The Elephant in the Room: One Fat Man's Quest to Get Smaller in a Growing America
Tommy Tomlinson
Jan 2019 · Simon and Schuster · Narrated by Tommy Tomlinson
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7 hr 25 min
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ONE OF NPR’S BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR
A “warm, funny, and honest…genuinely unputdownable” memoir (Curtis Sittenfeld) chronicling what it’s like to live in today’s world as a fat man. Journalist Tommy Tomlinson, approaching fifty and weighing 460 pounds, decided to confront the risks and realities of living in a body at war with itself.
At risk for heart disease, diabetes, and stroke—and unable to climb stairs or fly without two seats—Tomlinson had long lived in denial. Raised in a food-loving Southern family, he tried countless diets, saw doctors, wore Fitbits—none of it stuck. Until he decided it was time to truly change.
In The Elephant in the Room, Tomlinson recounts his journey with wit, grit, and searing honesty. His voice combines the emotional urgency of Roxane Gay’s Hunger with the personal intimacy of Rick Bragg’s All Over but the Shoutin’. From his own habits to America’s obesity epidemic, from shame and overeating to resilience and accountability, he explores how weight shapes our relationships with food, our bodies, and ourselves.
By confronting his compulsions and unhealthy patterns, Tomlinson doesn’t just aim to lose weight—he reclaims his life. This powerful addiction memoir and wellness journey offers inspiration to anyone navigating body image, self-esteem, or personal transformation.
A “warm, funny, and honest…genuinely unputdownable” memoir (Curtis Sittenfeld) chronicling what it’s like to live in today’s world as a fat man. Journalist Tommy Tomlinson, approaching fifty and weighing 460 pounds, decided to confront the risks and realities of living in a body at war with itself.
At risk for heart disease, diabetes, and stroke—and unable to climb stairs or fly without two seats—Tomlinson had long lived in denial. Raised in a food-loving Southern family, he tried countless diets, saw doctors, wore Fitbits—none of it stuck. Until he decided it was time to truly change.
In The Elephant in the Room, Tomlinson recounts his journey with wit, grit, and searing honesty. His voice combines the emotional urgency of Roxane Gay’s Hunger with the personal intimacy of Rick Bragg’s All Over but the Shoutin’. From his own habits to America’s obesity epidemic, from shame and overeating to resilience and accountability, he explores how weight shapes our relationships with food, our bodies, and ourselves.
By confronting his compulsions and unhealthy patterns, Tomlinson doesn’t just aim to lose weight—he reclaims his life. This powerful addiction memoir and wellness journey offers inspiration to anyone navigating body image, self-esteem, or personal transformation.
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About the author
Tommy Tomlinson is the author of The Elephant in the Room, a memoir about being overweight in America. He’s the host of the podcast SouthBound in partnership with WFAE, Charlotte’s NPR station. He has written for publications including Esquire, ESPN the Magazine, Sports Illustrated, Forbes, Garden & Gun, and many others. He spent twenty-three years as a reporter and local columnist for the Charlotte Observer, where he was a finalist for the 2005 Pulitzer Prize in commentary. His stories have been chosen twice for the Best American Sports Writing series (2012 and 2015) and he also appears in the anthology America’s Best Newspaper Writing. He teaches magazine writing at Wake Forest University and has taught at colleges, workshops, and conferences across the country. He also has a Substack called The Writing Shed. Tommy and his wife, Alix Felsing, live in Charlotte with Alix’s mom and a cat.
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