In the little world - John Richardson

John Richardson, a 'tall' person, has always been fascinated by the dwarf world, and in the course of researching a piece for ESQUIRE magazine came to realise he was doing much more than simply documenting the lives of a few quirky characters. He was entering another world, a sub-culture that has long been the subject of a peculiar fascination to many people, but much misunderstood. As he says, 'Dwarfs are like us but more so, as if the process of distilling humanity to fit their size also made it stronger.'

At the centre of the book is Dr Steven Kopits of Johns Hopkins, a remarkable doctor who has dedicated his life to the treatment of dwarfs, and who has been shunned by the medical community as a result. Dr Kopits has offered Richardson complete access to himself and his patients, including the poignant love story of two dwarfs, Michael and Meredith, a heart-rending drama in its own right. By weaving these threads together, Richardson will redefine the way we look at dwarfs, at others who live on the margins of society, and, ultimately, at ourselves.