Tommy Tomlinson was pushing 50 when he decided he’d had his fill of life as a fat man. But 
beyond the risk of 
heart disease was the heartache of being large. After years 
of indulgence and shame, he finally resolved to change his diet and his life— from the inside out.

Part memoir and part inspirational weight-loss saga, The Elephant in the Room expounds on Tomlinson’s struggle to shed pounds and save his life. He finally puts it all on the line—all 460 pounds of it—in this vulnerable and probing debut book. He buys a Fitbit, sets an exercise goal, modifies his diet and swears off fast food. As he begins to understand the emotional causes and costs of obesity, he transforms and shares insights that will comfort and inspire anyone who has struggled with shame, addiction or self-consciousness.

Kirkus Reviews applauds Tomlinson,
who “doesn’t hold back ... and interjects enough humor to offset the more serious parts of the narrative.”

An acclaimed journalist, he spent 23 years as a reporter and columnist for the Charlotte Observer, where he was a finalist for the 2005 Pulitzer Prize in commentary. He went on to write for Esquire, ESPN the Magazine, Sports Illustrated, and Forbes. His stories were chosen twice for the Best American Sports Writing series. He is also host of the pod-cast SouthBound from WFAE, Charlotte’s NPR news station. He lives in Charlotte with his wife, Alix Felsing.