Dwarf: A Memoir - Softcover

DiDonato, Tiffanie; Dyball, Rennie

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0452298113 ISBN 13: 9780452298118

Publisher: Plume, 2012

Synopsis

“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

About this title

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.

From Booklist

Most people eventually learn that not only does the world not revolve around them but it doesn’t even bend to their liking. While some never learn, DiDonato had to face these hard truths sooner and more cruelly than others. Born with a relatively rare genetic disorder called diastrophic dysplasia, at 11 she was not much taller than a preschooler. With dwarfishly shortened arms and legs, DiDonato was unable to perform even such simple tasks as flipping on a light switch or getting a carton of milk from the middle shelf of a refrigerator, much less brush her own hair and tend to personal hygiene. The independence most preteens enjoy was impossible for her. Her physical want of stature and reach, however, did not extend to the length and breadth of her grit and determination. So she endured several torturous surgical procedures to increase her height by an astonishing fourteen inches. 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. --Donna Chavez

Edition details

• Publisher: Plume
• Publication date: 2012
• ISBN 10: 0452298113
• ISBN 13: 9780452298118
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 272