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

A week after her birth, Dan Kennedy's daughter, Becky, was diagnosed with achondroplasia, the most common type of dwarfism. Reassured by doctors that Becky would have normal intelligence and life span, Kennedy and his wife quickly adjusted to the reality of her condition. Little People weaves the moving story of Kennedy's personal experiences with a fascinating investigation into dwarfism. Kennedy traces the attitudes toward dwarfs throughout history and describes with humor and compassion the difficulties little people face in a world designed for the 'average-sized.' In telling his story, Kennedy confronts the deepest of parental fears: What if my child is different? His search for an answer provides a penetrating look at how our culture of diversity-of respect for differences-clashes with the belief that we have a right to the so-called perfect child. Taking on the controversial issue of designer genetics, Kennedy argues that there is real cultural value to preserving differences and that eliminating them will harm society in unpredictable ways.  more