Dwarf: A Memoir of How One Woman Fought for a Body-and a Life-She Was Never Supposed to Have by Tiffanie DiDonato

May 06, 2013 Sarah rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: adult, memoir, medical

Tiffanie was born with diastrophic dysplasia, a form of dwarfism. At an early age, her height peaked at 3 feet, 8 inches. She couldn't reach the sink without a stool. She would never be able to reach the gas pedals of a car. She couldn't even touch her own ears. Tiffanie decided to undergo a series of bone lengthening surgeries to give her more height. She spent the majority of her adolescence recovering from operations, adjusting to her braces and crutches, and being aware of her distinct physi...more

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Apr 15, 2013 Shawna rated it 3 of 5 stars

A happily-ever-after type of story. The tone of it really hit me the wrong way at times. I had a moment early in the book when I piece of throw-away dialogue caught my ear the wrong way and I literally stopped and said, "She did not say that." Not something you want in a memoir. Another element of the book -- not to give too much away -- a very traumatic event, and she spends one chapter on it and moves on. I, having had a similar event happen to me, wondered why she wasn't having a little bit m...more

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Mar 20, 2013 Kath McStay rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is the flat out, honest and intimate story of the life of a woman. She is a warrior in her own right, and it kept me glued to the pages from the moment I opened the covers of the book,

Very shortly after her birth, her parents were informed, coldly and with no information that their newborn daughter suffered from a form of Dwarfism called Diastrophic Displasia. Her parents learned that is form of dwarfism causes a malformation of the joints, and cartilage. From the very earliest days surger...more This is the flat out, honest and intimate story of the life of a woman. She is a warrior in her own right, and it kept me glued to the pages from the moment I opened the covers of the book,

Very shortly after her birth, her parents were informed, coldly and with no information that their newborn daughter suffered from a form of Dwarfism called Diastrophic Displasia. Her parents learned that is form of dwarfism causes a malformation of the joints, and cartilage. From the very earliest days surgery became a part of her life. First her feet and her joints, to enable her to stand. Later, elective surgeries that would lengthen the bones in her legs and arms.

As a very young child, she was of course, not aware of her differences. She was with small children and was small herself. She was very good about learning to find ways to assist herself rather than always asking her parents for help. This was necessary because she was not only small, but her legs, and her arms were smaller than those of a typical child. Tong,s pencils and other household objects enabled her to do many things she would not be able to accomplish otherwise.

Then, something happened on day.. that sent her mother, who by then had gone to school to study nursing, to seek out other and better ways to help her daughter. They found a doctor who could help. The fact that the painful surgery to lengthen her bones to make her legs and eventually her arms a bit longer was explained to little Tiffie and she made the choice to go ahead with it. She did this with the absolute support and untiring help of her mother.

While the surgeries were indeed just as painful and the recovery as difficult as had been described, Tiffany thought it had been worth it. When once again an event in her life caused her to seek out further medical intervention and yes... more surgery, more pain. By this time in her life she had a friend, Mike. He was her friend, her sounding board, her unfaulty door. He was there for her in as many ways as he could be.

Despite the fact that her original surgeon was not enthusiastic about further intervention, Tiffanie and her mom, the indomitable team sought out a way for Tiffanie to achieve her dream. This story is very honest and sometimes graphic in its descriptions of what she had to endure, first as a small child and then as an adolescent. It is an unflinching account of pain endured, humiliation and even isolation. But after her Dad, who at first was not as enthusiastic about her plans came on board, anything seemed possible.

So this is the story of a young woman with more strength, than most will ever have to find in themselves in a lifetime, never mind during the years of their childhood and adolescence. It is a story that will make the reader stop and thing before complaining about the hand life has dealt to them. It is an inspirational and despite everything, it is a story of optimism and achievement.

