Eat This Book: A Year of Gorging and Glory on the Competitive Eating Circuit

by Ryan Nerz

Journalist Ryan Nerz spent a year penetrating the highest echelons of international competitive eating and Eat This Book is the fascinating and gut-bustingly hilarious account of his journey.
Nerz gives us all the facts about the history of the IFOCE (Independent Federation of Competitive Eating)--from the story of a clever Nathan's promotion that began in 1916 on the corner of Surf and Stillwell in Coney Island to the intricacies of individual international competitions, the controversial Belt of Fat Theory and the corporate wars to control this exploding sport. He keeps the reader turning the pages as we are swept up in the lives of Sonya "The Black Widow" Thomas, "Cookie" Jarvis, "Hungry" Charles Hardy, and many other top gurgitators whose egos and secret agendas, hopes and dreams are revealed in dramatic detail. As Nerz goes on his own quest to become a top gurgitator, we become obsessed with him as he lies awake at night in physical pain from downing dozens of burgers and learning to chug gallons of water to expand his increasingly abused stomach.
Sparing no one's appetite, Nerz reveals the training, game-day strategies and after-effects of competition in this delectably shocking banquet of gluttony and glory on the competitive eating circuit.

Genres: Nonfiction, Food, Gastronomy

320 pages, Paperback

First published April 4, 2006

Reviews

[Petra X · Rating 4 out of 5]

These eating competitions which I think are very much part of American culture show just how eccentric America is. Why would gorging on food, stuffing it into your mouth without any finesse but as much and fast as possible, chewing open-mouthed with bits falling out, be something anyone would want to view, let alone do? Well, the money of course. But still...

When I was recovering from surgery in Cancun and couldn't eat 'proper' food, we went to Olive Garden (overcooked pasta, easy to swallow, delicious minestrone with overcooked vegetables, easy to swallow). I couldn't believe the size of the portions! I was told that these really huge portions are normal in US fast food chains.

When I got to Miami, one of the first places I ate in (because it was pasta so I thought it would be easy to swallow) was Alloy - alloybistro com, normal size portions, really exquisite Instagrammable plates. The pasta sadly was al dente, and not so easy to swallow.

Even the hamburgers are vast, 12 oz and overhanging the bun with a plate full of chips (fries), and the inevitable lettuce, grated carrot and tomato side salad. Followed by a giant slice of some delicious pie or 4 layer chocolate cake covered in ganache and cream...

Perhaps eating a three-course meal in one of those huge plates of food places is good training for the cram-your-gullet food competitions. Reminds me of force feeding geese, except this is voluntary....

I read this book years ago, but just seeing the cover again brought back that overful feeling of sickness, of swearing that binging on Netflix series is one thing, but on food something else. So I've gone back on the diet. Again.

[Karen Germain · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this book! I found Nerz's book about the competitive eating subculture to be completely facinating. You will be both amazed and disgusted. Simply a very compelling book.

I would also like to point out that I read this book on the 4th of July, the day of the annual Nathan's Hot Dog eating contest and this year Joey Chestnut broke the record!

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

This account of and commentary on the subculture of competitive eating and athletes of the sport (yes, you will be convinced it IS a sport) is delightfully eye-opening and at times like a gruesome trainwreck from which you can't look away. Ryan Nerz delves into the underbelly of the "circuit," interviewing several competitive eaters on their training, past victories, and upcoming face-offs. He starts as a tentative emcee for the International Federation of Competitive Eating and by the end, details his own experience in "gurgitation," the technical term for abundant consumption, and the rush of competing. After reading, I can completely understand the work behind the subculture, and while many abscond it as gluttonous, excessive, and unnecessary, famous gurgitators have built their entire lives around the activity and as evidenced, exert great energy in taking what they see as a talent to their potential. With humor and style, Nerz very thoroughly explains this through his experiential anecdotes on the circuit, and by the end, I was even wondering if I had what it took to compete in a scaled down challenge, though I scarcely fathom I'll be eating 50 hot dogs in 10 minutes anytime soon.

[John Poulain · Rating 2 out of 5]

I get that it's hard to maintain excitement throughout the whole book when the main points are that it's actually better to be thin because of the belt of fat around the centre but about halfway through the book it gets a nit much to be introduced to a new "gurgitator" who will say the same things. The last couple of chapters with the author "training" to try mediocre results doesn't exactly make it sound like a sport. Despite all that the author does to make it sound like a sport.

