"Zaghmout's The Man of Middling Height is a fascinating and thought provoking look at the dangers of dividing humans and the power of language to frame how we see ourselves."—Abdi Nazemian, Stonewall and Lambda Award Winning author of Like a Love Story and Only This Beautiful Moment
"Zaghmout’s ingenious satirical concept sets out to do for gender injustice what Majorie Blackman’s Noughts and Crosses set out to do for racism."—Patrick Gale, author of the bestselling novel Take Nothing With You
"The Man of Middling Height is original and of great importance."—Omar Sayfo, author of Allah’s Spacious Earth
Description
What if our society’s deepest prejudices weren’t about race, gender, or sexuality—but height? In his groundbreaking allegorical novel, acclaimed Jordanian author and activist Fadi Zaghmout imagines just such a world, crafting a powerful meditation on discrimination and desire that speaks directly to our contemporary debates about identity and inclusion.
The Man of Middling Height follows a short dressmaker whose life is upended when she meets Tallan, a man whose middle height places him outside the rigid tall/short binary that governs their society. As their forbidden romance blossoms, they must navigate a world where height determines everything from social status to romantic possibilities. Through their story and those of surrounding characters—including a short person in a polyamorous relationship with two tall partners, and a tall activist who scandalously loves another tall person—Zaghmout deftly reframes contemporary discussions about gender identity and sexuality through the lens of height discrimination.
About the Author
Fadi Zaghmout is a Jordanian author and sexual freedoms and body rights advocate. He has published five novels, including The Bride of Amman, Heaven on Earth, Laila, and Hope on Earth.
Wasan Abdelhaq is an experienced translator with a deep passion for bridging cultures through language and over fifteen years of expertise in translating Arabic to English across a variety of genres.
August 2025