Disabilities Books

This Christian fiction book is a quick read and yet has some depth to it. It's the third of the "Place Called Home" series and I think the best. It gives insight into feelings when one loses a spouse and shows two opposite ways of handling it. Paul Cameron was a Pastor who got angry at God for letting his spouse die so left the ministry. On the other hand, Abby, a pastor's wife, accepted her spouse's death as God's will and relied on Him for strength and comfort. Although predictably, Paul and Abby fall in love with each other; however, the journey of how they arrive there was very interesting and entertaining. I also liked how Lori Wick included humor when Abby was nursing Paul back to health.

It is well written and I believe anyone who has prayed for healing for someone and they died anyway can relate to the feelings expressed in this book through Paul and Abby.

--Karen Arlettaz Zemek, author of "My Funny Dad, Harry"

This was a good book and a little different. Paul was not the typical "good guy" initially. So it was a little more interesting to see how it would end up. I liked this a lot.

The Long Road Home is a great book for evey romantic at heart. The novel leads readers down a path of adventure and bitter heartbreak. I really enjoyed this novel; many times I had to force myself to put it down! The Bible verses and the characters' faith in God throughout the entire novel were of great encouragement to me. No matter what the circumstance the two characters remain steadfast in their faith. The struggles the characters face are practical and can be easily applied to everyday life,even if you don't experience that particular difficulty. For example,both of th main characters experience the loss of their mate. Both are shattered. Paul becomes bitter, while Abby accepts what is and tries to make the best of it.They find that the best way to deal with your struggles is to give them to God and in doing so life will be much easier. Who knows there may even be a reward ??? Read this book, you won't be sorry you did!

I think this book, "The Long Road Home," by Lori Wick is really good. It is something that would appeal to all Christian fiction lovers and is a very entertaining ang good story. It's one that can be read again and again. In my opinion Lori wick writes top rate fiction!

The Long Road Home is a great book for evey romantic at heart. The novel leads readers down a path of adventure and bitter heartbreak. I really enjoyed this novel; many times I had to force myself to put it down! The Bible verses and the characters' faith in God throughout the entire novel were of great encouragement to me. No matter what the circumstance the two characters remain steadfast in their faith. The struggles the characters face are practical and can be easily applied to everyday life,even if you don't experience that particular difficulty. For example,both of th main characters experience the loss of their mate. Both are shattered. Paul becomes bitter, while Abby accepts what is and tries to make the best of it.They find that the best way to deal with your struggles is to give them to God and in doing so life will be much easier. Who knows there may even be a reward ??? Read this book, you won't be sorry you did!

I read Long Time, No See the other night. I could not put it down til the very last page. Absolutely mind-blowing. Very honest. It was fantastic. I had no idea the complexities of Beth Finke's life. Beth obviously has some amazing family, and her husband Mike is just awe-inspiring. This book is definitely not a 'poor me' story. Its strength is in Beth's account of those daily activities of work, raising a family, and just moving through life. Being blind adds a dimension to those activities I honestly have never fully considered, and Beth does a great job showing us the sometimes humorous and ironic struggles she contends with while living in a sighted world. I highly recommend this book!

I knew Beth Finke growing up in Illinois. I was a teenager when she needed a baby sitter for her disabled son, and she was associated with the foundation where I lived and worked. I not only have very fond memories of Beth, but also her delightful son and her first seeing-eye dog Pandora.

As a young teenager, to meet a woman as bright, witty, and brave as Beth was a life lesson that stays with me to this day. I was so struck by Beth's outlook on life that I decided to make my High School final project a video documentary of her daily life (sorry, it is not available outside of the local TV station's archives). Now, over a decade later, Beth continues to be an inspiration to me and my wife (who also knew Beth), and I am so very glad that others have seen the same in her memoirs.

If you want to be inspired by a life that may have been struck by disabilities, but not dampened by them, you will not be disappointed. While perhaps an odd suggestion to most, I especially suggest this book to those who have sensitive teenagers in their homes - it will put them on the right track towards respect, humor, and a positive outlook on life.

_Long Time, No See_ is the memoir of a woman whose diabetes caused her to become blind at the beginnning of her relationship with the man that became her husband. Beth chronicles her life since the lights went out in a funny, poignant style, bringing humor to stories about her seeing eye dogs and not wallowing in sentimentality over her love for her husband and disabled son. But for me, the best part of the book was reading about the resources and adaptive measures available to blind people. I've been an avid reader since I was two and it's always been one of my greatest fears that I might someday lose my vision, but Beth's book is both an inspiration and a practical guide to what's available. Good work.

