Dwarf: A Memoir

by Tiffanie DiDonato, Rennie Dyball

Overview

“It's okay with me if you picked up this book because you're curious about what it's like to live with dwarfism. But I hope that you'll take away much more—about adapting to the world when it won't adapt to you.”—from Dwarf

A memoir of grit and transformation for anyone who has been told something was impossible and then went on to do it anyway.

Tiffanie DiDonato was born with dwarfism. Her limbs were so short that she was not able to reach her own ears. She was also born with a serious case of optimism. She decided to undergo a series of painful bone-lengthening surgeries that gave her an unprecedented 14 inches of height—and the independence she never thought she’d have.

After her surgeries, Tiffanie was able to learn to drive, to live in the dorms during college, and to lead a normal life. She even made time to volunteer, writing to troops stationed abroad, and one of those Marine pen pals ultimately became her husband.

Dwarf is a moving and, at times, funny testament to the power of sheer determination, and has been compared to Andrew Solomon's Far From the Tree.

Watch her Good Morning America segment: https://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/dwarf-womans-story-undergoing-controversial-lengthening-surgeries/story?id=17841466

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781101603468
Publisher:	Penguin Publishing Group
Publication date:	11/27/2012
Sold by:	Penguin Group
Format:	eBook
Pages:	272
Sales rank:	952,869
File size:	1 MB
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Tiffanie DiDonato's body was far too small for her big dreams. Born with a rare form of dwarfism, she would never grow taller than 3'8" but yearned for an independent life in which she wouldn't have to depend on devices for help. So she underwent a series of bone-lengthening surgeries, going far beyond the norm. Most people gain a few inches from the procedure, but Tiffanie kept going until she was a full 14 inches taller and 4'10". Along the way, she met the man of her dreams (a tall, handsome Marine), with whom she has a son. Her memoir, Dwarf, is an inspirational story about fighting for the life you want to live... and that dreams do come true.

Editorial Reviews

Remarkable… engaging… uplifting and profound.”—Kirkus Reviews
 
“[DiDonato’s] physical want of stature and reach, however, did not extend to the length and breadth of her grit and determination… DiDonato’s dramatic memoir is testament to the realist’s view of life—use every tool in your toolbox to adjust to the world around you.”—Booklist

From the Publisher

With the assistance of People editor Dyball (co-author: A Famous Dog's Life: The Story of Gidget, America's Most Beloved Chihuahua, 2011, etc.), first-time author DiDonato tells the remarkable tale of her lifelong battle to overcome diastrophic dysplasia, a crippling genetic disorder that not only causes unusually short limbs, but chronic arthritis. While many children long to be taller, the author decided early on to do whatever it took to combat her body's literal shortcomings so she could perform such ordinary tasks as taking out the trash. Born with clubbed feet, the author underwent her first corrective surgery when she was 2 days old and then again at the age 2. With arms so short she couldn't reach her own ears or other body parts, DiDonato improvised, employing salad tongs to wipe herself and help pull up her socks. But at 8 years of age and standing only 3 feet 8 inches tall, the constant desire for greater independence led her and her mother to seek out radical bone-lengthening treatments. A veteran of dozens of childhood surgeries, DiDonato viewed the pain and temporary immobility resulting from these grueling procedures as mere means to an end. Having gained four inches from her first lengthening surgeries and endured their torturous aftermath, the author chose to undertake the procedures again at 15, seeking out a surgeon who would enable her to risk going beyond the recommended additional three inches in height to whatever length her body could take. Throughout this engaging memoir, the author's resolve to do "whatever it takes to live an independent life" proves unwavering, even in the face of criticism from others facing similar challenges who considered her choices motivated by a lack of self-acceptance. Sappy toward the end, but mostly uplifting and profound.

Kirkus Reviews