When Charles S. Stratton was born in 1838, he was a large baby, perfect in every way. But then he stopped growing. At age four, though a happy and mischievous child, he was just over two feet tall and weighed only fifteen poundsthe exact same size he had been as a seven-month-old baby. It was then that the notorious showman P.T. Barnum dubbed him Tom Thumb and put him on display, touring him around the world as a curiosity.
Anatural performer, Charley became enormously popular and wealthy, more so than any other performer before him. In this spirited biographythe first on its subjectGeorge Sullivan recounts the fascinating adventures of Tom Thumb, and raises challenging questions about what constitutes exploitationboth in the 19th century and today.
Anatural performer, Charley became enormously popular and wealthy, more so than any other performer before him. In this spirited biographythe first on its subjectGeorge Sullivan recounts the fascinating adventures of Tom Thumb, and raises challenging questions about what constitutes exploitationboth in the 19th century and today.
