Praise for All of Me,
A Voluptuous Tale:
"Women
of all races will find this book funny, sad, inspiring and delightful."
Library Journal
"Berry does an excellent job of portraying Serpentine's breakdown as well
as her struggle back to good mental, emotional and physical health."
Booklist
"By turns serious and funny, Berry's tale is in the end a hopeful one, with
a lovable and soul-searching heroine readers will sympathize with and root for."
Publishers Weekly
"...a study in resilience told with warmth and humor...
All of me is about the importance of knowing who
you are and why you're here... This is a book that deserves attention."
The Dallas Morning News
"A moving story of a sister's struggle with weight, health and self-respect."
Essence
All
of Me: A Voluptuous Tale
Serpentine
has tried every diet known to woman, from high fat to low fat,
starvation to seaweed body wraps, Stillman's to Richard Simmons.
But nothing has worked-she'd shed the unwanted pounds, only to
yo-yo right back up again. Her new boss at a top Chicago TV news
station says her weight is standing between her and a coveted anchor
spot. Her boyfirend, Carlin, swears he loves her but can't seem
to stay away from Shalay, his size six ex-girlfriend.
After years of trying to maintain her self-esteem, Serpentine ulltimately
ends up in the hospital. A tight sisterhood of women rallies around her- her
maddening mama, Nolita, who pushes her toward the norm believing that then she
will be happy, her sister LaJune who is beginning to understand the issue of
weight as she prepares for impending motherhood, and her Aunt Regina, the unconventional
leader of a rollicking Baptist Church choir who is always ready to share a few
of life's priceless lessons.
From a Chicago psychiatric ward to a sinfully luxurious Florida spa,
to Kansas City, where she savors some sweet revenge, and back to Chicago, again,
Serpentine discovers what it means to be female, black, and beautiful in a way
that will-never and should-never fit the mold eventually learning what it means
to love herself just the way she is...
Book
Club Discussion Worksheets
Venise
Berry - “All of Me”
Challenging Myths: Women, Weight & Wellness
My body:
Write one body part that you love and one body part that you
hate.
Then on each line jot down examples of how those feelings
might
impact
you on a daily basis in a variety of situations.
I love _____________________________
Because
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
Because
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
Venise Berry - “All of Me”
Challenging Myths: Weight & WellnessThinking About Beauty
Fill out the following incomplete sentences in relation to how
you feel
about your looks. Be as honest as possible!
I'm at my
best when:
____________________________
I'm very happy that: _____________________________.
Someday I hope: _______________________________
My family feels: ________________________________
I wish I knew: _________________________________.
People I trust: _________________________________
I can ________________________________________.
I'm very proud of: ______________________________
I used to: _____________________________________
I don't like to: _________________________________.
I need help with: _______________________________.
I can handle: __________________________________.
Venise Berry - “All of Me”
Challenging Myths: Weight & Wellness
Changing Bad Habits
Briefly answer each question below about your habits
concerning weight.
Choose one bad habit that ties to your weight?
How would you like to see that habit change?
Write two positive affirmations that can start you on the road toward
that change.
1.
2.
Visualize a situation where that change has already been made.
