Miss M., the narrator of these fictional memoirs, is a diminutive young woman (though just how diminutive, the author never says) with a "passion for shells, fossils, flints, butterflies, and stuffed animals." Miss M. tells of her early life as a dreamy orphan and, in particular, of her tempestuous twentieth year -- in which she falls in love with a beautiful and ambitious full-sized woman and is courted by a male dwarf. Concluding that she must choose either to simply tolerate her difference or grow callous to it, Miss M. resolves to become independent by offering herself up as a spectacle in a circus.
"After a long period of neglect de la Mare may be beginning to be seen as the remarkable writer that he is." --John Bayley, The New York Review of Books
Memoirs of a Midget
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Editorial Reviews
Review
"Here is a great book." -- New York Times Book Review
"It seems to me a perfect, utterly original novel, and no one but a poet could have written it." -- Angela Carter, author, The Bloody Chamber
"One of the strangest and most enchanting works of fiction ever written." -- Alison Lurie, from her foreword
"Sentences, pages, whole chapters cause us to catch our breath." -- The Atlantic Monthly
"de la Mare's masterpiece . . . It acts upon the reader like a ghostly visitation, at once unsettling and revelatory." -- Washington Post
"It seems to me a perfect, utterly original novel, and no one but a poet could have written it." -- Angela Carter, author, The Bloody Chamber
"One of the strangest and most enchanting works of fiction ever written." -- Alison Lurie, from her foreword
"Sentences, pages, whole chapters cause us to catch our breath." -- The Atlantic Monthly
"de la Mare's masterpiece . . . It acts upon the reader like a ghostly visitation, at once unsettling and revelatory." -- Washington Post
About the Author
Walter de la Mare (1873-1956) wrote numerous novels, short stories, essays, and poems. He was awarded the James Tait Black Memorial Prize for Memoirs of a Midget. Other major works include the children's novel, The Three Royal Monkeys, Henry Broken, and The Return.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An engagingly told, wry yet witty read,
By Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Memoirs of a Midget (Paperback)
Memoirs Of A Midget by Walter de la Mare is a fictional memoir of Miss M, a diminutive young woman (exactly how diminutive is left up to the reader's interpretation!), who grows up in an orphanage and eventually falls in love with a full-sized woman even as she is courted by a male dwarf. The daily travails of Miss M, with the unique obstacles presented by her size difference, lead to her resolve to claim independence by offering herself as a spectacle in a circus. An engagingly told, wry yet witty read, Memoirs Of A Midget is a unique and inherently fascinating novel from beginning to end.
12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
short peoples unite!,
By "irishman8778" (Portland, OR) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Memoirs of a Midget (Paperback)
I thought that this book was excellent! As a fellow short person, I could relate to the story wonderfully! I have felt the same feelings that she felt, it was almost like a mirror was held up to my life. Well except for the when the book took place I can't believe how awesome this book was! Now perhaps people will look at the midgets and think that they are real people too, not just disformed humans. you should read this book. It was the best book I ever read. I hope that everyone reads this book so that people everywhere can get to know the hardships that we face in our day to day lives. This book really educated my friends on how hard life can be. I can only hope that others will do the same thing.
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Well, I'll take my time to do this...,
By moviegoer "Jumbo" (USA) - See all my reviews
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Memoirs of a Midget (Paperback)
...though few enough people will ever read it, because this book languishes in undeserved obscurity. This novel is a fascinating look into a life which is unimaginable to most of us--this life of a tiny, delicate midget,
whose heart and soul are as large as she is small. This is not a book to be picked up for an idle afternoon's reading (though it is not difficult to read), because it is truly like entering...well, a fairyland. If you are a reader of high fiction, you will love it. And, though I'm evidently the only person in the world who knows this, it would make a world-beating animated film.
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First Sentence:
SOME few years ago a brief account of me found its way into one or two country newspapers. Read the first page Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Lady Pollacke, Miss Bowater, Miss Fenne, Sir Walter, Adam Waggett, Fanny Bowater, Aunt Alice, Miss Bullace, Beechwood Hill, Lyme Regis, Miss Austen, Monk's House, Brunswick House, Lord Chiltern, Miss Stebbings, Percy Maudlen, Susan Monnerie, Buenos Ayres, Wuthering Heights, Captain Valentine, Chizzel Hill, Miss Monnerie, Miss Templemaine, Robinson Crusoe, Miss Midge New!
Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Surprise Me!
SOME few years ago a brief account of me found its way into one or two country newspapers. Read the first page Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Lady Pollacke, Miss Bowater, Miss Fenne, Sir Walter, Adam Waggett, Fanny Bowater, Aunt Alice, Miss Bullace, Beechwood Hill, Lyme Regis, Miss Austen, Monk's House, Brunswick House, Lord Chiltern, Miss Stebbings, Percy Maudlen, Susan Monnerie, Buenos Ayres, Wuthering Heights, Captain Valentine, Chizzel Hill, Miss Monnerie, Miss Templemaine, Robinson Crusoe, Miss Midge New!
Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Surprise Me!
Citations (learn more)
This book cites 6
books:
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24
books
cite this book:
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- Sense and Sensibility (Oxford World's Classics) by Jane Austen on page 144, and page 186
- Sense and Sensibility (Large Print) by Jane Austen on page 144, and page 186
- Primitive Man by Edward Clodd on page 125
- Natural History of Selbourne (Wordsworth Classic) by Gilbert White on page 327
- Holy Living (Living Library) by Jeremy Taylor on page 245
See all 6 books this book cites
- Boys and Girls Forever: Children's Classics from Cinderella to Harry Potter by Alison Lurie on 6 pages
- The Life of Walter de la Mare by Theresa Whistler on 6 pages
- Nabokov's World, Volume 1: The Shape of Nabokov's World by Jane Grayson on 5 pages
- Classes on Modern Poets and the Art of Poetry by James Dickey on 4 pages
- Take Up Thy Bed and Walk: Death, Disability, and Cure in Classic Fiction for Girls (Children's Literature and Culture) by Lois Keith on page 135, page 162, and Back Matter
See all 24 books citing this book
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