5 comments about Too Late to Die Young: Nearly True Tales from a Life.

1. This has been a good year for disability rights in terms of publications. First, Mary Johnson published Make Them Go Away and now we have Harriet McByde Johnson's much anticipated Too Late to Die Young. Read together these texts provide a powerful one two punch for the disability rights movement in an era which has seen the courts gut the Americans with Disability Act. Both authors have been champions and leaders of the disability rights movement and each are gifted writers.
   
   Harriet McBryde Johnson is a gifted story teller--although I wanted to savor the text and make it last I was too spoiled to do so. I read the book cover to cover the day I received it. Now, I am going back to re-read each and every chapter. Each story told resonates at some level regardless of the subject matter. What truly struck me the most was that my life is not so different, that I am not so unsual, and that the bigotry and discrimination I encounter on a daily basis is no different from what other disabled people face. I am not the only one that is subjected to unwanted attention and grossly inappropriate comments. I am not the only one that found Christopher Reeve comments about disability offensive. I am not the only one who is treated poorly when I travel on an airline. In short, discrimination against the disabled is rampant and it is heartening to know others are experiencing and fighting against this. To know that I have two gifted authors on the side of equal rights lets me not only feel better about myself a feel less alone but know the future, in spite of the courts, will be better than the past.



2. 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.



3. 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.



4. 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.



5. 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.

5 comments about How Can I Talk If My Lips Don't Move: Inside My Autistic Mind.

1. This book was one of the best books I have read about autism. I feel like I understand my son (with autism) so much more than I did before. The author was excellent at helping us understand how he perceives the world. It is amazing to me how much people with autism are misunderstood. This book makes it clear that autism is not a disability of the mind but rather an alternate way of perceiving the world around us. This book is a must read!



2. An inspirational and poetic story that gives a unique window into the perceptions and experiences of a non-verbal autistic boy from a very young age through young adulthood. Also, this book tells a wonderful story of Tito's mother Soma, who along with Tito, gave up their family, culture and daily comforts in search of a way to allow Tito to communicate and share his world. This search led to a lifetime of work and sacrifice which has resulted in Tito being able to share his life with us through this book. Tito wonderfully describes the misconception of autism as a "disease" rather than a "disability", and the perhaps misplaced need for families, and indeed society, to find a "cure" for autism rather than focusing on maximizing the true (and often hidden) potential of autistic persons through meaningful education, support, dignity and respect. This story is a rare, first person account of Tito's growing up with autism and being able to perceive and understand the world around him, while at the same time being unable to communicate his experiences until learning to write. Tito sums up his story with, ". . . I feel blessed for being what I am." We are blessed and privileged to share his story.



3. This is a front row seat on a journey through the mind of a phenomenal young man ! Tito articulately and artistically addresses some of the most common misconceptions about Autism ! Many things this author wrote about from his own experiences I found similar to my own son who is autistic. Tito offers his readers a unique outlook on autism . One that the rest of the world needs to take a good long look at!



4. It was an awesome book! I loved his earlier book "The mind tree" and this book is just as good. Tito's early and vivid memories of his childhood at such a young age is truly amazing!
   
   His poetic and visual writings allow me to see things from his point of view and opens a window into the world of autism through his eyes.
   
   His book is truly a voice and a wake up call to all those who don't believe in the hidden intelligence that the mayority of people with autism possess. It's really a matter of opening our eyes and forcing us as society to look beyond the physical, what we see on the outside. The famous old saying "don't judge a book by it's cover" truly applies to autism.
   
   Thank you Tito for continuing to teach us to look beyond the superficial and into the soul of the person. You are so blessed to have had Soma in your live and we are so Blessed to have her in our kid's life. Thank you for sharing her with the world! She truly is amazing as you are.
   
   Ivonne Fernandez (CA)



5. This book sheds such light on autism and people with autism. They are not autistic first. They are people first with autism. Reading his words were so eye opening is helping to discover what goes on in an autistic person's mind. The capabilities are endless. There is so much hope. Their mind is wired differently than a so called "normal" person...whatever that means. Easy to understand now why the medical profession believes Albert Einstein was a high functioning person with autism. The focus, the introversion, the dislike of change, having like clothes to wear on a daily basis. Just a few of the examples given. Great seller as well. Fast shipping!

5 comments about The Soul of Sponsorship: The Friendship of Fr. Ed Dowling, S.J. and Bill Wilson in Letters.

1. This story has its roots in the friendship of two remarkable men of different backgrounds and experiences. Although, both men thirsted for the 'Direction of God's will' in their lives, they approached it from vastly different experiences. Whether you come to these pages from A.A. or the contemplative prayer of Ignatiun spirituality, this is a must read. We are shown how ones weakness and sortcomings can become overcome and transended by following a 'few simple rules'. the openess of their letters is evidence of the trust and love these two men shared with each other.
   I do think that a personal understanding of the Tweleve Steps and Twelve Traditions of A.A., as well as the exercises of St. Ignatius would allow a better grasp of this spiritual journey, but is in no way necessary to appreciate the remarkable transformation that these two men achieved with and through each other's friendship and guidance. Much can be absorbed by reviewing these letters and the simple set up that 'Fr. Bob' gives their communications in his explanatory prose. This book allows a hightened understanding of the foundations of A.A. and the rewards of a life based in 'Love and Service', as well as the true nature of discernment.



