The Remarkable Courtship of General Tom Thumb: A Novel

Brief Description: "An irresistible novel set against the backdrop of the American Civil War and based on the real life of Tom Thumb, a young man only twenty-five inches tall, who became America's first internationally recognized entertainer. By a writer whose previous work has been called "sprawling and elegant" (The New York Times Book Review), this novel weaves together a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at life during the Civil War and a moving tale of one misfit's odyssey to find his place in the world. Discovered at age four by P. T. Barnum, Tom Thumb soon finds himself traveling internationally, sitting on the laps of the queens of Europe, and entertaining the masses. He meets Czar Nicholas and the King of Saxony, and is invited to the Tuilleries by Louis Philippe. After marrying Lavinia Warren, Tom and wife are hosted at the White House by President Lincoln. With the country at war, Tom and Lavinia set out on their honeymoon tour and witness firsthand the fracture between the states, the heroism of young soldiers, and the unbreakable spirit of the American people. Written in a voice that is both witty and lyrical, and with a colorful secondary cast including Abraham Lincoln, Walt Whitman, P. T. Barnum, and notable figures of the period, this is an evocative, poignant imagining of one man's story at a unique moment in American history"--Review Quotes: "Nicholas Rinaldi is a writer I've admired for some time, but his latest -- The Remarkable Courtship of General Tom Thumb -- took me by surprise. It's a stunning tour of an era, an American psychological landscape, with its bravura and tragic headstrong drive to command more and more of the world in every sense. Rinaldi doesn't really have to make it up. The absurd history leaps at him. But he catches it, shapes and gives it body and language. This is an achievement -- a lively, instructive romp that tells us as much about our time as 'back then.'"--Jay Parini, author of "The Last Station" and "The Passages of H. M."Review Quotes: "In exquisite counterpoint, Rinaldi's book makes history live again in accounts of the Civil War and that of Barnum and the unforgettable General Tom Thumb."--Sue Walker, Alabama Poet Laureate, Stokes Distinguished Professor of Creative Writing, University of South AlabamaMarc Notes: An irresistible novel set against the backdrop of the American Civil War and based on the real life of Tom Thumb, a young man only twenty-five inches tall, who became America's first internationally recognized entertainer. By a writer whose previous work has been called sprawling and elegant (The New York Times Book Review), this novel weaves together a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at life during the Civil War and a moving tale of one misfit's odyssey to find his place in the world. Discovered at age four by P. T. Barnum, Tom Thumb soon finds himself traveling internationally, sitting on the laps of the queens of Europe, and entertaining the masses. He meets Czar Nicholas and the King of Saxony, and is invited to the Tuilleries by Louis Philippe. After marrying Lavinia Warren, Tom and wife are hosted at the White House by President Lincoln. With the country at war, Tom and Lavinia set out on their honeymoon tour and witness firsthand the fracture between the states, the heroism of young soldiers, and the unbreakable spirit of the American people. Written in a voice that is both witty and lyrical, and with a colorful secondary cast including Abraham Lincoln, Walt Whitman, P. T. Barnum, and notable figures of the period, this is an evocative, poignant imagining of one man's story at a unique moment in American history--; Provided by publisher. Review Quotes: "On one level Rinaldi has written a lively historical novel about Tom Thumb. But this book is so much more than that. It is about that most human of conditions, those trembling moments when hot passion and the desire for love just seem too big and overwhelming for our puny bodies trying to contain such powerful emotions."--Richard C. Morais, author of "The Hundred-Foot Journey" and "Buddhaland Brooklyn"Publisher Marketing: An irresistible novel that "charts a harrowing tour through the Civil War" ("Connecticut Post") and chronicles the life of Tom Thumb--the tiny man who became, in his time, America's most famous entertainer. "I was four years old when Barnum discovered me, and soon to turn five when I first appeared on the big stage of his American Museum." So begins the story of Tom Thumb, who at just twenty-five-inches tall, rises to global fame as America's most beloved entertainer. With his parents' blessing, Tom comes of age in Barnum's five-story gallery of oddities, exploring its mystical artifacts and exotic animals between his performances to sold-out crowds. One day in the museum's basement menagerie, Tom meets a new performer, Lavinia Warren, who stands three inches shorter than he. It's love at first sight, and Barnum quickly arranges the largest wedding reception New York City has ever seen. As cannon fire echoes across Bull Run and Antietam, both North and South are briefly united by their fascination with "General" Tom Thumb and his beautiful, petite wife. Despite the Civil War, Tom and Lavinia embark on a honeymoon tour, where they encounter cities and people ravaged by the ongoing conflict. But as the tour winds down, an unexpected danger follows Tom and Lavinia back home. Witty, lyrical, and with a colorful cast of notable figures of the period, "The Remarkable Courtship of General Tom Thumb "is an evocative, poignant imagining of one man's story, from a "master of elegant prose and psychological insight" ("Entertainment Weekly"). Review Citations:

Publishers Weekly 06/09/2014 (EAN 9781476727325, Hardcover)

Booklist 07/01/2014 pg. 46 (EAN 9781476727325, Hardcover)

Kirkus Reviews 08/01/2014 (EAN 9781476727325, Hardcover)

Contributor Bio:  Rinaldi, Nicholas Nicholas Rinaldi is the author of two previous novels, The Jukebox Queen of Malta and Bridge Fall Down, and three collections of poetry. His stories and poems have appeared widely in literary journals here and abroad. He teaches literature and creative writing at Fairfield University, and lives in Connecticut with his wife, Jackie.