Beth Finke's _Long Time, No See_ is a lively and very real story of a modern American woman's life--the ups and downs, the tragedies and belly laughs. Her honesty is palpable and her humor always engaged. Blindness, birth defects, medical red tape, bureaucratic Catch 22's, problems in relationships--this woman has met them all straight on and remained real and honest and entertaining. You won't be able to stop reading this personal story! Guaranteed to give you both grins and tears. Highly recommended even if you know nothing about diabetes or blindness. (P. S. Do not confuse it with a recent novel by the same title.)

I loved this book , not because it is inspiring , which it is , but because it is the story of a fascinating , interesting , fun loving , intellegent , warm , beautiful , real woman ... there is nothing she can't accomplish ! This book reads so easily and with so much anticipation, I put everything aside until I finished it , and when I came to the end I could have started all over again ...... Thank you Beth Finke

I purchased this book for my son so that me may use it for our homeschool lesson to celebrate Louis Braille and what he has done for the blind community. We will be using it in January and I can't wait to share this book with him.

I choose this book because I wanted to learn about Louis Braille. When he was 5 years old, he lost his sight in an accident. When he was 12 years old, he decided to develop a better system for blind people to read. It took him 3 years to come up with the dot system. It allowed blind people to read just as fast as sighted people. There were people who did not think it would work and made it hard for him, but he kept trying. I liked this book because it showed how important it is to keep trying and how even when bad things happen you can try to make it better. This book is good for kids in the 5th or 6th grade. I would definitely recommend this book. I think you can learn a lot about how one person with an idea can make a difference for so many people.

First off, I would like to warn customers that this is definitely a children's book and geared for a very young audience (readers between maybe 1st and 4th grade). I didn't realize it at the time when I bought it so I thought I would mention it to other customers so they are aware of it. However, I read the book anyways and I must say as an adult reader I still enjoyed reading this book very much! It took me a little over an hour to read the whole thing, but in the end I still enjoyed learning about Louis Braille and his amazing, inspirational life. This book has definitely inspired me to go on and try to find more books about his incredible life.

I thought it was a good book. I like the way Maragret Davidson listed a bunch of things that Louis couldn't see when he was five. She included lots of detail. It made me think a lot differently about blind people. It was interesting because I've never read a book about blind people before. Louis was very brave. He really wanted a way for blind people to be able to read and never gave-up.

We 3 Fifth Graders, read a book about Louis Braille, by Margaret Davidson. This book is about a boy named Louis Braille. He was the boy who invented books for the blind. Louis lived in Coupvray,in France. He is blind. He became blind by playing with his father's awl. The awl slid right into Louis' eye and it got injured and it got infected. One day, a new priest came to a church on the hillside. The priest was named Father Jacques Palluy. Father Palluy knew that Louis was blind so, he sent Louis to a new school for blind children in Paris. He liked every school subjects there.One day, a Captain called Charles Barbier came to Louis' school. Captain Barbier taught Louis about nightwriting. Nightwriting are raised dots that stands for sounds. Louis invented his own alphabet dots and he spread the news by making books. When Louis died, everyone started to call his dots Braille. Will Louis' popularty ever be extraordinary? Why did some people dislike his invention at first? Will the Braille be used forever?

Our opinion about this book is that this is an outstanding book because Louis made up a way for blind people to read. Why would Louis want to make books for blind people? We gave this book 5 star because we think it is a fantastic book. This book can teach blind people how to read and write. People that are not blind can also learn Braille.The back of the book also has braille dots so, we can practice. We even learned how to spell our names in Braille. We think that Louis' idea was excellent.

We should recommend this book to 4,5,and 6 graders because it teaches a lesson about not playing with sharp tools, and it also teaches you how to read the Braille alphabet. Another lesson we learned is that if you want to get something done you have to do it yourself. If you want to learn more about Louis Braille, try reading: Louis Braille: the Boy who Invented Books for the Blind.

