Episode 30: Tommy Tomlinson

The Sunday Long Read Podcast

"The clock doesn't run out until the very end," says Tommy Tomlinson, author of the new book "The Elephant in the Room: One fat man's quest to Get Smaller in a Growing America." Tommy talks about his book, his weight, and more with Don on this week's episode, which ranges from questions about emotional intelligence to the speed of Herschel Walker. Tommy, a 23-year veteran of the Charlotte Observer, a Pulitzer Prize finalist, and the host of his own podcast, has plenty of stories to tell and brings his trademark thoughtfulness to this week's episode.

18:00: Tommy's Jared Lorenzen story: http://www.espn.com/espn/feature/story/_/id/11382220/ex-nfl-qb-jared-lorenzen-lifelong-battle-weight

37:00: "Live Oak" by Jason Isbell: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvZoQhHi65Q

48:00: "The Night of the Gun" by David Carr: https://www.amazon.com/Night-Gun-reporter-investigates-darkest/dp/1416541535

Links:

Read an excerpt from Tommy's book: https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2019/01/weight-loss-essay-tomlinson/579832/

Buy "The Elephant in the Room: One fat man's quest to Get Smaller in a Growing America": https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Elephant-in-the-Room/Tommy-Tomlinson/9781501111617

Read a Charlotte Observer Q&A with Tommy: https://www.charlotteobserver.com/entertainment/arts-culture/article223587620.html