Big & Tall Chronicles: Misadventures of a Lifelong Food Addict! [Paperback]

Gary Marino (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 9, 2004

Big & Tall Chronicles is a revealing and powerful, yet surprisingly comical account of Gary Marino's lifelong battle with obesity. It details how growing up overweight in America negatively affects an individual. Anecdotes demonstrate how Mr. Marino's weight problem put him in situations or "misadventures" that he normally would not have experienced, and offers a brutally honest look into the self-destructive mindset that modern day food addicts go through, and the frustrations and downfalls that occur while trying to live a normal life.

The passionate soul-searching that ultimately pushed Marino's inner button and led him to a healing path resonates with a bittersweet familiarity for anyone recovering from an addictive disorder. Marino shares the knowledge and insights he has gained with the help of his "Dream Team" of experts, including a sports medicine specialist, a nutritionist, a personal trainer, and a therapist specializing in weight-loss issues.

Truthful, educational and soul baring with a humorous undercurrent, Big & Tall Chronicles may very well be the breakthrough personal journey and addiction recovery book millions of Americans have been waiting for...to dig deep into themselves and fix themselves once and for all.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Life lessons from the man who led the Million Calorie March.

About the Author

Gary Marino began writing in the late 1980s as a radio producer in Boston. For the past ten years he has owned and operated Harmon-Marino Entertainment, where in addition to producing television pilots, live shows and videos, he writes scripts, treatments and comedy monologues.In 2004, he launched The Million Calorie March, a first-of-its-kind 1,200-mile weight loss walk up the east coast. He is also the founder of Generation Excel, a nonprofit foundation dedicated to fighting obesity in children and adults by funding and promoting nutrition and physical fitness programs. Big & Tall Chronicles is his first book.

Product Details

• Paperback: 274 pages
• Publisher: iUniverse, Inc. (June 9, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0595321542
• ISBN-13: 978-0595321544
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,147,666 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A MUST READ BOOK FOR ALL SIZES BIG,TALL & SMALL, October 7, 2004

By 

Linda Mirabella "Linda" (Lynnfield, MA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Big & Tall Chronicles: Misadventures of a Lifelong Food Addict! (Paperback)

This Author walked From Florida to Boston and was a guest on Regis and Kelly.
Once I started reading this book I could not put it down. Gary is an inspiration! This soft covered book has large print. Chapter after Chapter, I laughed and Cried. I felt like he was talking to me as I was reading this book. This book will help anyone trying to lose weight every step of the way. It is worth every penny and then some...A great book for anyone no matter what size you are Big or Small! This is how the "Million Calorie March" was Born.Fighting obesity in todays society.
The Reality, The humor and the Results all in one!
If I could give it 10 Stars I would.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "Chronicles", July 20, 2009

By 

L. Wilson "LW" (WV) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Big & Tall Chronicles: Misadventures of a Lifelong Food Addict! (Paperback)

Gary's book is exactly what it says it is - a chronicle of his life as a food addict. This book opened my eyes to food addiction. As a leader of a Christian based health and wellness program - I needed more insight into this very real "addiction" to better equip myself to help members who are struggling with the same issues that Gary has had to deal with. Gary's book gave me that insight. I too, as another reviewer stated, laughed and cried as I read his book and was unable to put it down until I finished it. As soon as I finished the book, I went online to look for his website so that I could purchase his movie as well. I had some trouble navigating the site - so I sent an e-mail and next thing ya know - I was talking to Gary himself - who is just as personable and fun to talk to as his book is to read. If you are looking to get inside the head of someone with a food addiction - and want to learn how he has learned to battle his addiction this is a great book! (By the way, as a note to the reviewer who seemed critical of Gary's daily struggle, an addiction is not something of which you are magically cured - an addiction is something one must learn to manage on a daily basis.) I want to thank Gary - not only for writing this book - but for his desire to help others and his devotion to raising awareness and fighting obesity at its roots - childhood. To learn more about how Gary (and possibly you) can fight childhood obesity - check it out online [..]

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Plaudits for Mr. Marino's Tome, May 28, 2009

By 

Don J. Bravo (Atlanta, GA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Big & Tall Chronicles: Misadventures of a Lifelong Food Addict! (Paperback)

This is a book I can & have recommended to others who deal with food addictions. Having dealt with weight and body image issues since cognitive memory, this book was insightful on many differing fronts. Firstly Mr. Marino seemed to have lived a parallel childhood and adolescence to myself. So I was able to identify with his experiences and influences. (The pretty cheerleaders never have time for Fat boys.) Second, until reading his book, I never really understood eating addictions, as well. I had always used the term in humor ("I'm just addicted to Chocolate!") However there are specific Physical, Mental and Chemical stimuli associated with eating, over eating and addiction to eating. This is similar to Sexual addiction, which is a subject chortled at, until someone like a Bob Crane shows how debilitating the addiction can be. This is NOT a self help book. (I don't think you can correct all behaviors with just a single book.) BUT the journal of some one who has (no pun intended) walked a journey and if you can discern some differences from somebody's trials it is a practical lesson. Being "FAT" can be costly, particularly for people with 40-50 plus pounds to lose. NOT losing weight just to fit into clothes for an event but as a clarion call to a shortened life. All sources suggest checking with a Medical professional before starting a program. What is MORE important is NOT who's program, but A. Your results and B. How long you maintain you results. (How many Biggest Loser contestants have gained a substantial amount of there weight back?) Many Obese people have undergone the drastic step of Gastric Bypass without having changed their relationship with food. How many Alcoholic and drug addicts have fallen off the wagon? And yet they climb back on again and again? They can all NOT partake of their own particular vice again, but we must battle our "Bête Noire" 3 times per day. One other part of Mr. Marino's tome that IS telling is the example Mr. Marino gives about the children on the waterslide bearing out the percentages of 30% childhood obesity. What of their futures? How many tears will our children shed? What of their Self loathing because of their obesity. This is a good guide book of one person's struggles and how they overcame or to paraphrase another review "If you are looking for a book that explains the struggles overweight people experience, then Gary's book is excellent.