Sunday, October 16, 2011

The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb: a Novel by Melanie Benjamin, Read by Kim Mai Guest

I'm not exactly drawn to dwarves--I can't stand the reality tv shows out there. And I feel like they are treated poorly in most movies. But I added this to my to-read list after listening to a Random House book talk on it at an ALA conference.

Mrs. Tom Thumb, or Mercy Lavinia Warren Bump, had a pretty amazing history--perfect as the basis of a historical novel. Vinnie was raised with class, even though she was only 2 feet, 8 inches tall. She jumps at the chance to travel the Mississippi as a singing act. But her dream was always to work for P.T. Barnum, and eventually her dream comes true. She travels the world, meeting kings and queens, and living a luxurious life. She marries Tom Thumb for the media, and even fakes having a baby on her travels. Her life is a sham, even if it's a classy one, and she realizes this later in her life. All in all, listening to this audiobook made me sad. Vinnie was always chasing after fame and fortune, but never happy.

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