Choice Notes
The second fourteen-minute round ends in a tie for first between two IFOCE eaters—Cookie Jarvis, a 410-pound man, and Sonya Thomas, a waiflike woman, both of whom have downed a staggering 153 wings in twenty-eight minutes.


the founding fathers drew up a rough sketch of the league’s coat of arms. It featured crossed ketchup and mustard bottles between two winged lions biting either ends of the same hot dog. The league’s motto was written in Latin beneath the dragons: IN VORO VERITAS, roughly translated as “In gorging, truth.”


But it wasn’t until July 4, 2001, that competitive eating hit the big time. On that day, Takeru Kobayashi of Japan doubled the hot dog record by eating fifty hot dogs and buns in twelve minutes. The image of a 131-pound man downing so many dogs in such a short time was irresistible to the media. Within twenty-four hours, Kobayashi became the face of competitive eating and the platform for the launch of a new sport.


A common misconception, Booker notes, is that the stomach stretches, inflating and deflating like a balloon. Actually, it unfolds like an accordion.


Dale suffers from the meat sweats, a lesser-known disorder in which protein enzymes mix with adrenaline to cause both delirium and an extremely malodorous form of sweat.”

[Reverenddave · Rating 4 out of 5]

Only thing I'd improve is release a new edition that charts the developments of the last 10 years. Joey chestnut is just a promising rookie in this book and Eater X had yet to really establish himself.

[Rick · Rating 4 out of 5]

a fun book

[anonymousreader]

to-read

[Laney · Rating 4 out of 5]

So cool to learn more about some of the big names of competitive eating!!

[Ensiform · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author recounts his introduction to the world of “gurgitation:” he becomes a part-time MC, and even tries, pathetically, to compete in an IFOCE-sanctioned event. Along the way he meets a lot of very colorful characters, discusses why smaller, fit people such as Sonya Thomas and Takeru Kobayashi beat out huge guys with enormous stomachs (“The Belt of Fat Theory”), and evaluates competitive eating as a sport. He’s a pretty good writer when it comes to profiling the larger-than-life stars of the circuit, though he repeats himself far too much and has trouble setting out a chronologically orderly narrative. Still, it’s a fun and at times funny book, and a very interesting window into a weird world.

[Jeff · Rating 1 out of 5]

It wasn't worth finishing. The tone of the narrative is all over the place. I wanted a history of this topic, not some guy's attempt to be funny while also masquerading as an insider to The Sport. The introductory chapter implied a promise that the author was unable to keep in the next 7 (or so) chapters that i endured. Reading this book was the intellectual equivalent of overeating—any enjoyment i should've felt quickly turned to nausea. (The author's glibness seems to've infected my normal "review" style.)

[Sawy-o · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'll say it: this book is cheesy. However,the competitive eating circuit is a crazy world and any look into it is entertaining. I liked learning that one of the most formidable figures is a tiny woman. The description of the fourth of july hotdog eating contest ruined the purity of the event for me. I can't believe that some people add chemicals for that added kick to make their food spicier.

[Maria (Ri) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Perhaps my fascination with competitive eating has faded or maybe it is just the tone of this book, but I didn't enjoy it as much as Horsemen of the Esophagus. Interesting reading, but certainly not compelling.

[Shauna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to read an Anthony Bourdain book but as the library was out, I ended up with this. Though the author was rather repetitive and left out info I would have liked to have learned, overall I thought the book and the insight it offered into the world of competitive eating quite interesting.

[Mishka · Rating 5 out of 5]

a masterpiece of the genre!

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was entertaining in the way that Maxim and GQ are entertaining and made me wonder about my competative eating abilities.

[Abby doodlepants · Rating 3 out of 5]

book junk food - good.

[Kelly · Rating 2 out of 5]

Amazing, people will turn anything into a competition. I guess everyone is striving for their 15 minutes.

[Brian · Rating 3 out of 5]

oh yes, another compet. eating book.

[Jessie · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting look at the sport of competitive eating... if you can call it a sport.

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting & gross. The world record in mayonaise eating is 8 lbs in 8 minutes...

[Cynthia · Rating 5 out of 5]

competitive eating is so amazing. it's a few years old now, a few of the major players have changed, but many are in this book. the art, the science, the gorging....

[Zachary Krug · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nerz shines a long-needed bright beam of light into the dark (and copious) underbelly of the competitive eating circuit. Bravo, Sir; bravo.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick read. I learned the motivation of competitive eaters-not just to "pig out"(or not at all) but for the camaderie and the love of competition

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun book if you are looking for a light summer read.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hilarious, gripping, disgusting and amazing.