Read it.. you won't regret it. Recommended .(less)

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Dec 29, 2012 Emily rated it 2 of 5 stars

It was....OK. I picked it up because I like medical memoirs since I have my own medical issues. But I didn't like the attitudes of her or her mom. I can't imagine my parents not agreeing on a treatment plan for me, and then going ahead and doing what ONE wanted, versus the other. Taking care of a kid with medical issues is an all for one and one for all deal.

I also don't know how I felt about her additional surgeries. For me, additional surgeries can't "cure" my problem. They can help, but I'm...more

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Nov 23, 2012 Emily rated it 5 of 5 stars

Tiffanie DiDonato writes a memoir of her struggle to overcome the diastrophic dysplasia, a form of dwarfism, that she was born with. She endures massive amounts of pain in order to add a few inches to her frame, which might not seem like a lot, or that it was worth it, but for her it was the difference between being able to live a normal life with independence, or having to forever rely on her parents or a caregiver to help her with simple things like making a cup of coffee, getting milk out of...more

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Apr 14, 2013 Jodi rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: everyone

Shelves: memoirs, non-fiction

Wow! I wanted to keep reading this story about this very determined young lady! She was born with "dwarfism" and she let nothing stand in her way to achieve what she wished for herself. She let it all "hang" out there as far as her parents' sometimes rocky relationship and her gruesome surgeries to gain 14 inches in height. She said that some people criticized her for this decision but I feel it is solely hers to make. She didn't go through the surgery to feel more beautiful or not "fit in." She...more

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Jan 01, 2013 Audrey rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012_publish, memoir, nonfiction, audrey-s-2012-books

I was so looking forward to reading this book since I'd first seen the cover and blurb on Edelweiss all those months ago. The cover looks quirky and fun, and just like DiDonato says at the beginning of the blurb, I really wanted to know firsthand what it's like to live with dwarfism. Sadly, the book just didn't deliver on any of those counts. Instead, this is one woman's story about her own life up until her very early thirties. Still, it could have been compelling, except that I just did not ca...more I was so looking forward to reading this book since I'd first seen the cover and blurb on Edelweiss all those months ago. The cover looks quirky and fun, and just like DiDonato says at the beginning of the blurb, I really wanted to know firsthand what it's like to live with dwarfism. Sadly, the book just didn't deliver on any of those counts. Instead, this is one woman's story about her own life up until her very early thirties. Still, it could have been compelling, except that I just did not care about Tiffanie DiDonato.

I actually came to actively dislike Tiffanie. If I hadn't been rushing to finish my yearly reading challenge, I probably would have abandoned this book. Tiffanie comes across as a childish, self-aggrandizing, spoiled brat who happens to have been born with a serious medical condition that made simple things, like brushing her own hair, impossible. Tiffanie was fortunate enough to have had the opportunity to stretch (get it!?) the limits of the newest medical innovations for limb lengthening that were available to her in her childhood and teen years. Tiffanie got blowback from some of the dwarf community for her drastic body modification, but can you blame her for wanting to be self-sufficient? I can't.

What I can blame Tiffanie for is how she never mentions in this book the monetary costs of her operations. These are procedures that can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. I see two probable ways these were paid for: a) her parents, b) her insurance. If it was by her parents, then she does not even come close to giving them the huge thanks they deserve for what would be a huge sacrifice. Her parents come across as well-meaning and indulgent, but in their concern for her I think she became very spoiled. At one point, she gets into what she calls a "fender bender" on her drive back to college. When her sorority sister suggests she get her car fixed soon, she laughs it off and has her parents just buy her a new BMW Z3. Yes, seriously. Her sweet sixteen involves a limo ride to a fancy restaurant, as well as other flippantly offered shows that money is clearly not much of a concern of hers. Scenario b, the insurance, would mean that the cost of her surgery, surgery that many doctors would not have been willing to do, was passed on to the other insurance subscribers, raising the rates for everyone. But I'm sure Tiffanie deserves it.

