Melanie Benjamin

Mid-nineteenth-century little person Mercy Levinia Warren Bump comes of age in the antebellum South before being invited to join the P.T. Barnum circus, through which she pursues limitless international opportunities.

A Novel

The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb

Sarah Ryan

A novel about the life of Mrs. Lavinia (Vinnie) Warren Bump Stratton, the wife of Tom Thumb. I didn't realise before reading this that Tom Thumb had been a real person, nor that he had had a wife. This book was really enjoyable, although I've no idea how historically accurate. It details Vinnie's life from growing up on her parents farm, to being an entertainer on a river boat in pre Civil War times, to becoming one half of a famous duo who toured the globe meeting kings, queens, presidents and everyone in between. Definitely worth a read.

For anyone who loves the historical novels of Sara Gruen, Geraldine Brooks, and E. L. Doctorow, a barnstorming tale of an irrepressible, brawling, bawdy era and the remarkable woman who had the courage to match the unique spirit of America’s Gilded Age. She was only two feet, eight inches tall, but more than a century later, her legend reaches out to us. As a child, Mercy Lavinia “Vinnie” Warren Bump was encouraged to live a life hidden away from the public. Instead, she reached out to the immortal impresario P. T. Barnum, married the tiny superstar General Tom Thumb in the wedding of the century, and became the world’s most unexpected celebrity. Vinnie’s wedding captivated the nation, preempted coverage of the Civil War, and even ushered her into the White House. But her fame also endangered the person she prized most: her similarly sized sister, Minnie, a gentle soul unable to escape the glare of Vinnie’s spotlight. A barnstorming novel of the Gilded Age, The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb is the irresistible epic of a heroine who conquered the country with a heart as big as her dreams—and whose story will surely win over yours. Look for special features inside. Join the Circle for author chats and more. BONUS: This edition contains a timeline, an interview with Melanie Benjamin, and an excerpt from Melanie Benjamin's Alice I Have Been.

The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb A Novel

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