We have a son with severe expressive language disorder (apraxia) and this book combines humor and honesty about speech and language disorders. It felt like the author was sitting at my kitchen table drinking a cup of coffee with me and explaining all about my son's condition. A lot of information about how aggressive you need to get with therapy and what kind of therapy will work best for you and your family.

I have just begun my journey of educating myself more about my son's speech delay/developmental delay. This was the first book that I purchased and couldn't put it down. It is so easy to read and understand, not to mention interesting. Since finishing the book, I have moved on to other ones - they just don't hold my attention. I don't want a book that you need a degree to read! This book is very informative and gives you very important information. I will definitely use it as a guide/resource for a long time! The author herself has gone through the same issues with her two kids, so she has more perspective and emotion about the topic.

This is the book that I wish had been available when we first started trying to find help for our son with his speech delay. Debbie has clearly done her research, and lays things out in a informative but accessible way. More importantly, she's been there herself, and she has helpful insights included throughout the book from other parents who have experienced raising a child with speech and language problems. The chapter on dealing with insurance companies is especially helpful. Debbie has provided an extremely useful tool for families to use!

This book is an excellent resource for anyone who has a child with speech and language difficulties. There is an enormous amount of information but it is very well organized, and easy to reference in a hurry. The quotes throughout from parents who have "been there" make you feel like you aren't alone. It's very easy to feel overwhelmed when you first get a diagnosis, but this book helps the process of really understanding what you can do to help your child, and the support that is available.

This book is very well written. It gives tons of information about the process of being evaluated to different types of therapy to web sites with more information... The list goes on and on. It is written in a way that is easy to understand and not full of technical terms that make you fall asleep. I highly recommend this book to anyone whose child is about to enter the speech delayed evaluation process.

I have learned alot from reading this book! As a parent of a teenager with a disability, I often wonder if I am doing everything possible to help her reach her full potential. This book is helpful as it it a voice from different adults who have had disabilities since childhood and how their families impacted their future in both positive and negative ways. I highly recommend this book!

As a parent of a child with a disability, this book challenged my "over protective-ness" and helped me see things the way my child may see them. The insight given is amazing, and has assisted me to see that my child can do more than even I give him credit for. A must read for parents!

Fantastic book for those who live with disability and those who don't. Truly a masterful tool in helping the nondisabled understand what it means to live with a disability and know that we are NORMAL people. At a time when most books tell the story of a disabled person for them Mr. Klein has done an excellent job in letting the authors speak for themselves. A must have for parents and families raising children with special needs.

This book is a collection of personal narratives by adults with a variety of disabilities. As the parent of a child with cerebral palsy, reading these stories is a great experience. I have absolutely no doubt that my son will be a happy, loved, employed adult - but at the back of my mind is always the question of "are we making the right choices." It is really hard to balance all the "work" that comes with the territory of CP (physical therapy, OT, medical appointments, etc.) with the "play" part of being a child - and it helps to read stories of grownups on the other side. I recommend this book highly.

The personal essays in this book are incredibly helpful for anyone whose life is touched by a child with a physical or emotional challenge. As a parent of a child with a chronic illness, I found the first-hand advice unique and straightforward. The essays are short and really diverse -- each one of them had a gem that I could apply to my child's situation. This peek into the lives of the authors helps parents create a life that is blessedly ordinary for their kids when life may not feel very ordinary at all. The greatest gift of this book is that most solutions are quite simple -- it's our desire to overcome the disability that prevents us from treating it as another normal part of life. A great read for anyone touched by a child who faces medical challenges.

This is the work of a funny, optimistic woman who took great joy in her work and in her life itself. The quality of her prose was excellent; she was both persuasive and charming. This book should appeal to those interested in disability rights, civil rights, and in social justice.

The chapters in this book are arranged chronologically, but each is a discrete story. The episodes varied enough so that I was never bored: Ms. Johnson protested telethons, resisted a search of her dorm by the Secret Service, ran for office, served as a delegate at the Democratic National Convention, visited Cuba for an international conference on people with disabilities, argued in a jury trial, and more.

Her views on disability as a civil rights issue aren't presented in a didactic way; they become clear to the reader as she confronts her opponents. I liked being privy to the details of her experience, even though she presents herself as nearly always right. While I read I was thinking that she came off as SO sure of herself that I would find her overbearing and a little obnoxious in person. However, she acknowledges the thorniness, and clearly isn't out to be the reader's best friend.

