T-Shirt Swim Club

Stories from Being Fat in a World of Thin People

By: Ian Karmel, Alisa Karmel PsyD

Narrated by: Ian Karmel, Alisa Karmel PsyD

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • Comedian Ian Karmel, with help from his sister, Dr. Alisa Karmel, opens up about the daily humiliations of being fat and why it’s so hard to talk about something so visible.

“As charming and funny as it is poignant and thoughtful.”—Roxane Gay, author of Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Body

Ian Karmel has weighed eight pounds and he has weighed 420 pounds and right now he’s almost exactly in between the two, but this book is not a weight-loss book. It’s about being a fat person in a skinny world. It’s about gym class and football practice, about chicken wings and juice cleanses, about airplane seats and roller coasters, about fat jokes and Jabba the Hutt, about crying in the Big and Tall section and the joys of being a sneakerhead, about prediabetes and gout, and about realizing that you actually don’t want to eat yourself to death and hoping it’s not too late.

This book also includes a “What Now?” section from Ian’s sister, Alisa, who herself cycled through so many fad diets that she eventually pursued a master’s in nutrition and a doctorate in psychology with the goal of changing the contemporary narrative around fatness.

Ian and Alisa Karmel grew up fat. As kids, they never talked about it. They were too busy fighting over the last SnackWell’s Devil’s Food cookie. Now, decades later, having both turned into fat adults who eventually figured out how to get their health under control, they are finally ready to unpack the impact that their weight has had on them.

For them, the T-Shirt Swim Club is meant to be a place of support for anyone who struggles with weight issues. A place of care and candor, free of shame. A place to not deny or avoid the emotions you feel, the experiences you go through, the embarrassment, the anger, the resentment. T-Shirt Swim Club is about being a fat person and how the world treats fat people—but also an acknowledgment that maybe it doesn’t always have to feel quite so lonely.

©2024 Ian Karmel, Alisa Karmel, PsyD (P)2024 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“Ian Karmel is truly an inspirational person. He took his life and his weight by the scruff of the neck and refused to back down in his quest to get healthier. He also got funnier when he got slimmer; this never happens. I love him and I love this book.”—James Corden

“Ian Karmel is funny and his sister is smart. Together they create a work that is both of those things and so much more.”—Seth Meyers

“T-Shirt Swim Club is as charming and funny as it is poignant and thoughtful. Ian Karmel writes about life as a fat boy who grows into a fat man and eventually figures out a better way to live in his body. The stories Karmel shares are heartbreakingly relatable. And Karmel’s sister Alisa, a psychologist, gracefully speaks to the emotional realities of making this world so inhospitable to fat people and how we can better embrace people whatever their size and wherever they are in their journey to have a healthy relationship with their body.”—Roxane Gay, author of Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Body

Such an emotional book!

I love Ian and it was great to hear about what makes him, him. I recommend this to anyone that has been called big guy, fat, large, or even someone that doest fit in and gets called a slur, thank you both for writing this

Great listen!

I've been a big fan the all fantasy pod since 2017 and when I saw Ian was writing a book, I couldn't preorder it fast enough. This was really well done!

Mostly great

Loved Ian’s parts , the end of the book that is more technical fell a bit flat in comparison being more technical. that being said Dr Karmels perspective was great to have as well

Relatable

found myself sympathizing, sobbing, and being seen in this book. couldn't recommend it more

Funny and Inspiring

This book was incredible. So funny, so insightful. A very easy listen. Highly recommend to anyone who likes comedy or needing a Kickstart to improved mental and physical health.

Excellent book, very funny and insightful!

Very much enjoyed this read and definitely felt validated and seen by the content. It sometimes hit closer to home than I wanted, but you can tell it came from a place of understanding and encouragement!

nailed it

big fan of Ian's work and enjoyed listening to him and his sisters experiences on life as fat people. even with his comedic takes you can really get wrapped up in the emotion of it all. listened twice and have the physical copy too in my bag for quick reads.

Too good!

This book is funny, poignant, informative, and affirming. If you have been fat (like me), have loved someone who is or grew up fat, are a health professional who even occasionally sees fat people, or are an empathetic skinny person who likes good books, this should be essential reading.

The narration of this book is delivered perfectly and makes the words seem even more earnest.

I rewrote this review a few times to edit out all my self deprecating fat jokes, because this book and I am better than that.

Honesty and passion of the authors

Ian and Alyssa knocked this out of the park and it’s always a plus when a book like this is narrated by its authors. Relatable to everyone not just people who were fat in their life. Anyone who has had body image or mental issues will be able to relate to these authors. It was a wonderful listen.

Hilarious and Important Book

Beautifully read, smart, hilarious, informative empathetic book! Loved it! Highly recommend. Big fan of Ian and now his sister Alisa who adds insight and science.