Horsemen of the Esophagus - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Horsemen of the Esophagus by Jason Fagone

Jason Fagone

Jason Fagone is an American journalist and author. His work has appeared in GQ Magazine, Esquire Magazine, the Atlantic Monthly, and the New York Times, among other places. In 2002, Columbia Journalism Review named him among the “Ten Young Writers on the Rise”.His first book, Horsemen of the...

is a nonfiction book about the sport of competitive eating

Competitive eating

Competitive eating, or speed eating, is a sport in which participants compete against each other to consume large quantities of food in a short time period. Contests are typically less than 15 minutes in length, with the person consuming the most food being declared the winner...

and the outsized American appetite. Horsemen follows three American "gurgitators" during a year on the pro eating circuit: Ohio housepainter David "Coondog" O'Karma

David O'Karma

David "Coondog" O'Karma is a Competitive eating champion, entertainer, and writer from Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. He was formerly a member of the IFOCE, but is now the director of a Competitive Eating organization called the Association of Independent Competitive Eaters .-Competitive Eating:He started...

, South Jersey truck driver Bill "El Wingador" Simmons, and Manhattan day-trader Tim "Eater X" Janus

Tim Janus

Tim Janus is a competitive eater from New York City known in the competitive eating community as "Eater X." He is a member of the International Federation of Competitive Eating , and is one of the most colorful IFOCE characters, both literally and figuratively. He always performs in contests...

. Horseman makes stops at 27 competitive eating contests around the world, including the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest

Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest

The Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest is an annual American competitive-eating competition, which is run as a publicity gathering event by Shea Communications. It is held each July 4 at Nathan's Famous Corporation's original, and best-known restaurant at the corner of Surf and Stillwell Avenues in...

at Coney Island

Coney Island

Coney Island is a peninsula and beach on the Atlantic Ocean in southern Brooklyn, New York, United States. The site was formerly an outer barrier island, but became partially connected to the mainland by landfill....

and includes an interview with Nathan's champion at the time, Takeru Kobayashi

Takeru Kobayashi

is a Japanese competitive eater. He held the world record for hot dog eating for nearly six years, and holds several other eating records, including four Guinness Records for hot dogs, meatballs, hamburgers, and pasta....

Further reading