Other than that note, I felt myself in good hands. I have a better understanding of what it's like to need and live with a personal assistant. I was familiar with the basics of disability rights, but the book got into nuances I hadn't considered-- the pressures and trade-offs in Cuba, where genuine intentions for equality butt up against severe economic limits, for example. And it reinforced ideas that non-disabled people glide over: most of us will be disabled sometime. Disabled people aren't necessarily more "terminal" or "suffering" than the rest of us, because frankly everyone suffers and dies. And if that sounds depressing, don't worry: some of the stories in this book were so funny I had to read bits out loud to my spouse.

This is a four- instead of a five-star review because I didn't feel I quite got a fair view of the author's opponents; it was just a little too one-sided, although that enhanced some of the humor. But the book was still well-written and fascinating. Definitely worth reading.

As a child, Harriet McBryde Johnson never thought she would live a long life. At least that is what the telethons on television kept saying. However, she has. Yet, this is not a "triumph over disability" story. It is a story of a woman who is living her life fully. From a law student schooling the University of South Carolina on the subject of civil liberties to experiencing a disability-themed conference in Cuba, the reader is taken on a journey in which he or she just might view disability in a different way by the end of the book.

This book was really powerful for me. I was born with Cerebral Palsy. However, it has not been until the last couple of years that I started feeling comfortable with myself as a person with a disability. I read this book as part of a class I took this semester and I'm very glad I did. Stories like these remind me that disability is not a negative and that we are worthy of full, rich lives.

While I disagree with a fundamental premise argued in the book, I do recommend it for many reasons. First of all, the author can write! She has filled the book with interesting and unusual experiences, described them with wit as well as passion, and she challenges people like me on some basic assumptions and conclusions. I do hope readers of this book will follow up with Peter Singer's Writings on an Ethical Life (referred to in Harriet Johnson's book) in order to hear Singer's opinions in his own words.

This new book by Harriet McBryde Johnson, a civil rights attorney in Charleston, SC and disability activist, is a must read! Her book, Too Late to Die Young, provides insight into aspects of her life and career, but the author states upfront that "This book doesn't have a tidy message." Ms. Johnson is a gifted writer with a provocatively tilted perspective that is worth hearing. She accurately describes herself as a story teller in the great tradition of southern story tellers. I knew her stories were worth reading when, early on in the book, in describing a German doctor's bedside overnight care, she wrote "Now I remember how he kept vigil at my bedside so my parents could sleep and then fell sleep himself. As I listened to his deep, barrel-chested rumble, I imagined he was snoring in German." Later in the book, Harriet, after having noted that her normal viewpoint of most people is at crotch level (due to her posture), described her first impression of someone she met: "It's love at first sight - at my first sight of his shoes." Wonderful!

This easy to read book (a mere 258 pages) includes the bulk of the text of Unspeakable Conversations, a 2003 New York Times Magazine article she wrote that described her conversations with Princeton Professor Peter Singer about his beliefs that the severely disabled, in some circumstances, can justifiably be killed. Interestingly, she is conflicted about the accommodating and courteous man versus his "evil" ideas. She acknowledges that she stands outside the radical mainstream simply for having engaged Mr. Singer in a conversation. Sundry other topics this self-described "crip" covers are her personal crusade against telethons, her atheism, her battles with the Secret Service, caustically amusing anecdotes from the 1996 Democratic Convention in Chicago, a trip to Cuba, and battles with a New York Times photographer who wants to shoot her nude ("nekkid" in her parlance) and does -- but not for publication, and many more amusing and unsettling stories.

If you want to read a sweet story about a courageous and noble fight against disability that profiles an individual who overcomes great obstacles to achieve self-fulfillment, this IT NOT the book to read. Johnson`s book isn't about her disability (adamantly so)...but the fact that she is disabled inescapably colors her stories in powerful ways. You won't necessarily fall in love with Harriet, her politics, or all of her causes, but I think you will love her passion for what she believes, what she does, who she is, and why she does what she does. Ms. McBryde is a new and profound voice (at least to me) that is worth listening to.

