Tall people: Smart. Wealthy. Successful. U.S. Presidents, Oscar Winners, NBA players, CEOs.
Scrunched into airplane seats. Unabl... read full description
reviews
May 27, 2011
Jeanette
rated it: 
"What is the definition of tall? You are tall if you're taller than the people around you. Height is relative."
As a 6'0" female, I just had to read this one, and it far far exceeded my expectations. I thought it would just be a fun little discussion of what it's like to be taller than most of the people around you. It is that, but so much more. Arianne Cohen did thorough research into ALL aspects of tall life, and she presents her findings with clarity and a superb More...
As a 6'0" female, I just had to read this one, and it far far exceeded my expectations. I thought it would just be a fun little discussion of what it's like to be taller than most of the people around you. It is that, but so much more. Arianne Cohen did thorough research into ALL aspects of tall life, and she presents her findings with clarity and a superb More...
2 comments
like
(2 people liked it)
Dec 26, 2011
Chechoui
rated it:
This book was 5 stars amazing, and trust me, I have only rated one other books as 5 stars. To me "amazing" must mean powerfully meaningful and/or life altering, and this book was. I went on to spread The Tall Book gospel and passed it along to other tall female friends. I have asked every tall woman I have met socially if she has read it. I can't say there is any other book where I have gone about recommending it so much. So what made it 5 stars? It completely validated my life experie
More...
Jul 29, 2011
Mike
rated it: 
This is a book by a tall person, for tall people. 6'3" author Arianne Cohen writes about her own experiences as a very tall woman and talks to economists, endocrinologists, clothing retailers, industrial designers, and very tall people about the issues of "talls". At 6'0" myself, I'm taller than average (which is 5'9" for men in North America), so I could relate to some of what is in this book. But real issues start to crop up for those, like Cohen, around 6'3" a
More...
May 12, 2011
Heila
rated it:
Everyone who even vaguely knows someone over 5'10" or so should read this ..... really! It gives the perspective of, "life from on high." The author is Dave's height of 6'3" and she describes going to a tall convention where for the first time in her life a) no one noticed her in a crowd and b) she couldn't see because someone taller was blocking her view. The book talks about the concept of universal design - used in some countries (I think Denmark and Holland), to for ex
More...
Oct 11, 2009
Michael
rated it:
A fascinating, often surprising, and just as often throwaway look at what it means to be a tall person in these times.
The data is sheerly impressive and nifty, for example: Given several well-fed, stress-free generations, all people around the world would average just over six feet in height; none of the world's people are genetically programmed to be shorter or taller than others. And a lot of exploding of statistics to turn received ideas on their head, for example: yes, tall peop More...
The data is sheerly impressive and nifty, for example: Given several well-fed, stress-free generations, all people around the world would average just over six feet in height; none of the world's people are genetically programmed to be shorter or taller than others. And a lot of exploding of statistics to turn received ideas on their head, for example: yes, tall peop More...
Jul 23, 2009
Nick
rated it: 
You can never be too rich or too thin, someone said. That someone might well have added, 'or too tall'. Being tall gets you more money, more respect, more career growth, more sex, more happiness -- more of everything. Oh yes -- more cancer too. There's always a downside, isn't there? This is a slight book -- once you've done the 'mores' -- and you can do that in about a chapter -- there isn't much more to say. But Cohen manages to spin it out to 221 tall, thin pages, and it's moderately ent
More...
Apr 15, 2010
Erin
rated it:
For all you "TALL" people out there -- Get this book! You will LOVE it! It was so entertaining and enjoyable to read a non-fiction book written by a woman who is 6'3" and decided to write the first and only non-fiction book about being tall. She really gives all us tall folk out there a big shot in the arm about being tall. It was comical at times because her information supplied by PhD's, psychologists, economists, and super-tall people seemed unbelieveably favoring the tall
More...
0 comments
like
(1 person liked it)
Apr 04, 2011
The only book that could ever make me (at 5'11") feel short. I'm not even 6', that's practically tiny!
In all seriousness, an excellently researched, very lively book that taps into something I've always noticed: the instant sympatico among people of extraordinary height. Reading this book is the literary equivalent of attending one of the tall clubs Cohen describes, as you get to share being tall with other (often taller) people in a way that makes you feel more like a part of a c More...
