An "evocative and entertaining" biography of the nineteenth century circus performer who became a global phenomenon (Neil Harris, author of Humbug).
When P. T. Barnum met twenty-five-inch-tall Charles Stratton at a Bridgeport, Connecticut hotel in 1843, one of the most important partnerships in entertainment history was born. With Barnum's promotional skills and the miniature Stratton's comedic talents, they charmed a Who's Who of the nineteenth century, from Queen Victoria to Charles Dickens to Abraham Lincoln.
Adored worldwide as "General Tom Thumb," Stratton played to sold-out shows for almost forty years. From his days as a precocious child star to his tragic early death, Becoming Tom Thumb tells the full story of this iconic figure for the first time. It details his triumphs on the New York stage, his epic celebrity wedding, and his around-the-world tour, drawing on newly available primary sources and interviews.
From the mansions of Paris to the deserts of Australia, Stratton's unique brand of Yankee comedy not only earned him the accolades of millions of fans, it helped move little people out of the side show and into the limelight.

Eric D. Lehman

Preface
Acknowledgments
Prologue: Playing the Palace
The Boy from Bridgeport
At the American Museum
Prince Charles the First
Buttons, Bullfights, and Balloons
Hop O' My Thumb
Heart of a Child
On the New York Stage
The Measure of a Man
The Wedding of the Year
The Long and Short of It
A Very Strange Honeymoon
Tom Thumb's America
Around the World
At the Helm
A Marriage and Two Funerals
The Great Fire
At Mountain Grove
Notes
A Note on Sources
Selected Bibliography
Index