I remember that day in the library when I spotted this book. I had read the front cover and thought I might have interest in it. When I finally had read it, it was Extraordinary! The book can make you cry and laugh. I think a novel should have both these characteristics. I can read this book over and over again and I have the same emotion when I first read it. One person in my camp asked me what I was laughing at and I quote my exact words, "This book. I am reading this one part over and over again, and still I'm laughing." He said, "That's ridiculous! How can you keep laughing at the same thing?" I guess he had no idea. Well, it's not exactly his fault, he hadn't read the book. I'm not looking forward to returning this book because I think that I can read it over and over again especially when it's on the top of my bookshelf.

By: Cheri W.

I haven't come across a book that I couldn't let go until I finished it.

That last one was Harry Potter The Sorcerer's Stone many years ago.

True Blue is worth reading. I highly recommend it!

True Blue is a very emotional book. It was written by Jeffrey Lee. Molly is the new girl at school. Two girls are mean to her. Especially a boy named J.T who makes fun of Molly and her dad.

Right before this book began, in the prologue Molly and her dad were in an accident. That changed her dad's life forever. Now he has trouble eating and speaking. Molly meets a boy named Chrys. But she thinks he is very weird. When Molly saw Chys's secret, she stares in awe. But when she does see him she is on the roof and she fell off. Luckily Chrys saves her.
I loved how Molly found out about Chrys's butterfly wings. I also enjoy how Molly and Chrys became friends. I thought this book was very emotional how Molly had to take care of her Dad's injury from the accident. I dislike how Courtney and Vanessa were mean to Molly. I also dislike that J.T makes fun of Molly's dad and Chrys.


There were many main events in this book. Here are a few. One is that Molly and her dad were in an accident. Also when Molly and Chrys were in a science competition and right before they go on their presentation is ruined.


I thought this book was very outstanding. I enjoyed it a lot. I would recommend it to anyone who like reading realistic fiction books and sad ones too. Will Molly and Chrys win the science competition? If you want to find out read True Blue!

I'm going to tell you about the book True Blue. The author is Jeffrey Lee. The main
characters in the story are Chrys, Molly, Molly`s parents, and Chrys's parents. Chrys and Molly both have secrets. This story takes place at Molly's new school which is Chrys's regular school. It also takes place at Molly's house and Chrys's house.

True Blue is about Molly's life, meeting new friends, and sharing secrets. Molly's dad has been in an accident. He is now in a wheelchair. Molly soon feels guilty because she thinks she caused the accident. At her new school, she meets a boy named Chrys. They are similar and alike in ways. They eventually become best friends. At first they were both lonely. Now they have each other. They share secrets, but Molly still cares about her dad. Her mom does too.

I loved this book. I thought that it was interesting because I could not put it down. True Blue is one of my favorite books because it left a cliff hanger at the end of every chapter, and I like fiction books. The author of this book made me feel like I was in it. I wanted to keep reading on and on because I wanted to find out what happened next. I would definitely recommend this book. I would recommend this book to kids who are in 4th and 5th grade. This book is the best. If you want to find out what happens next in the story, you should read it. You'll love it. Girls and boys will like it.

Jeffrey Lee's True Blue tells of two outsiders: Molly the new kid, Chrys the weird kid. The two form a bond because of a science competition, only to find other links which go beyond coincidence in this story of friendship.

There are many great resources directed at families and now, more than ever, there are many choices for those on the spectrum. In this book, we have a bit of both-- this resource is appropriate for many different audiences and allows the reader to learn from many who are connected to life with autism. This is an excellent choice for "introducing" someone to autism but also for those who are well versed but want to expand their understanding.

In this book I was so pleased to read about other people being married to a person with autism. They talk about how the spouse with autism did many things that they didn't understand but they still stayed in the marriage and I feel that is because being married to a person with autism is being married to a very unique and caring person.I have survived 49 years of life with autism.In this book I read so much that was similar to my own life. I highly praise the people who have helped and got so deeply involved with the children with autism. I unfortunately never had that kind of help when I was a child. All the stories in this book should be read by anyone who wants to understand the beauty of autism.

We have climbed that mountain and seen the valley...from up high, you get a wonderful panoramic view. I want everybody to join us on this mountain and lift up your voices and shout about autism!

Shout about the challenges of having autism; living with someone who has it or about the reaction that those uninformed about autism express. Shout out a celebration of having autism as well because people with autism make life much more interesting. Shout about the injustices towards those with autism and stupid prejudices about autism such as that tired "R*** M***" (which is a slur in the autism world) cliche. Shout out about what autism means to you personally. Do an autism dance if you need to. Add your voice and be heard!