In all seriousness, an excellently researched, very lively book that taps into something I've always noticed: the instant sympatico among people of extraordinary height. Reading this book is the literary equivalent of attending one of the tall clubs Cohen describes, as you get to share being tall with other (often taller) people in a way that makes you feel more like a part of a c More...
Oct 02, 2009
Melissa
rated it:
I recommend this to anyone who has ever been the tallest one at the dance (trust me when I say it is just no fun), or avoided buying high heels, or spent every photo moment in the back row, or been asked 1000 times about playing basketball. It would be great reading for anyone who is trying to be a parent to a tall person, too, especially a tall girl. Those of you who aren't in these categories might enjoy this book too, but you might end up with a bad case of tall envy, since so much about be
More...
Jul 26, 2009
Lorrie
rated it:
Parts of this book I could really relate to - I am in the 99 percentile in terms of women's height - and have always had problems with clothes, bus seats, seats at concerts, airlines, office chairs, etc. However, some assumptions are just plain wrong. I, unlike the author, and some tall people, was not always tall - and the discussions of being the tallest kid in the elementary school and its implications was annoying. In addition, the author (who is 6'3'') will not date men shorter than hers
More...
Jul 25, 2009
Nora
rated it:
I picked up The Tall Book after reading a positive review in EW ... and couldn't put it down. I loved the amount of research that Cohen had done, digging to the root of the tall experience, but at the end of the day, the book spoke to me. For a woman, I'm 99th percentile tall ... it's something you know effects you daily, but reading someone whose experiences mirrored my own (I felt like I could have written a lot of what she said) helped give me a better perspective ... I strongly recommend thi
More...
0 comments
like
(2 people liked it)
Mar 15, 2010
Carin
rated it:
Arianne is 6'2". I am completely average: 5'6". But I have a very good girlfriend who is nearly 5'11". And a guy friend who is 6'4". My tall girlfriend also has three very tall children and I noticed how gleeful she is about their height and how the kids also seem to take pride in it, not feel self-conscious about it. So when I ran across this book, it intrigued me.
This isn't a memoir. It's actually a book ABOUT tall-ness and being tall. Ms. Cohen looks into More...
This isn't a memoir. It's actually a book ABOUT tall-ness and being tall. Ms. Cohen looks into More...
Nov 15, 2009
Imogen
rated it:
I am tall. It was nice to read a book about tall people. While it isn't the best book in the history of the world- some of her jokes are kind of fucked up, and there are a lot of kind of dry statistics- it still is kind of affirming to be like 'oh, other tall people's sleeves are always too short, too,' and 'I, like most of my demographic, am statistically charming.' So, yeah. Um.
Jun 30, 2009
Leslie
rated it:
I found this book very encouraging. My only complaint is that it wasn't written sooner! The author's description of her own dating experience rang so true for me- seeing tall men with short women (Poacher!), attracting older men (which was really creepy in junior high), and seeing myself (and being seen) as asexual or unfeminine for until my late 20s because only dirty old men had the guts to approach me. I am going to start recommending this book to parents of tall children, as well as tall
More...
Aug 30, 2009
Turi
rated it:
Arianne Cohen has done tall people worldwide a service with this book. Collecting statistics and anecdotes on subjects ranging from salaries and health to dating and, well, just fitting into the world, she presents it all with unflinching honesty and humor. Wonderful book, recommended to anyone tall or anyone who wants to understand more about a tall friend.
0 comments
like
(1 person liked it)
Sep 01, 2009
Katie
rated it:
This is a great book to make one feel proud about being tall. It actually made me wish I were even taller (and I'm pretty darn tall)! A very quick read but full of great facts and information. The chapters about growing up and being teased were chapters out of my childhood. Even 20 years later it is nice to share those experiences with someone.
Aug 23, 2009
Jen
rated it:
I enjoyed this book immensely. Finally nice to hear from a tall woman (taller than me) what it is like. She included interesting medical information, income statistics, reproduction and "fitting" information, too. I loved the chapters on shopping for clothes (and being a tall woman) and fitting (or rather not fitting) into airplane, bus, train seats, and bathroom stalls (yes... it happens!). Plenty of humor and personal stories thrown in. Read it!