Another reason she was so detestable? When ONE teacher mentioned her dwarfism, her parents tried to get that teacher fired. When that didn't work, Tiffanie set out with the internet to try to bring the teacher down with a computer virus, and spread her phone number around for awful phone calls. She never seems sorry for any of this, but is gleeful. Time to get over it, "Tiffie."

I gagged at the end when I came to the description of her fairytale wedding, complete with real trees her parents decorated at her insistence of it looking like an enchanted forest.

Yes, this book was a quick read, and I'm really glad for that, because I wouldn't want to spend another moment with Tiffanie.(less)

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Dec 27, 2012 Becky Sandham Mathwin rated it 2 of 5 stars

Ms. DiDonato was born with a form of dwarfism and underwent several bone lengthening surgeries in order to ultimately reach 4'10" in height (very short but still within the normal range of height for an adult woman). Although Ms. DiDonato's story was interesting, I couldn't really get into this book completely and ended up skimming sections. The medical component and the portion of the book that dealt with her life as a late adolescent and an adult were of interest to me but I wasn't as interest...more

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Dec 04, 2012 Orsolya rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: other, own, oddities

Won on Goodreads Giveaways

The average person is probably unaware that Dwarfism is a catch-all term for over 100 different versions of the condition. At least, I certainly didn’t. Suffering from Diastrophic Dysplasia (short stature, joint deformations); 31 year old Tiffanie DiDonato looks back on her life in, “Dwarf: How One Woman Fought for a Body – And a Life- She Was Never Supposed to Have”.

“Dwarf” introduces Tiffanie’s story in a very approachable and friendly manner. DiDonato’s tone is cas...more Won on Goodreads Giveaways

The average person is probably unaware that Dwarfism is a catch-all term for over 100 different versions of the condition. At least, I certainly didn’t. Suffering from Diastrophic Dysplasia (short stature, joint deformations); 31 year old Tiffanie DiDonato looks back on her life in, “Dwarf: How One Woman Fought for a Body – And a Life- She Was Never Supposed to Have”.

“Dwarf” introduces Tiffanie’s story in a very approachable and friendly manner. DiDonato’s tone is casual and a far cry from stiff. However, the text is too simplified and lacks any literary language. Yes, the target is the general audience but “Dwarf” is too easy-to-read. This may be a reflection on the chronological aspect of the memoir; as the early childhood/memories are replayed in a childish tone which matures slightly as the book progresses. In my opinion, though, the story (even the childhood) can be told without sounding like a child.

Similarly, “Dwarf” lacked the passion and inspiration which the story could seemingly and naturally evoke. DiDonato does become feisty with some of the stories but overall, there is a lack of emotional attachment. The reader doesn’t truly experience the ups and downs of her condition. Although it is both great and amazing that DiDonato has accepted her condition; I still wanted some depth.

“Dwarf” follows a narrative style with a lot of dialogue. This “he said/she said” recollection is suspect unless DiDonato kept a strict journal (she does state that she began to write a memoir early in life). This style of writing helps “Dwarf” flow smoothly and makes the text easy to read.

The climax and second half of “Dwarf” focuses on DiDonato’s bone lengthening surgeries. Although these events were thoughtfully described; DiDonato still maintained some aloofness preventing the complexity and depth which this coverage could have brought to the memoir from trickling to the surface. Simply: something was missing. At the same time, DiDonato didn’t whine or moan or play the pity card when describing her life.

The concluding chapters of “Dwarf” brought annoyance as it almost seemed that DiDonato didn’t have much to write about so she focused on shallow topics like getting her first car (a BMW!), joining a sorority/partying, and meeting her future husband. Size and stature doesn’t limit the ability to be a spoiled, rich girl. Sadly, this ended “Dwarf” on a surface level versus leaving a memorable impact.

