The Weight of It: A Story of Two Sisters

By Amy S. Wilensky

Book Overview

A deeply affecting memoir about the bond between two sisters-and the 150 pounds that nearly separated them As young girls, a year apart in age, Alison and Amy Wilensky were almost indistinguishable. And they were inseparable: growing up in a comfortable Boston suburb, they were never far from each other's side, wearing matching dresses, playing the same games, eating the same food. But Alison began gaining weight in elementary school and by the time she was sixteen was morbidly obese. The sisters remained close, but over the years the daily indignities and affronts endured by Alison took their toll, reshaping her identity indelibly and affecting the sisters' relationship in unanticipated ways.In her late twenties, Alison underwent gastric bypass surgery, in the wake of which she lost more than 150 pounds and achieved the shape she'd dreamed of for so much of her life. It wasn't just her body that was transformed: every significant relationship in her life was profoundly altered. The Weight of It is a universal story of how we discover what makes us who we are, and how we become the people we want to be. Amy Wilensky is uniquely equipped to write this book, and she does so with fine perception, insight, and compassion.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0805073124
• ISBN13: 9780805073126
• Release Date: January 1
• Publisher: Henry Holt & Company
• Length: 224 Pages
• Weight: 0.79 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.7" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

I loved this book.

I am buying copies for all of my friends! The Weight of It is simply a beautifully written book that was difficult to put down. Wilensky examines herself, her family and her loving, imperfect relationship with her sister in a voice that is compelling, funny and fiercely smart. The author's exploration of her sibling relationship is flawed, complex and heartfelt, just as any balanced examination of a such a relationship must be. The story is peppered with poignant thoughts and facts about obesity, prejudice, gastric bypass surgery, sisterhood and identity. Throughout the book, Wilensky drives home an interesting, sad truth; obesity, like alcaholism, affects the entire family. After reading this book, I have more compassion for both the overweight and their families, and I know more about gastric bypass surgery as well. Any person who has struggled with his or her own weight, or who has pondered the causes and effects of obesity, will find this book fascinating.

Insightful, well written and informative

After having read Passing for Normal, Wilensky's first book, I was delighted to see she had another on the shelves! She is a terrific writer with a knack for getting at the heart of family (in this case sibling) relationships. This book takes the reader through the twists and turns of sibling rivalry, jealousy and love in a very thoughtful and refreshing way.

funny and touching

I highly recommend this book. I loved Wilensky's last book, Passing for Normal and was happy to see she had published another. The Weight of It is smart and funny and gives a very poignant depiction of sisterhood. The descriptions of Wilensky's sister's struggle with her weight are perceptive and make the reader examine her or his own biases. But even more insightful are Wilensky's discussions of her relationship with her sister and the nature of sibiling relationships. She has a wonderful writing style that is witty and engaging. I'm looking forward to the author's next book.

give this to a friend

I picked up this book after my friend Stacey decided to have gastric-bypass surgery. I wanted to learn more about the surgery, but more than that, I wanted to learn about how the surgery afftected someone who'd had it. "The Weight of It" is a moving and real story about how two sisters have dealt with issues of weight all their lives, and how this surgery changed them both (one physically, and one emotionally). What I liked the most was the way the book made me question my own perceptions of other people; I still find myself thinking about the scene in the Chinese restaurant when the sister in the book left because she was so upset by the waitress's actions. If you've ever known someone overweight, you'll get a lot out of this book.

Beautifully Written and Engrossing

Early in THE WEIGHT OF IT, Amy Wilensky walks by her sister and fails to recognize her. That's because Alison has lost nearly 200 pounds. When Amy and Alison were children, they were sometimes mistaken for twins, but Alison began to gain weight while Amy stayed small. Alison became morbidly obese in her teen years and underwent gastric surgery in her twenties.As Amy remembers the transformations her sibling has undergone, she asserts that "the more things change, the more they stay the same." In so many ways, vibrant Alison has always been just her younger sister to Amy, no matter what her size. Indeed, her exuberant sister's weight is one of the last ways Amy would describe her. However, the world --- and Alison herself --- placed much more emphasis on Alison's obesity or thinness. These reactions unavoidably flavored the sisters' relationship.The story about the two sisters is part of a more encompassing view as the author puts her sister's situation in perspective by describing obesity in our society. She notes dispassionately that around sixty million Americans are considered morbidly obese. They are discriminated against in the workplace. These people are often ignored, teased, put-down, joked about and belittled --- treatment likely to affect their mental well-being. Why, Amy wonders, are people so afraid of and cruel to heavy people?The physical struggles of being overweight are often obvious: airplane and movie seats may be too small, it's hard to find nice clothes, and most sports and other activities might be impossible. Other physical problems are more hidden, such as aches from standing or walking, breathing difficulties, and stress on the heart. Noting that "low body weight is one of the most reliable indicators of longevity," Wilensky graphically describes the health dangers obese people face. While the author details the suffering of the obese, she adds that she does not pity them; she simply feels that thinner people have an easier life.Amy meditates not only on the ways in which drastic weight gain and loss affect identity, but also possible social benefits to obesity (Alison says she would have had to be friends with people she didn't like in high school if she hadn't been heavy). The author unflinchingly describes compulsive overeating and cites scientific reasons behind it.While the universal implications of obesity are thought provoking, the author always draws us back to Alison, personalizing the weight issue. She courageously describes her own childhood jealousy over Alison's new clothes (a frequent necessity as she grew larger) and other admitted pettiness. It's evident that Alison sometimes irritates Amy. However, Amy also proudly celebrates Alison's colorful personality, artistic nature, pleasure in her new body, popularity and more. Deep down at the heart, her book portrays the best and the worst of love between sisters who share a unique perspective and profound differences.The author chose to write the story because o