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3.55 AVERAGE
3.55 AVERAGE
I really liked this book but I love historical fiction. I did not know anything about these characters & found it very interesting.
I recently heard a podcast featuring Melanie Benjamin as a guest author. She talked about her desire to make women who may have been lost to history more visible, more "remembered." She has certainly made Lavinia Warren Statton (Mrs Tom Thumb) more visible, which is quite a feat given her small physical stature. At less than 3' tall, Lavinia (Vinnie) was determined, perhaps even ruthless, in her pursuit of an extraordinary life. This fictionalized account of her life shows that this determination helped her see the world, and the world to see her. Yet, this visibility comes at a cost to her own peace of mind. A compelling story about a couple I did not know a lot about, and the tumultuous times in which they lived.
I knew from the first paragraph this book was going to be amazing and I was not disappointed it was so good I didn't want to read it but I'm so happy I finally hunkered down and read the last 80% of it in a day
I laughed and cried and had all the feelings in-between. This is one of those books I'll think about again and again.
I laughed and cried and had all the feelings in-between. This is one of those books I'll think about again and again.
I thought this was a really fun book. I enjoyed reading it and will probably do so again. I'm a little interested and tempted to read some of the more accurate information about Mercy Livinia Warren Bump.
Why did you choose this book? I have heard this book mentioned many times since it was released, and had not decided if I wanted to read it. But when it was on the front shelf in the library and I saw the beautiful cover, I picked it up and took it home!
When did you read this book? September 2011
Who should read this book? read of historical fiction, readers interested in 19th century views of disabilites
My Review
This is the fictionalized story of Lavinia Warren Stratton, known as Mrs. Tom Thumb to her audiences. At the beginning the book was somewhat slow moving story, especially during Vinnie’s early years before she entered show biz. However, it was an interesting story. The story did not have as much historical detail as other ‘historical’ novels. There was a bit of history to put the times into context, such as the start of the Civil War, and many real people from that time were mentioned; General Grant, the Vanderbilts, President and Mrs. Lincoln. But most of this history was mentioned in passing. However, one thing the book did well was give insight into how differently people thought about people with ‘disabilities’ in the late nineteenth century. The idea of dwarfs, giantesses, bearded ladies, etc, being displayed as ‘oddities’ seems so wrong to audiences of today, but audiences of the nineteenth century saw these people merely as ‘entertainment’! It was also interesting for me to read about things that I’d had some idea about, without realizing it. For example, I did not know of Lavina Warren Stratton, or of General Tom Thumb. BUt I remember hearing of Thumbelina and Tom Thumb in fairly tales. I’d always thought they’d married and lived happily ever after, but when I look up fairy tales, I see that Thumbelina is Hans Christian Andersen and Ton Thumb is Grimm, so perhaps at one time I’d been told of this real-life ‘fairy tale’.
One thing I have learned since reading this book is that the real Vinnie did attempt to write an autobiography, but that it was very ‘dry’; a simple recounting of facts with little or no insight into her thoughts and emotions. The author did an excellent job of taking these basic facts and building a story around it, using her imagination to give Vinnie thoughts and emotions. That was something I had to keep reminding myself of while I was reading, because the Vinnie of this story is not a very likable character. At the beginning of the story, she is a hard worker, and considerate. But as the story develops, she becomes very self-centered, thinking highly of herself and using people for her own benefit. The biggest example is when she marries Charles as a career move. She never gives Charles love, and barely tolerates him. Ironically, she does not like Barnum’s second wife, though she has never met her, and believes she married Barnum only for the money and status it brings her. And as Barnum points out to her, she only comes to him when she needs something and never treats Barnum as a true friend. She is also unable to see herself honestly. She overinflates her singing talent in her mind and believes she has a successful career because of those talents. She does not seem to be aware that to her audience, she is no different than the sideshow oddities. Though she is able to see the value in adding her sister, also a little person, and other little people to the act, she does not see the her ‘littleness’ is what brings people to see her! Even though Vinnie, the character, is not the most likable character I have met, this telling of her story is a good read!