“Dwarf” suffers from an interesting topic but encompassing poor execution. It wasn’t terrible and is readable; it is just too easy. I expected more: I expected to be moved, inspired, and brought to strong emotional tides. None of that happened. I also didn’t gain a new knowledge of Dwarfism. “Dwarf” is suggested for a quick read but it will not change your life.
(less)

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Jan 16, 2013 Nenia Campbell rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: x-2012s, netgalley, everyone-hates-it-but-nenia

You can read more reviews at my blog, The Armchair Librarian.

Dwarf was an interesting read. It's the memoir of a woman with a rare variant of dwarfism--one that causes serious problems in the limbs with age. Her arms were so short that she couldn't even reach up to touch her ears or brush her hair! So she got a controversial, highly experimental surgery to lengthen her limbs.

DiDonato does an excellent job conveying the pain of her surgery. To lengthen her bones, they had to be broken, and then s...more You can read more reviews at my blog, The Armchair Librarian.

Dwarf was an interesting read. It's the memoir of a woman with a rare variant of dwarfism--one that causes serious problems in the limbs with age. Her arms were so short that she couldn't even reach up to touch her ears or brush her hair! So she got a controversial, highly experimental surgery to lengthen her limbs.

DiDonato does an excellent job conveying the pain of her surgery. To lengthen her bones, they had to be broken, and then she had pins stuck in them which she had to disinfect twice a day. There was a point in her surgery where the pain was so agonizing that she couldn't make it to the bathroom and actually peed herself.

I admire her for being willing to put such details into her memoir. Not only to show how far she came in her surgery and what she was willing to risk, but also because I feel that this memoir will be a valuable tool for people--especially teenagers--undergoing similarly agonizing procedures.

It's nice to know that you aren't alone.

Towards the end, I feel that the memoir started to get a little scattered as she searched for a way to wrap it up. The idealization of the Marine Corps (I'm not a huge fan of military stuff, though I respect what their soldiers do for our country), the fairytale wedding--this was all a bit much. I think my issue with it was precisely because it was so fairytale-like. As if her dwarfism was a curse brought upon her by a wicked witch, and only magic-like surgery and a kiss from a prince broke the spell.

Reading other reviews for Dwarf, I noticed that a lot of people took issue with the Mrs. Hart issue. Mrs. Hart was a teacher who was very cruel to Tiffie in school and Tiffie's mom tried (unsuccessfully) to get her fired. Later on, Tiffie also tried (unsuccessfully) to give her computer a virus and humiliate her. Yes, that wasn't good. And yes, she didn't show regret. But can you blame her?

To me, Mrs. Hart seemed like she became the physical manifestation of all those people who had ever stared at her, insulted her, or made her feel small for being small. It seemed like she had depersonalized Mrs. Hart, turning her into a symbol. And I think that's why she returned to hating Mrs. Hart when her life became difficult again, because she was an easy target already established.

It can be very frustrating trying to convey your problems to people who aren't emotionally equipped to "get it."

Overall, I enjoyed reading Dwarf. It provided insight into a group that is frequently made light of.

3.5 to 4 stars!(less)

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Dec 20, 2012 Jenny rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2012

Taken from my blog at www.takemeawayreading.com

I first saw this book while perusing the local Barnes & Noble and was instantly drawn to it. There's often a lot of inspiration to be found in learning about how someone has overcome struggles in their lives. I didn't realize it, but the author was on Good Morning America in 2008 discussing her experiences. (Not sure how I missed it since I have been a GMA aficionado for years). But anyway, here is the video if you're interested.

Watch More News...more Taken from my blog at www.takemeawayreading.com

I first saw this book while perusing the local Barnes & Noble and was instantly drawn to it. There's often a lot of inspiration to be found in learning about how someone has overcome struggles in their lives. I didn't realize it, but the author was on Good Morning America in 2008 discussing her experiences. (Not sure how I missed it since I have been a GMA aficionado for years). But anyway, here is the video if you're interested.