2 comments
like
(1 person liked it)
Jul 28, 2009
Mary Jo
rated it:
What can I say? She shows the research that says we're smarter and earn more money than those shorter than us. How could I possibly not like this book? Also, we're healthier and live longer. Negatives: bus seats, train seats, airplane seats, our clothes cost more and higher rates of certain cancers -- skin -- we have more skin anyway!
0 comments
like
(1 person liked it)
Jan 24, 2010
An explication of tall-ness, with an array of stats and research ranging from health to careers to dating. Definitely a book for a niche readership (think 6'+). Cohen (6'3") draws from personal interviews and research, as well as her own experiences. A fun and fairly easy read. I would recommend this to the tall folk.
Aug 21, 2009
Amy
rated it:
Interesting. Being tall, I know a lot of this, but for someone who isn't tall, this book explains what we go through in the world of clothing, ceiling height, airline seats and much much more!
The part about making more money because of height is fascinating and would be fantastic if I hadn't chosen to work in a service profession (public libraries). In my world, I do not fall into this spectrum.
The part about making more money because of height is fascinating and would be fantastic if I hadn't chosen to work in a service profession (public libraries). In my world, I do not fall into this spectrum.
Oct 18, 2009
Shira
rated it:
The first thing I learned from this book is that I am not THAT tall. True, I am taller than at least 97% of American women, but compared to the book's author (6'3") and other women she talks about, I am really not super-tall. Actually I had an inkling of this before, when it turned out that I was too "short" for most of the pants at Tall Girl shops. Anyhow, I found this book both interesting and amusing. She talked about issues relating to tall health, self-esteem, money (turn
More...
Mar 11, 2010
Vicki
rated it:
Anyone who is tall, male or female, should read this book. And anyone who loves a tall should read this book, too. If you're a parent of a tall child, you should DEFINITELY read The Tall Book. It's well-researched, and the writing is engaging. One of the best non-fiction books I've read!
0 comments
like
(1 person liked it)
Jan 06, 2010
Beth
rated it:
This book is awesome. She GETS what it is like to be tall. Don't know about some of her stats, but her insights and anecdotes are fantastic. If you've ever felt even close to a little freakishly tall - you have to try this book.
Mar 23, 2010
Laura
rated it: 
More a collection of magazine-y pieces than a book, okay for reading in snippets. Nothing like reading about hey, it can be kiind of good to be tall. At the same time as realizing hey, I'm not actually that tall.
Mar 08, 2010
Megan
rated it:
I wouldve given this 3 stars had I not been able to sympathize with the author and all the problems that come along with being a tall woman. Well-researched, but not as well written as one would hope.
Jan 05, 2010
Rachel
rated it:
I loved the stats and also the personal views on what the benefits and challenges of being tall are. Now I'm able to put a specific face on helping my daughter through whatever tall challenges she faces, starting with telling how great it'll be to be so tall!
Dec 16, 2009
Lori
rated it:
Arianne Cohen (6'3") takes us on a tour of being tall, from medical reasons and interventions, to the social and financial repercussions of being tall, to why even I (at 5'9") have difficulty finding clothing that fits and feel uncomfortable in airplane seats. This was a very interesting read, even if it made me feel kinda short after a lifetime of thinking I was very tall. And I very much enjoyed the author's straightforward and personal writing style.
I wish Goodreads had More...
I wish Goodreads had More...
Nov 02, 2009
Jocelyn
rated it:
I'm not tall compared to the people mentioned in the book - 6 feet and above - but it was a a humorous and easy read. There a few sections of what'd you expect, such awkward teenage dances, not fitting in plane seats, etc. Along with the social aspects, there's a decent amount of research as to why tall people got to be tall.
May 31, 2010
Kdevoli
rated it:
I found this interesting, insightful, and funny. The author is a woman who stands 6'3" and describes anecdotally how the world is not designed for people of stature.
Sep 15, 2009
Annie
rated it:
Very interesting, The author verbalized a lot of things I had experienced but never verbalized. It was nice to see that some one else had the same things happen
