Book Review: Little People: Learning to See the World Through My Daughter's Eyes

I've been slowly making my way through this book since last summer. I've really enjoyed it, but it is so close to home I've found myself only being able to read it while in a pensive mood already. It brings up a lot of questions and thoughts that I don't always want to think about right before falling asleep, which is usually when I have time to read for fun.

Dan Kennedy is the father of a girl with achondroplasia. I really appreciate and relate to his thought process as he searches to find meaning in the diagnosis and grapples with where his daughter will fit into society. It was affirming to read someone's perspective with whom I share a lot of the same conclusions, if not a bit unnerving to read about someone going through a similar thought process I was in the middle of undertaking myself.

That was also the most unsatisfying part for me about the book. The parts where he talks about his struggle to understand what Becky's diagnosis will mean for her was almost too familiar. His questions then are my questions now. And of course, since it was written in 2003 and she was on the verge of adolescence, there are no answers. I finished it and wanted a sequel.

I realize my questions about Belalu's interactions with the world will only be answered with time. I also realize that Essie is also likely to have difficulties at some point- I think most people do. (At least in our culture it seems to be a common part of growing up.) But I only find myself worrying about her. What if.... what if.... what if... you can drive yourself crazy with those "what if"s. And then I see her determination, her intelligence, her love of people, and I find myself thinking "This girl is going to be teaching me a whole lot about life and how to take on challenges." Because I really think that's what she's going to do. And I know she's going to be fine, rough patches and all.

I've got two more books regarding dwarfism on my reading list for this summer. This one is next. Anyone want to read it with me and have a virtual book club?

The Lives of Dwarfs

I read this book by Betty M. Adelson over the summer, starting it soon after we got Belalu's diagnosis. While J was online researching all the medical info he could find, the first thing I did was look for blogs, and the second was place an order on Amazon. This is her first book about people with dwarfism, and she recently came out with another one that is on my "to read" list.

As suggested by its secondary title, Their Journey from Public Curiosity toward Social Liberation, the book looks at the status of dwarfs in society from Ancient Egypt through the end of the 20th century. Its subjects include history, anthropology, medicine, art, literature, and theater and film. 

Adelson is a psychologist whose interest in the subject is personal: she has a daughter with achondroplasia. When I started the book, I found some of the writing awkward, to the point of being distracting, but I eventually got used to her style. She spent many years doing research, and it shows. This is the only book of its kind available; one that aims to encompass so many different aspects of dwarfism throughout history. Given my field of study, I found the history, art, and literature chapters the most interesting. I like that there are lots of potential role models mentioned for Belalu. The way the book is written, you don't have to read it all the way through in order, though I did. You could, rather, skip to which sections interest you most, as each one pretty much stands alone.

As I read this book, I found myself wanting to know more about the people, books, or movies mentioned. I think it is a great resource to have in our family library.