Watch More News Videos at ABC | 2012 Presidential Election | Entertainment & Celebrity News

What is discussed in the video is the controversial bone lengthening procedures Tiffanie went through multiple times to add inches to her height. Her experiences with those surgeries were the meat of her memoir as she discusses why she chose that route, others' reactions, and how she endured it despite experiencing excruciating pain. This woman is brave, courageous, and independent -- that is for sure! While I completely relate to the desire for as much independence as possible, I could never have made the decisions she did medically because I would have been too terrified!

Now, her decisions also come with a high degree of skepticism and controversy because of a belief that she has rejected her dwarfism and sent the message that even very risky surgery is worth changing who she was born as. I can certainly understand this position as well, because the surgery comes with the risk of many complications and is not medically necessary, though I don't fault Tiffanie in her decision making either. I did find this memoir interesting, and I did find it inspirational, but I could also see where for some it might not be because it was about overcoming through drastic measures rather than learning to accept oneself just as is.

As for the writing itself, I did feel like certain parts seemed a little lengthy. In the first half of the book I also felt a couple messages became repetitive such as Tiffanie's never having realized that she was labeled a dwarf or that there was really anything different about her. I understood after the first couple examples. I also thought it delved in to the cheesy a couple times.

That being said, I also cried or became very teary eyed multiple times while reading this - once in public which I never do. One of the most powerful parts of this memoir were the relationships presented. Tiffanie's parents had starkly different reactions and responses to supporting their daughter. One side of the family completely rejected her, even, while the other supported her wholeheartedly. She talks a lot about a best friend she had throughout her adolescence who meant a lot to her. It was the dynamics of these interactions that I think got to me the most.

Dwarf was an interesting read about how one person dealt with their struggles, but it also has a lot of controversy surrounding it and will make you question your own beliefs.(less)

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Dec 25, 2012 Michele rated it 4 of 5 stars

I read this book for fairly obvious reasons. While my daughter has gone through the limb lengthening process for different reasons, I certainly related to the process. I think Tiffanie did a fantastic job in writing this book - while the limb lengthening process was the means to the end, I think she did a great job explaining her life in between the surgeries. And I feel like for so many of the kids who go through this process, it's the years in between the surgeries that define their lives.
It...more

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Jan 29, 2013 Amanda rated it 4 of 5 stars

Very interresting story about a girl growing into a woman and trying to find a way to be independent.

Tiffany has a rare form of dwarfism. As a young child, she underwent bone lengthening surgery which allowed her more independence than she'd previously had, but there was still so much that she could nit do herself. So, in her teens, Tiffany decided to undergo more bone lengthening, and when i was all complee, she stood four feet, ten inches tall.

Tiffany went through so much and she did it, not t...more

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Feb 10, 2013 Giulia Fiora rated it 4 of 5 stars

A truly inspiring story of Tiffanie DiDonato, who fought for her independence and struggled through surgieries and pain to reach it. Of course this story has a typical happy ending. I will admit I was a skeptic when I first picked up this book. I've heard a lot of controversy about bone lengthening surgeries and wasn't sure if I agreed with her decision. I beleive that each case is situational and if I were in her shoes, I don't think I would have had the courage to do what she did. I also belie...more

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Apr 29, 2013 Brian rated it 4 of 5 stars

I saw there were several three star reviews, and I didn't go into this book with super high hopes, however I really did enjoy reading Tiffanie's story. She was born as a dwarf, and underwent several painful surgeries in order to what every day people do: reaching and turning doorknobs, even touching her ears. I really thought it was down to earth and well written. If I personally was born as she was, I might have done the same things, because if there is a procedure to correct a physical ailment...more

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May 22, 2013 Carin rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: memoir, women-authors

I do adore memoirs, and as an avid watcher of "Little People, Big World" and "The Little Couple," this was a perfect diversion.

