Reviews

T-Shirt Swim Club: Stories from Being Fat in a World of Thin People by Ian Karmel, Alisa Karmel, PsyD

thecriticalreader's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective medium-paced

3.5

T-Shirt Swim Club: Stories from Being Fat in a World of Thin People by Ian Karmel and Alisa Karmel (PsyD) takes an unusual approach to exploring fatness and the effects of fatphobia in American society, as it’s kind of two books in one. The first section is a memoir written by stand-up comedian Ian Karmel about his experiences growing up fat, living as a fat person, and adopting healthier habits in the face of health concerns. The second section is a crash course in the current social science of fatness and fatphobia written by his sister Alisa Karmel, a Doctor of Psychology. 

 

Ian’s section reads like a one-man podcast; he adopts a breathlessly casual tone and peppers his remarks with a plethora of pop-culture references and jokes (some of which land, some of which don’t). Reading it feels like listening to a friend talk without a filter about his experiences, and the effect is an entertaining and refreshingly honest reflection on fatness, health, and fatphobia. In between the quips and anecdotes, Karmel makes powerful and emotionally impactful observations about his life and the perniciousness of fatphobia in American society. He brings a balanced and personal perspective to the polemic topic of fatness and health—something that is sorely lacking in many social media discourses. That said, he admits that decades of internalized fatphobia and a dysfunctional relationship with food still color his thoughts, and this much is clear within his writing. He expresses his fraught opinions on body positivity, frequently places value judgments on foods, and discusses his regimen for weight loss and maintenance. For this reason, I would strongly suggest that anyone struggling with an eating disorder approach this work with great caution. 

 

Alisa’s section reiterates many of the sentiments Ian expresses but in a much more academic tone. On the one hand, the book benefits from her perspective because she balances out some of Ian’s emotionally raw and personal sentiments with scientific expertise that might be of more benefit to fat people struggling with their self-esteem and mental health. On the other hand, the two sections of the book do not mesh well. Alisa’s contribution sometimes comes across as a dryer reiteration of Ian’s portion, and it is difficult to imagine an audience for the book that would enjoy each part in equal measure. The book would work better as a cohesive whole if Alisa’s points were abbreviated and placed as footnotes to Ian’s memoir, with further resources for research listed toward the end. 

 

One small additional quibble: The University of Wisconsin mascot is a Badger, not a Husky! 

 

TL;DR: Ian’s section of the book provides an honest, insightful, and accessible—yet occasionally messy—discussion of his experiences and thoughts on fatness, fatphobia, and health. Alisa’s section can be treated as optional reading for those looking for a social science perspective on the topics Ian addresses. 

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, and Mental illness

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, Sexism, Panic attacks/disorders, and Medical trauma

Minor: Pandemic/Epidemic, Transphobia, and Pregnancy

mailei's review

hopeful reflective fast-paced

I read this for work ahead of its publishing (June 2024). I'll update with my thoughts and star rating once it's officially released!