My Rating: ★★★+ 3-1/2 Stars
When did you read this book? September 2011
Who should read this book? read of historical fiction, readers interested in 19th century views of disabilites
My Review
This is the fictionalized story of Lavinia Warren Stratton, known as Mrs. Tom Thumb to her audiences. At the beginning the book was somewhat slow moving story, especially during Vinnie’s early years before she entered show biz. However, it was an interesting story. The story did not have as much historical detail as other ‘historical’ novels. There was a bit of history to put the times into context, such as the start of the Civil War, and many real people from that time were mentioned; General Grant, the Vanderbilts, President and Mrs. Lincoln. But most of this history was mentioned in passing. However, one thing the book did well was give insight into how differently people thought about people with ‘disabilities’ in the late nineteenth century. The idea of dwarfs, giantesses, bearded ladies, etc, being displayed as ‘oddities’ seems so wrong to audiences of today, but audiences of the nineteenth century saw these people merely as ‘entertainment’! It was also interesting for me to read about things that I’d had some idea about, without realizing it. For example, I did not know of Lavina Warren Stratton, or of General Tom Thumb. BUt I remember hearing of Thumbelina and Tom Thumb in fairly tales. I’d always thought they’d married and lived happily ever after, but when I look up fairy tales, I see that Thumbelina is Hans Christian Andersen and Ton Thumb is Grimm, so perhaps at one time I’d been told of this real-life ‘fairy tale’.
One thing I have learned since reading this book is that the real Vinnie did attempt to write an autobiography, but that it was very ‘dry’; a simple recounting of facts with little or no insight into her thoughts and emotions. The author did an excellent job of taking these basic facts and building a story around it, using her imagination to give Vinnie thoughts and emotions. That was something I had to keep reminding myself of while I was reading, because the Vinnie of this story is not a very likable character. At the beginning of the story, she is a hard worker, and considerate. But as the story develops, she becomes very self-centered, thinking highly of herself and using people for her own benefit. The biggest example is when she marries Charles as a career move. She never gives Charles love, and barely tolerates him. Ironically, she does not like Barnum’s second wife, though she has never met her, and believes she married Barnum only for the money and status it brings her. And as Barnum points out to her, she only comes to him when she needs something and never treats Barnum as a true friend. She is also unable to see herself honestly. She overinflates her singing talent in her mind and believes she has a successful career because of those talents. She does not seem to be aware that to her audience, she is no different than the sideshow oddities. Though she is able to see the value in adding her sister, also a little person, and other little people to the act, she does not see the her ‘littleness’ is what brings people to see her! Even though Vinnie, the character, is not the most likable character I have met, this telling of her story is a good read!
My Rating: ★★★+ 3-1/2 Stars
3.5 stars. My favorite part of the book may have been the Author's Note. It really made clear how Ms. Benjamin researches and gets into the mind of her protagonist. The blend of truth and fiction is engaging, and I enjoyed the story of Vinnie, her determination, and her life as an entertainer.
adventurous
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
An interesting perspective on the turn of the century circus culture. Vinnie was a delightful character to follow.
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I'm realizing that I just don't enjoy historical fiction quite as much as I used to at this point in my life. I listened to the audiobook for this novel and all I could think about was how shallow, stuck up, self centered and honestly just horrible the main character was. She never did anything that didn't serve herself but pretended to think that she was so caring for the people she "loved." I also felt incredibly uncomfortable with the love story that the author fabricated between Barnum and Ward. It felt like a poorly researched and uninspiring attempt for me.
As shared on my blog post on Dine & Dish http://dineanddish.net/2012/05/connect-through-reading-2012-3-book-update/
I listened to the audiobook of The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb by Melanie Benjamin while driving home from Spring Break. I can’t believe it has taken me this long to share this book with you, as I truly enjoyed it. This is a fiction book based on an actual person (Lavinia Bump), written as an autobiography.
Lavinia was a dwarf born in the 1800′s and she eventually was employed by P.T. Barnum (yes – the Barnum of the circus). This book is hard to summarize as the story is deep and takes the reader on quite the journey through her life, but it is fascinating to learn about what life might have been like for a circus sideshow performer back then. I found myself angry at Lavinia at times (she is a hard character to love during parts of the book) as well as laughing and crying as the story unfolded. It’s a great summer read, earning 5 Stars from me.
I listened to the audiobook of The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb by Melanie Benjamin while driving home from Spring Break. I can’t believe it has taken me this long to share this book with you, as I truly enjoyed it. This is a fiction book based on an actual person (Lavinia Bump), written as an autobiography.
Lavinia was a dwarf born in the 1800′s and she eventually was employed by P.T. Barnum (yes – the Barnum of the circus). This book is hard to summarize as the story is deep and takes the reader on quite the journey through her life, but it is fascinating to learn about what life might have been like for a circus sideshow performer back then. I found myself angry at Lavinia at times (she is a hard character to love during parts of the book) as well as laughing and crying as the story unfolded. It’s a great summer read, earning 5 Stars from me.