Tiffanie has a rare form of dwarfism, and doesn't realize it herself for many years, until she's in school, because her parents never bring it up. She doesn't realize all the doctor's appointments, surgeries, and the tricks she has to do around the house for things like getting a cereal bowl and turning on light switches, are unusual until after she ends up stuck in the...more I do adore memoirs, and as an avid watcher of "Little People, Big World" and "The Little Couple," this was a perfect diversion.

Tiffanie has a rare form of dwarfism, and doesn't realize it herself for many years, until she's in school, because her parents never bring it up. She doesn't realize all the doctor's appointments, surgeries, and the tricks she has to do around the house for things like getting a cereal bowl and turning on light switches, are unusual until after she ends up stuck in the girls' bathroom at school with a doorknob too high and a door too heavy for her to navigate. Tiffanie's mother finds out about the new and controversial bone-lengthening operations and decides the improved quality of life is worth the pain and suffering, and so Tiffanie undergoes the surgery and spends months being tutored at home while periodically turning a screw that slowly but surely adds two inches to her lower legs, upper legs, and arms. As a teenager, she decides herself that she wants to do the surgeries a second time, but only if she can find a doctor who's willing to try for more than two inches at each of the sites.

Meanwhile, her parents divorce and get back together, she grows up, goes to school, gets a job at her grandfather's retirement home, and starts to correspond with a cute soldier overseas. The main point all the TV shows and books and speeches about Little People tries to convey is how ordinary their lives are, but that belies the very important fact that they just aren't. They're ordinary in the details, but in the aggregate, they're normal for someone with a medium-scale handicap, and that's just a fact. I appreciated very much that Tiffanie didn't shy away from this at all. As she describes going through excruciating pain in the effort to live a more normal life, she doesn't deny that it's not normal that as a child she couldn't reach her own ears or see over a countertop, and even as a teen she struggled with things like reaching the pedals of a car. Her father is refreshing in that he isn't one of those super-supportive "you can do anything!" parents; instead he is afraid, anxious, disagrees with the surgeries, and wants to follow Tiffanie around everywhere helping her out as much as possible so she won't have to do much. In college she found out that the nice person always shoveling her car out of the snow after a snowstorm was not the local custodian as she had suspected, but her Dad who drove a long way in the middle of the night to do it every single time.

The book ends with her falling in love and having a storybook wedding, but we kind of get away from the main topic in the first 7/8 of the book and we don't hear much about her now husband's reaction to her dwarfism after their first meeting, don't hear if it's going to cause problems in her pregnancy (other than raising the risk of her child having dwarfism), and if she finds today, after all her surgeries, that there are still things she can't do at 4'10". Instead, the book does become rather ordinary. Although of course it's terribly nice that Tiffanie meets a cute guy who sees beyond her issues and loves her for who she truly is and they live happily ever after.

The book was a quick read, very diverting, and I admire Tiffanie for meeting challenges head-on and doing what works best for her, no matter others' opinions.(less)

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Jan 22, 2013 Pamela rated it 3 of 5 stars

Kudos to the designers of this book's cover. It drew me in, sparked a question in my mind so that I tracked this book down and read it.

WRITING STYLE:
Simplistic. Too detailed in some places, not detailed enough in others. There were parts that seemed superfluous, and sections where the drama was HIGH but the writing wasn't good enough to capture the moment, which is a darn shame because Ms. DiDonato has accomplished some simply amazing things.

As for the book in it's entirety:
For me this book see...more

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Jan 28, 2013 Jeani Littrell-kwik rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: non-fiction

This is a good story. I certainly wondered how it was possible and why did you do this with regard to someone somehow adding 14 inches to their height; both of these questions are answered and I thought Tiffanie did a good job of giving us a look at the challenges of life from her perspective. The tone of the books changes and becomes unexpectedly sappy in the last fifth of the book, which was a little surprising to me.

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Mar 18, 2013 Robin rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: biography-memoir, hope, medicine

I am terribly afraid of surgery and am intrigued by this story of a woman who willingly had several in order to change the circumstances of her life. I peeked ahead -- I know she's happy and found it worth the pain.

