The Elephant in the Room
One Fat Man's Quest to Get Smaller in a Growing America
by Tommy Tomlinson
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Pub Date Jan 15 2019 | Archive Date Jan 12 2024
Description
“Inspirational…I loved this book. I found myself sneak-reading it from the moment it came in the door. As with a sack of White Castle burgers, I hated to reach the end….[Tomlinson] writes exceedingly well.” —Dwight Garner, The New York Times
The government definition of obesity is a body mass index of 30 or more. My BMI is 60.7. My shirts are size XXXXXXL, which the big-and-tall stores shorten to 6X. I’m 6-foot-1, or 73 inches tall. My waist is 60 inches around. I’m nearly a sphere.
Those are the numbers. This is how it feels…
So begins The Elephant in the Room, Tommy Tomlinson’s remarkably intimate and insightful memoir of his life as a fat man. When he was almost fifty years old, Tomlinson weighed an astonishing—and dangerous—460 pounds, at risk for heart disease, diabetes, and stroke, unable to climb a flight of stairs without having to catch his breath, or travel on an airplane without buying two seats. Raised in a family that loved food, he had been aware of the problem for years, seeing doctors and trying diets from the time he was a preteen. But nothing worked, and every time he tried to make a change, it didn’t go the way he planned—in fact, he wasn’t sure that he really wanted to change.
In The Elephant in the Room, Tomlinson chronicles his lifelong battle with weight in a voice that combines the urgency of Roxane Gay’s Hunger with the intimacy of Rick Bragg’s All Over but the Shoutin’. He also hits the road to meet other members of the plus-sized tribe in an attempt to understand how, as a nation, we got to this point. From buying a FitBit and setting exercise goals to contemplating the Heart Attack Grill in Las Vegas, America’s “capital of food porn,” and modifying his own diet, Tomlinson brings us along on a candid and sometimes brutal look at the everyday experience of being constantly aware of your size. Over the course of the book, he confronts these issues head-on and chronicles the practical steps he has to take—big and small—to lose weight by the end.
Affecting and searingly honest, The Elephant in the Room is a powerful memoir that will resonate with anyone who has grappled with addiction, shame, or self-consciousness. It is also a literary triumph that will stay with readers long after the last page.
Available Editions
| EDITION | Other Format |
| ISBN | 9781501111617 |
| PRICE | $27.00 (USD) |
| PAGES | 256 |
Available on NetGalley
Featured Reviews
Julianne B, Reviewer
This book was such a surprise to me. I expected to like it; I did not expect to love it. It was honest, thoughtful, emotional, compelling... I read it almost in one sitting. Not only is this book highly relevant for all of us living in a country struggling with obesity, but it was relevant in my own life as I recently lost 30 pounds.
I also loved how much we saw into the author’s life as a journalist. All in all, this was everything you would want, and not necessarily expect, it to be. Highly enjoyed reading this one and can’t wait to see what he writes next.
Thank you netgalley for a free copy of this gem in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewer 421519
Tomlinson's book is a final love letter to his mistress named food. He sees food as an unhealthy love affair that must end, and never be rekindled. Starting at over 400 pounds on the way to 500 pounds the death of his sister snaps him into action. Her death was weight related. Although some issues are dark, he keeps a sense of humor. An even greater love is his wife, he will succeed because of his love for her. I received this book from 'Net Galley'.
Becky P, Reviewer
I am thankful I read this book. At times I was laughing, and other times I was moved to tears. This book does an excellent job of giving the reader a glimpse into a life of obesity and the struggles that go along with it, including the struggle to lose weight. Tommy Tomlinson is a gifted writer, allowing the reader to see his most vulnerable thoughts and emotions, and showing that true beauty comes from within. I wish him the best as he continues his weight loss journey, and I hope he writes another book in the future.
cindy b, Reviewer
Do you like to switch up the genres you read? I thoroughly enjoy a memoir, maybe a light fun novel, a deep intense thriller, a little true crime and a couple of historical fiction books, then I start all over again. This memoir, The Elephant in the Room by Tommy Tomlinson is the next memoir on my list. I love reading people’s experiences and getting to know the lives of others.
This one is getting awesome reviews and I cannot wait to settle down and dig in!
What you need to know:
When he was almost fifty years old, Tommy Tomlinson weighed an astonishing—and dangerous—460 pounds, at risk for heart disease, diabetes, and stroke, unable to climb a flight of stairs without having to catch his breath, or travel on an airplane without buying two seats. Raised in a family that loved food, he had been aware of the problem for years, seeing doctors and trying diets from the time he was a preteen. But nothing worked, and every time he tried to make a change, it didn’t go the way he planned—in fact, he wasn’t sure that he really wanted to change.
He was only one of millions of Americans struggling with weight, body image, and a relationship with food that puts them at major risk. Intimate and insightful, The Elephant in the Room is Tomlinson’s chronicle of meeting those people, taking the first steps towards health, and trying to understand how, as a nation, we got to this point. From buying a FitBit and setting an exercise goal to contemplating the Heart Attack Grill, America’s “capital of food porn,” and modifying his own diet, Tomlinson brings us along on an unforgettable journey of self-discovery that is a candid and sometimes brutal look at the everyday experience of being constantly aware of your size. Over the course of the book, he confronts these issues head on and chronicles the practical steps he has to take—big and small—to lose weight by the end.
Most people have a complicated relationship with eating. This book explores the themes closely related to the topic of food; addiction, weight, health, self-esteem. Incredibly relatable, its a must read for those who enjoy memoirs. Due out on January 15, 2019
Donna C, Media/Journalist
Tomlinson is an amazing writer. As a journalist, I always enjoy reading another journalist's writing. He digs deep in his exploration of how he became morbidly obese, examining his family, his culture (Southern food is hard to beat and to refuse) and society's impact and response. While he has a terrific sense of humor, Tomlinson will break your heart. By the end of the book, he had committed to a lifestyle that was helping him lose weight slowly but steadily. I wish him all the best. 4.5 stars.
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