Tiffanie DiDonato

This heart-felt memoir contained so much more than I expected when I picked it up. The controversial topic of bone-extension surgery for a person with diastrophic dysplasia is presented in an appealing and poignant story about a plucky young woman who pursues her dream of independence with relentless courage. I have concerns about medical technology that enables people to bypass, or at least ease, the results of genetics. Should we accept what we're born with when we can do something about it? Tiffanie makes it clear this isn't about cosmetic surgery - this is about being able to touch her own ears, open doors, and wash her hands at a sink in a public restroom. Her story gave me a lot to think about.… (mere)

Dwarf, A Memoir, by Tiffanie DiDonato (pp 250). The author is a young woman who was born with a condition known by some as dwarfism. This is her story. To some, her childhood decision to go through surgery to lengthen her limbs is highly controversial if not insulting, and she has been roundly criticized—by strangers—for having done so. However, it was her decision and one that she does not regret. Her memoir is that of a girl wrestling with physical limitations, living with a very supportive family, notwithstanding a father who was adamantly opposed to her surgeries. I understand why some oppose what she did, but given that it was her decision and her life, it’s hard to find fault. She remains a “dwarf” at 4’ 10”, but is tall enough to brush her hair, wipe her bottom, see over counters (at least some of them), and do many of the things she so desperately wanted to do as a child without aids. The book tracks her life through childhood, high school, college, and marriage (and pregnancy). It is a remarkable story of an individual, the trials and hardships she faced, the decisions she made to make her life better (as she defined better), and her own happy ending. She is a brave and remarkable woman, and her book was a joy to read.… (mere)

DiDonato starts out by saying she doesn't define herself by her size--that she is so much more than a "little person." And then proceeds to write an entire book that contains very little of interest apart from her size and how she "fixed" it.

I was surprised by how disturbing I found this book. I guess I was supposed to admire her, to think she was strong for getting through the horrific medical procedures (far beyond what the doctor who did the initial procedure was willing to do) that she chose to go through, but instead I just felt disgusted at what she put her body (not to mention her family and best friend who begged her not to do it) through. If only there had been any insight about the implications of the self-torture that her mother encouraged her to go through in order to be "normal," that would have redeemed the decisions made by a teenager and supported by her mother (but not her father). But sadly, the underlying message seems to be "if I hadn't done this to myself I would have been too abnormal to live a happy life."
See my full review at: http://worducopia.blogspot.com/2013/02/dwarf-tiffanie-didonato-book-review.html… (mere)

Kudos to the designers of this book's cover. It drew me in, sparked a question in my mind so that I tracked this book down and read it.

WRITING STYLE:
Simplistic. Too detailed in some places, not detailed enough in others. There were parts that seemed superfluous, and sections where the drama was HIGH but the writing wasn't good enough to capture the moment, which is a darn shame because Ms. DiDonato has accomplished some simply amazing things.

As for the book in it's entirety:
For me this book seemed to fall into 3 parts. The first part was interesting, but not riveting stuff. It served it's purpose though as it formed the background for the second part which had me on the edge of my seat. This section dealt with the most difficult parts of Tiffanie's surgeries and I found it an inspiring example of human courage and strength.

This was followed, unfortunately, by a poorly crafted description of her life after The Big surgery. I found part of this so vaguely described that it wasn't 'satisfying'. While another part was so oddly personal that it bordered on creepy --to me, at least: others might find it >>>

>>>SPOILER ALERT SPOILER ALERT>>>
...endearing that she went shopping with her mother for sexy outfits and that she got carried away with fantasizing about her night-to-come in the dressing room.

>>>END OF SPOILER

In the end I concluded that I like Tiffanie. That she had guts and that self-promotion was all apart of the package and that I was good with that. BUT I almost wish this book had been from her mother's perspective. For if Tiffanie was iron, her mother was steel.

Honestly, as a mother I don't know if I could have been as strong as Mrs. DiDonato. Holy cow, I can't imagine what it must take to watch your child suffer and struggle like that; and to have to tell her to "suck it up", when she must have been melting inside. Talk about tough love.

Three Stars. Amazing story that could have been better edited.… (mere)