Disability Biography

A love letter to queer of color theory and how it has helped the author to discover himself, reclaim identities, celebrate queer joy, and work towards liberation Marcos Gonsalez found his greatest source of joy when he encountered queer theory in college. As they put it, "queers and college go...

Vier Jahre lang schien die Welt um mich herum weiterzulaufen, während ich in einer unsichtbaren Blase gefangen war. Von lähmender Angst, tiefer Unsicherheit und sozialer Isolation geprägt, verließ ich kaum das Haus und kämpfte täglich gegen meine innere Stimme, die mich immer wieder zurückzog. Dieses Buch erzählt offen und ehrlich von meiner persönlichen Reise durch die Dunkelheit einer schweren psychischen Erkrankung. Es beschreibt den Schmerz des Alleinseins, die Verzweiflung, die Frage nach der eigenen Stärke – und vor allem den unerschütterlichen Willen zur Veränderung.

After a catastrophic ski accident left him permanently paralyzed from the waist down, Jason not only had to relearn basic tasks like dressing and bathing but also had to wrestle with the harder questions: why do bad things happen? If God is good and powerful, why does he allow suffering? And how does one cope with suffering, which in one way or another visits us all?

Operated on as an infant, without anesthesia, Wendy P. Williams began life at war with her body. There were tubes everywhere, in and out of every opening, her mother reminded her on every anniversary of her surgery. Autobiography of a Sea Creature takes listeners on Williams’ difficult sensory journey toward healing, as she communes along the way with horseshoe crabs, dolphins, and other marine life that taught her the restorative power of beauty, resilience, and interdependence.

"Dandelion Roots Run Deep" is the true story of three generations of tenacious Midwestern women, one in Illinois and two in Michigan. Merry is the third generation, and her mother Merrill, fought for organic agriculture and Michigan's environment from 1967 - 2009. Merrill developed Alzheimer's before finishing her book, so Merry took her story to fruition.

In January 2016, life took an unexpected turn for Marilyn Miller Lowry when a stroke abruptly had her asking those questions—and more. In the years since, Lowry examined her life and made dramatic changes that opened up more possibilities than she ever imagined. Grateful to be able to author A Stroke of Magic, Lowry uses her background as a counselor to share candid observations of the trauma that comes with unexpected physical disability.

When Ellie Goldstein was first diagnosed with Down Syndrome, her mother was soon told that her new-born would amount to nothing. For 21 years and counting, Ellie Goldstein has been defying the odds and overcoming every hardship thrown at her. Told she wouldn't walk, Ellie has danced on mainstages. Told she wouldn't learn, she has gained a college education. And told not to dream, Ellie has gone on to become the first model with Down Syndrome to be photographed for Gucci and continues to change the face of fashion from the inside out in countless international campaigns.

Told with shocking honesty and in unbelievable detail, Bipolar: A Gift of Thorns is a profoundly insightful memoir that shines a light on one woman’s courageous journey and the stigma of bipolar disorder.

Do you like sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll? Do you know what jails, institutions, and death are all about? I don't want to be controlled, but can I control myself? Who says I have to live by society's rules?

At age 54, Chris Monnette is diagnosed with neovascular macular degeneration, an incurable retinal disease that slowly robs him of his eyesight. As each cell in his macula dies and his vision diminishes, he is forced, literally and figuratively, to see the world through different eyes. Raised in the shadow of an emotionally stifled father, Chris learns early on to mirror the belief that vulnerability equals weakness. A piercingly honest meditation on the emotional legacy of stoicism, Seeing Clearly is much-needed proof that being a man and being vulnerable are one and the same.

Have you ever wondered how a blind person pours a cup of coffee? Or how they and their guide dog know when it's safe to cross a busy road? When Lois Strachan lost her sight at the age of 21 years, she had to learn the answers to these and countless other questions of how to live as a blind person in a sighted world. In this delightfully quirky and entertaining book, Lois shares some of the secrets she discovered about how to live an “ordinary” life in an extraordinary way despite her disability.

私たちは本当に「見て」いるのか?触れて、聴いて、初めてわかる、この社会のかたち。時に鋭く、そしてあたたかく。ユーモアに満ちた随想集。

Negli ultimi decenni si è verificata una profonda rivoluzione nella cura della sclerosi multipla, una disfunzione del sistema immunitario che colpisce 122.000 italiani e 2,5 milioni di persone nel mondo. Grazie allo sviluppo di nuovi farmaci sempre più efficaci e a fondamentali scoperte, dai fattori di rischio genetici e ambientali al ruolo rigenerativo delle cellule staminali nel cervello, ora, finalmente, la vita delle persone che soffrono di questa malattia è sempre più vicina alla normalità.

They say if you want to make God smile, tell him you have a plan. Dwight’s plan was to live his dream, teach math, coach football, and build a comfortable life for himself. Fate had other things in store for him. The story of Dwight’s physical and emotional journey from life as an able-bodied young man chasing his dreams only to have his world turned upside down by the thoughtless act of a 71-year-old drunk driver.

In No Bad Days, JT details the incredible story of how he overcame what seemed like insurmountable odds and shares the many invaluable lessons he has learned throughout his life in the hope that others might reach their full potential. These lessons include how to: find your tribe, pull off the label, stretch yourself, listen to others, and learn to fall. JT’s improbable life story is evidence that regardless of the mental and physical challenges you might face, you can defy the odds to create the life you want and accomplish the things you’ve only dreamed about.

A Michele La Pusata, dodici anni fa, è stata diagnosticata la Sclerosi laterale amiotrofica, meglio conosciuta come SLA. Prima, la sua era una vita più che normale, tra figli, lavoro e piccole incombenze, poi non lo è stata più. Non si mette mai in conto di affrontare una malattia lenta e invalidante come questa e infatti nessuno è preparato.

Essere una donna disabile in un mondo in cui l'immagine femminile appare sempre patinata e perfetta non è facile, ma Antonella Ferrari, attrice e ballerina, malata di sclerosi multipla, non si è mai arresa tanto da diventare un punto di riferimento, una fonte di ispirazione per tante persone meno fortunate. "Mi sono beccata tantissime porte in faccia, tantissime delusioni ma dovevo andare avanti anche per tutti quelli che vivono bloccati per colpa di una malattia."

Type 1 diabetic, fitness fanatic, dancing queen, Canasta champion; only some of the tags used to describe Colleen Ashby. Daughter, sister to five brothers, wife, and mother of three sons further define Colleen. Add to that, she is a heart transplant recipient who is now visually impaired, and you realize there is much more to learn.

Jump in the passenger seat as I navigate you through my journey of blindness, sexual abuse, mental illness, and various other medical conditions and tragedies. I will take you on the twists and turns of single motherhood and dating with a disability, all while only having the use of one arm. Join me for an emotional, yet exciting, ride to see how I end up at my current destination.

From non-verbal to radio announcer, Good Morning, Blake: Growing Up Autistic and Being Okay lays bare—from cradle to adulthood—the myriad steps Blake has taken to find his voice and rightful place in society.