This is an excellent book. Relatives of people with autism as well as professionals get to add their voices to the chorus about autism and its affect on people at large. Readers get treated to the personal insights of those who contributed to this wonderful book.

This is a book that I feel everybody will benefit from and come away with a larger store of tolerance and acceptance of autism. I like the wide range of voices and experiences that are heard and shared in this book. That makes for a richer chorus. As for adults with Asperger's, make this book a new friend and join in the Mountain Top Chorus!

Reading Voices from the Spectrum was like talking with friends who knew and loved my son. The Autism spectrum is so varied, but the majority of entries had something I could relate to. While reading I started taking notes, I found new ways to explain my sons' needs, in IEP meetings as well as to friends and relatives. I highlighted supports to implement and ideas for his future. From sibling entries I gained an added appreciation for how my other children might be feeling.

There are many books on the Autism Spectrum with valuable facts and research information, but this is the only one I've found written by people who actually live the facts and research.

In my work as the Editor of a large, international newsletter for parents of individuals on the autism spectrum, I read about 6 books each month on individuals with ASD, their families, new therapies and research. This book is absolutely superb. Dr. Naseef's essay as a parent is one of the most porfound, realistic and positive I've read in my 24 years of service to the autism community and in my 34 years as the parent of a woman with autism. The variety of essays and perspectives sets this book apart from all others.
Susan J. Moreno, M.A.
President, MAAP Services for Autism and Asperger Syndrome
Editor, The MAAP newsletter

My nephew was diagnosed with autism and although Joe is different then most 3 yr. olds his older brother Nick always his greatest ally. It is nice to have a book that talks about how this little girl views her autistic brother and it is refreshing how she views Evans quirks! My nephew also loves popsicles!! I defiantly recommend to anyone with an Autistic family member who has a sibling!

We have a 5 year old with Autism, and his 4 year old sister is already asking questions about some of his behavior. This book has been a nice way to start to talk about how and why her brother is different.

It is simple in its language, and the approach is a great one of acceptance. The author loves her brother, and he is a great brother, he just happens to have Autism. It does not define him, any more than any one trait defines you or I, it is just part of who he is.

Highly recommended for those with siblings dealing with Autism.

This is one of the best books I have ever read by, for and about a sibling who has autism. Sarah, the young author of this book draws a rich portrait of her day-to-day life with her brother, Evan. She provided all the illustrations for the book and her family is a rich portrait of love and acceptance. The bright colors Sarah uses suggests hope and understanding. I like the way she explains and understands Evan's behavior; she knows he likes to chew on frozen foods and uncooked pasta because he likes the crunchy consistency. She understands Evan's way of communicating; e.g. she identifies the sounds Evan makes in response to certain circumstances, such has his happy humming when he is in water.

I loved the way Sarah used technical terms she learned from Evan's team intervention specialists. When she uses them, she says quite matter-of-factly, "All I know is we have fun." I like the way she interacts with Evan and accepts and loves him unconditionally. All of the things they do together and all of the socialization she unwittingly teaches him through natural example, she is doing it for love and because it's just plain fun. Get this with SUNDAYS WITH MATTHEW.

what a wonderful book! my daughter is the big sister of a brother with autism and this book helped her to see that she isn't alone. AND it insired her to write a book of her own about her brother.

We bought this book for our 6 year old, who is an older brother to our 4 year old autistic son. He loves reading it again and again because it so well describes his own brother. The sibling perspective is charming - and one that many adult authors simply fail to capture. A beautiful book.

Valuable insights into the world of the disabled from many angles by a respected professor with progressive spinal cord disease. Highly recommended to persons with disabilities and to the general public who often encounter them.

As a graduate student in anthropology, I came to know and respect Bob Murphy more than any other scholar. Of the texts he wrote, The Body Silent, stands apart in that it says much about the man, anthropology, disability in American society, and life itself. It will deeply touch a wide variety of readers, and for those that knew him, will bring tears to their eyes. As to its impact on what is now known as disability studies, it put the discipline on the academic agenda. As such, it is a seminal text and is a must for anyone thinking of entering the field.

This is one of my books that I bought and put aside to read later. I don't remember how long ago I bought it but I am certainly glad that I gave it a second chance to read it before discarding it. I am now not planning to sell this book, as it is too important a volume on disability in society, and it certainly applies to the bioethical and eduethical work I do on the side of my 'regular' job of teaching and writing.

