Becoming Tom Thumb wins its First Award

Becoming Tom Thumb has won its first award, the 2014 Henry Russell Hitchcock Prize from the Victorian Society in America.

They write:

“Deeply humane and splendidly researched, we believe that Becoming Tom Thumb is the first to do justice to Charles Stratton...It shows him to be a charming and dynamic entrepreneur who shrewdly exploited his international celebrity, by no means a hapless victim, and it does so with great insight and sympathy.

         —The Victorian Society in America, awarding the 2014 Henry Russell Hitchcock Award

Big Book Club Getaway 2014


Enjoyed appearing at the Big Book Club Getaway this year. Dr. Ruth (above) appeared with her usual energy, and Debbie Macomber headlined. We actually had no idea what she looked like and offered to sign the copy of History of Connecticut Food that she was carrying around!


I was on a panel with Diane Smith (the "ambassador of Connecticut" for those who don't know), Garrison Leykham of Those Diner and Motorcycle Guys, and Chris Jones of the Monte Cristo Bookshop in New London.


It as an honor to meet Diane Smith, who is currently reading Becoming Tom Thumb in preparation for another event, my appearance at the Old State House in Hartford this summer.


And Garrison and I had a good time signing each others' books and chatting about Connecticut diners! The event had more people than last year, and I can only hope that every year gets bigger and bigger.