size, and how we feel about ourselves regardless of size. The writing style is conversational and laid back. She lays it on thick when it comes to folk who have hurt her in the past; and you find yourself rooting for Mo'Nique and admiring her spunk and determination to make it in show business. It is a book that might cause you to think and I applaud her for having the guts to reveal what is on her mind.

I really wanted to like this book. I admire women who are comfortable with the bodies they have, regardless of what size or shape those bodies might be. However, I found the tone of this book to be insulting and rather hypocritical. Our society's treatment of overweight people can be incredibly cruel, but that doesn't make it okay to diss skinny women. I am a size four, and this book made me feel bad about myself in the same way that fat jokes make larger women feel. I found certain parts of this book quite funny (though I sometimes found myself wincing even as I was laughing), and I really admire Mo'Nique for the things she's overcome in her life. I also like her conversational prose style, but the pervasive attitude against skinny women who don't harbor some secret desire to be big really turned me off. Major kudos to Mo'Nique for loving the skin she's in, but she doesn't need to put other people down to express that.

Monique, I think yuor book is so awesome. You make me feel so good about being big. Reading this book has tought me to turn my head the next time some skinny person talks about me and just move on. I thank you for this wonderful advice and remember I love you.