Showing titles in People with Disabilities

Twisted Rage is a compilation of thoughts coming from the mind of a man who lives with schizophrenia. It exhibits confusion between good and evil, right and wrong, and all other extremes. The confusion brings the listener down a path of empathy for the writer, sympathy for the writer, hope for the writer, and ultimately love for the writer.

In the mid-1970s, brothers Buddy and Jimmy Miley were close, both on the verge of impressive athletic careers. A promising high school quarterback, Buddy's potential was cut short by an injury that left him quadriplegic. Immobile and imprisoned in his body for decades, Buddy would watch life pass by from his wheelchair, living at home under his mother's and brother's care and wondering what his life could have been.

Unexpected Joy is a book about an inspirational young man who makes friends everywhere he goes. He is not like everyone else. He has special needs. He has taken his father and others on a journey they did not choose. His father learned to embrace the journey over many years. This is a story of struggle, depression, deliverance, redemption, acceptance, and eventually joy wrapped in an adventure of a lifetime of challenges.

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.

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.

A late bloomer’s coming-of-age memoir asks how does one accept and free themselves from visible and invisible disabilities and still retain their sense of connection and humor? Nothing Special is a disarmingly candid tale of two sisters growing up in the 1970s in rural Connecticut. Older sister Chris, who has Down syndrome, is an extrovert, while the author, her younger, typically developing sister, shoulders the burdens and grief of her parents.

Buzz Bissinger’s twins were born three minutes—and a world—apart. Gerry, the older one, is a graduate student at Penn, preparing to become a teacher. His brother Zach has spent his life attending special schools. He’ll never drive a car, or kiss a girl, or live by himself. He is a savant, challenged by serious intellectual deficits but also blessed with rare talents: an astonishing memory, a dazzling knack for navigation, and a reflexive honesty that can make him both socially awkward and surprisingly wise.

Defiant chronicles the remarkable life of Janine Shepherd, an elite ski racer whose bid to represent Australia in the Olympics was cut short by a tragic accident. She recalls the 10 days she hovered between life and death, faced with the difficult choice to let go or return to a body that would never be whole again. Defiant offers hope and encouragement for anyone facing a life challenge, sharing the author's hard-won wisdom and priceless advice for navigating one's way from loss to healing.

Unblinded is the true story of New Yorker Kevin Coughlin, who became blind at age 36 due to a rare genetic disorder known as Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy. Twenty years later, without medical intervention, Kevin's sight miraculously started to return. He is the only known person in the world who has experienced a spontaneous, non-medically assisted regeneration of the optic nerve. Unblinded follows Kevin's descent into darkness and his unexplained reemergence to sight.

At 35, the same age as his mother when she had her accident, Mitch began experiencing symptoms of primary progressive multiple sclerosis, a particularly disabling form of MS, and his physical challenges grew to resemble his mother’s. In the ensuing years, he muddled through the ethical swampland of clinical trials, navigated the minefield of experimental treatments, and became a popular blogger and disability advocate. Equal parts entertaining and inspiring, Enjoying the Ride tells an extraordinary mother and son story.

Fred Rutman was certainly up against it. It being the Grim Reaper. The Reaper unleashed its full arsenal, pitting Fred against much of the medical system he trusted with his life. Even if Fred won the initial battles, could he win the war? The Summer I Died Twenty Times is a medical trauma memoir unlike any other. In one package, Fred Rutman provides all the overcoming adversity, resilience and beating the odds a listener expects. With a side of sarcasm and humor. He may not be the hero you expected. He just might be the hero you need.

Genius or Lunatic goes deeper into the mind of a paranoid schizophrenic. There is so much confusion in there. So much contradiction. So much religiosity. And there is much desire to know, understand, and find the truth. Along the ride you will find yourself saying, "But in this poem didn't he just say this"? It will bring out emotions that you won't expect. This brings you into his pain and lets you experience it firsthand.

In this moving memoir, Joy Clausen Soto vividly brings us into her world. We see her go from her dream job to fighting for her life, and how she is able to come back from it all. You can't avoid falling in love with her quirks, indomitable spirit, and wry sense of humor. Soto takes listeners on a compelling journey as she faces cancer and the challenges she encounters while re-entering "normal" life.

Kimberly Crowe was back for the second year in a row with a world-renowned event in honor of International Women’s Day. International Women’s Day (IWD) 2022 celebrates the tremendous efforts of women and girls around the world in shaping the future. This summit was an epic, fun, connecting, and delightful one-day virtual event in celebration of International Women’s Day, March 8, 2022. Our speakers are an amazing array of women bringing their brilliance to serve the greater good and contribute their zone of genius to the world.

Uncommon Vision by Matt Hendrick is a deeply moving memoir that captures the essence of human resilience. After a devastating accident leaves him paralyzed, Matt embarks on a life-changing journey that challenges both his physical limits and his perceptions of the world. From the depths of despair in a hospital bed to his adventures in the digital and supernatural realms, Matt's story is a riveting exploration of recovery, self-discovery, and the relentless pursuit of one's dreams despite the odds.

I am continuing with a genre of poetry that I created that I call schizoetry. It is a literary work fusing poetry with the thoughts, feelings, and perceptions of one who lives with a schizophrenic or schizoaffective disorder. I have been writing poetry since the age of 10. My poems go deep into my mind, emotions, and my spirit. They are very revealing to say the least. I wish to reach those living with this illness.

Rachael Kurgan is a young woman who has already experienced a lifetime's worth of trials and tribulations. From grappling with a disability from birth to the heartbreaking loss of both parents, she has already absorbed some of the most difficult blows that life can throw at a person. But through her faith in God, perseverance, and the support of friends and family, she has not only overcome all of these difficulties, but established a happy and thriving life.

Everyone always ask me what it is like being autistic. The reality is, being autistic is unique to each person. In this audiobook, I explain an aspect of my autism called "escaping into imagination" and how I use it to create a make-believe world to accelerate how amazing my autism is. It has often been said that people with autism struggle with pretend-play. I feel this is a misunderstanding. Just because we do not pretend play like other kids does not mean we do not have imaginations or use them to pretend in our own world.

While studying as a biology undergrad at UC Santa Cruz, Ian Mackay crashed his bike into a tree on campus. Paralyzed from the shoulders down, Mackay adapted to his new life with the help of his dedicated family, particularly his mother, Teena Woodward, and a group of quirky friends. After years of despair, and against all odds, he became an inspiring leader, an innovator with Apple, and a world-record-breaking athlete.

You are more than your limits. Choosing to see herself as more than a person with a disability and wheelchair user, Lolo chooses to live a bold and courageous life now because representation matters. She created this intersectional guide to provide tools for people with disabilities to thrive in personal growth, independence, and community building. Add this guide to your list of inclusion books!