This was a pretty straightforward memoir about grit and determination in the face of enormous challenges. I enjoyed it. It would have been a much stronger (and to me, more interesting) book if it had included more background information about diastrophic dwarfism and greater detail an...more

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Feb 13, 2013 Terry Steen rated it 1 of 5 stars

This was very poorly written. The author is also very narcissistic; others in her life are drawn two-dimensionally. I felt no emotion from or towards her. I have no sense that she has aspirations or depth. I only finished the book because it was for book club and it is really too bad that she had no co. -author or better editing because this was likely much more harrowing and interesting than depicted.

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Dec 29, 2012 Elise rated it 4 of 5 stars

Born physically challenged but with the potential of reducing those challenges, what would you do? That's the question answered by Tiffanie in her memoir of going thru limb lengthening surgeries rather than accept her form of dwarfism. I applaud her courage and wonder why people are opposed to it, especially since we readily correct vision with glasses, hearing issues with hearing aids, etc.

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Feb 25, 2013 Kaylen rated it 3 of 5 stars

Although I find Tiffanie's strength and courage to go through the intense bone lengthening procedures inspirational and admirable, I found her story also lacking. I cheered for her that she had the gumption to go after the things she wanted in life, but at times, she also comes off really shallow and entitled. I was just hoping for more when I first picked this up.

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Feb 07, 2013 Emilie22 rated it 2 of 5 stars

My 2 stars has nothing to do with the author's life, as it is quite phenomenal. It felt formulaic, and I didn't like how she (perhaps unintentionally) came across as a "little person" wanting to desperately check off the list of things that "normal people" do. I read it in under 48 hours so it's not like I lost significant time on this blog-like "book."

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May 17, 2013 Gloria rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: memoir, non-fiction, romance

I totally enjoyed this memoir about a young woman who was born too short. Technically she was a dwarf and her mother encouraged her to live like everyone else. She went through some very difficult surgeries to increase her height and arm length. This is interesting because it is true and honest about emotions and life's difficulties.

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Dec 02, 2012 Misty Lynes rated it 4 of 5 stars

I thought that this was a very interesting, quick read. I found myself laughing with her, especially with relationship to her father. I would read this again for laughs and knowledge. It really made me appreciate being able to do things that I take for granted.

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Mar 31, 2013 Sagagirl rated it 3 of 5 stars

Engaging memoir. Perhaps best read in conjunction with Andrew Solomon's Far from the Tree, in which identity politics surrounding "disabilities" are discussed. Here, the limb lengthening procedure the author undergoes is about her independence.

Some moving subtexts are present too -- the parents relationship, a close friend's depression -- told only through the author's knowledge without additional information.

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Apr 02, 2013 Liz Good rated it 2 of 5 stars

I was interested in the author's life and the struggles she went through to become more independent, so in that sense this book was thought-provoking. However, this memoir is poorly written and the author comes across as unlikable.

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Dec 17, 2012 Lacie Carmody rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is a remarkably inspiring tale of a woman's desire for independence and the lengths she was willing to go to gain it. I highly recommend this book, I rarely say this, but if I ever get the chance to meet this author it will be an honor.

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Jan 04, 2013 Dawnofthemurlock rated it 3 of 5 stars

The cover and the blurb about it drew me in, but it wasn't really what I was expecting. Yes there was honesty about her situation but there was this underlying feeling of try hard optimisim that didn't come across as the authors real voice. It sounded too edited and too forced at moments. However it was an interesting read and the author has lead an interesting life.

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Apr 27, 2013 Christina rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013

Quick read that was at times too quick, lacking detail and depth on areas that could have been flushed out more. It was just a coming of age and trying to fit in like the rest of us story but with a twist.

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Dwarf: A Memoir of How One Woman Fought for a Body-and a Life-She Was Never Supposed to Have

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