Murphy is unlike me in that he came upon his disability later in life, while I was born basically deaf and remained that way for the first 13 years of my life before getting a hearing aid at the age of 13. Murphy had to deal with a slow-growing tumor that entwined itself into his spinal cord. Unlike many tumors that can be excised with surgery, his was such that the possibility of removing it also came with the possibility of losing everything else, including his life or the ability to continue to do his important work. Like many of us who have chosen not to take the risk of surgery and who don't believe that to be disabled is worse than to be dead, Murphy worked with and around his progressive disabling and was able to give the world another 15 years of his wisdom in cultural anthropology.

This book is a must-read for any person with a disability, no matter when they became disabled. Murphy had the background of an academic anthropologist, with many years of successful teaching and writing for major journals in anthropology and culture. He had also written major books, one of which continues to be used in most universities on women and gender in primitive societies. So in coming into the genre of disability studies, he brought to the field a first-rate mind and ability to write so others can understand difficult concepts.

Murphy's book is not the usual autobiography that one usually expects, but rather explores disability (specifically his, but he introduces others and also the culture) without a single shard of either self-pity or 'hey, look at me' attitude that is so often written about in media (where the media puts someone with a disability on a pedestal that is unrealistic of the very real problems that those of us with disabilities face daily). He writes presenting his disablement as a fait-accompli, dealing with the problems as they arose...and in some cases, he ignored his health situation to the point of putting him at risk for infection from bedsores because he was too busy teaching. Like Murphy states, that wasn't courage as often as it was just not wanting to take the time to have his physical body get in the way of what he was trying to do. In treating his disablement with this attitude, he did become the courageous person that he presented to the public...and I wish so badly I had had the opportunity to meet him and hear him speak. Like so many others such as Michael Fox and Christopher REeve, Murphy was a non-disabled person whose close encounters with his own disablement led him to become a voice in a minority that has long been voiceless. He died much too soon, but in giving his last fifteen years of work to physical disabilities in society, he has provided us with an ongoing voice. I certainly intend to use his words and his writing in my work in hopes that it will inspire others as it has inspired me.

Karen Sadler

Bob became paraplegiac at a late age, after having enjoyed a long, brilliant career as a professor at Columbia and an anthropologist who, with his anthropologist wife Yolanda, lived among Amazonian Indians and Saharan camel nomads. He was too clever to be overwhelmed with self-pity. This book was written from the perspective that he loved most: what you'd think is true is probably just the opposite. We expect paralyzed people to get better, like other "sick" patients, but the problem is, they don't: they're damaged selves. Hey--just like everybody else. We all have to come to terms with life's damages and our isolation and loneliness as we attempt to cope with it. Who would ever have thought it possible--we can all learn something compelling about our normal selves, viewing life from the wheelchair! Ironically (and this is the kind of twist that styles Murphy's ideas) the disabled are a mirror for the rest of us: "The paralytic is, quite literally, a prisoner of the flesh, but most humans are convicts of sorts. We live within walls of our own making, staring out at life through bars thrown up by culture and annealed by our fears. . . .[that] induces a mental paralysis, a stilling of thought." Murphy has never sold his soul to an illusion: he speaks candidly as a participant observer of his own encounter with symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and transformation. Always the fox, he transcends the smoke screen that our cultural prejudices force upon us, and hears his own body and its message with astounding clarity and patience. This is a book that students read eagerly, in both anthropology and sociology classes, because its message is provocative, and its ethnography is true. It teaches us all to listen to the sound of our own struggles with personal identity and mortality, and to smile with the knowledge that we are not alone.

Ten years ago since the American Disabilities Act went into effect, the disabled still feel that they are isolated from the real world. Former professor of anthropology at Columbia University Robert F. Murphy examines from his personal perspective the life of a disabled person in a world where he was independent and zealous of life. The reader will discover what it is like for a disabled person to battle besides the inability to carry out everyday function we take for granted. The Body Silent is unlike other books written by the disable. The Body Silent is an excellent book full of prose and not journal entries of how fortunate the non-disabled really are. This book (recommended to me by anthropologist Dr. James Trostle) will change your perspective and outlook on how it is like to grow up again and learning how to walk, one step at a time.