2. I read Fitzgerald's book while I was on a 30 day Ignatian retreat, journeying on the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius Loyola. I have been in the A.A. program for almost a year and somewhere along the line came to sense a connection between the spiritual program of A.A. and some of the roots of my own Catholic tradition. Just as, at 54 years of age, I found myself "ready" for the 30 day retreat, so did I find myself in January of this year "ready" for the gift of the 12 Steps for me. Like the protagonist in Francis Thompson's Hound of Heaven, God and the peace of sobriety FOUND ME. I knew that I had to understand more about how the 12 Step spirituality was in sync with my Catholic faith. This book on the correspondence and long friendship of Fr. Dowling and Bill W. gave me tremendous insight, knowledge and inspiration to help make my own 12 Step Walk one that resonates and deepens my own Catholic Christian journey. It is worth the read!!!



3. I found this book to be of interest in my addiction. It shows that the incurable can be greatly helped in restoring the alcoholic(addict) in returning to a productive life among his fellow man by following a spiritual path.



4. It is always fascinating to learn about the beginnings of the 12 step movement. From this book it is clear that Bill W. utilized the Ignatian discernment criteria for writing the Twelve and Twelve with the support and guidance provided by Fr. Ed Dowling at Bill's request. Learning that very early on Fr Dowling considered food addiction an issue was a help. The book is well-researched and provides important insights into recovery, sponsorship, and the frienship between these men. It is clear that Fr. Dowling had a profound influence on the movement and gave it practical as well as spiritual support. I can't help feeling grateful.



5. This small book packs a powerful punch not only in it's historical value but in it's messages of discernment, humility, and thoughtful soul-searching. Following the relationship of a Jesuit priest who was having his own spiritual doubts with that of a former stockbroker who helped to found Alcoholics Anonymous, one is drawn into the very human quest not only for friendship and acceptance from another human being but the added bonus of a profound insight in one's psyche of a Higher Power .

5 comments about There's a Boy in Here.

1. Having reading essentially all memoirs of mothers with kids of the spectrum, I have to say this is the one that really "tells it like it is." Judy Barron pulls no punches on the difficulties of managing her son. Sean, her adult son, provides wonderful insight into what his often maddening behavior meant. Mother and son find tremendous respect for each other's strengths and weaknesses. Truly an inspiring book.



2. I absolutely LOVE this book!!! This is a very personable book that draws you into the Barron story as they share their family struggles and successes, hardships and joys. I love that Judy tells how she interpreted her son's behavior and how that is contrasted by Sean explaining what he was really thinking in his mind. The differences of thought show the confusion that easily happens between parent and child. Of course, each child is different but this does give excellent examples of the complexity of each personality within the autism spectrum. It is extremely important to communicate and try to understand what your child is thinking so that you can help him. It is equally important to be consistent to work through each issue. I love the honesty of Judy's frustration in the circumstance. And I love that Sean trusted his mom enough to share his life with the world. This book also proves the closeness between parent and child, even when their life is in upheaval. I have a nice collection of books on Autism, Fragile X Syndrome, OCD, OD, Asperger's, temperament problems, anger, and other such helps which were written by world-renown doctors and others but this simple book is, by far, the book I most relate to. Did I say that I love this book? It was the only book to give me hope. Whenever I felt I was going to give up, I'd think of this story. I credit this book for my son doing so well and being nearly normal so that people can't tell he is within the autistic/asperger's realm. :-)



3. This book is a must read for parents or relatives of Autistic children. I now understand why my 5 year old son does some of the things he does - it makes him feel good, and he does not understand why mom & dad say no. Sean tells you what went through his mind. Read this book, it will help you understand. Pray for a cure......



4. I read this book when my son was diagnosed with autism. The concept looked interesting and what I read opened up the world of autism to me. Sean gave me the idea that I had to get into my son's world and not make him come to mine! And 4 years later, my son is a very high functioning autistic child - it wouldn't have been possible without what I learned from this book!



5. I found this book very helpful. I could really relate to Judy's situation and saw many facets of my son's behavior in that of Sean's. It helped me to see that I am not the only one facing this same situation. Maybe my son will mature out of a lot of this too.

3 comments about The World I Live In (New York Review Books Classics).

1. What beautiful writing! It's pointed out in the intro that, more than most of us, her world was shaped with WORDS. I've only read about four essays so far, and am profoundly touched. I've always admired Helen Keller, but am newly re-impressed with her wisdom and vision, and touched that she can write so clearly as to make me feel how little she felt limited by her handicap. If Helen Keller had simply learned to behave and ask politely for her food, etc, it would have been an impressive accomplishment. The fact that she grew to fully embrace her intelligence, her world and her potential . . . wow. I know so many people who are content to just do the bare minimum, to not stretch their limits at all, to not show any intellectual curiosity . . . she had the perfect excuse to exert the least effort, yet she didn't. Once she was given the key, the entree to humanity, she didn't let her handicaps stop her. I love that even all these years later, she is still able to share that.



2. She tries to help you understand the reality of her life. It is much more than you can imagine.



3. I received the book promptly. The material was in new condition without any flaws. I was very pleased. Thank you!

5 comments about The Day the Voices Stopped: A Schizophrenic's Journey from Madness to Hope.

1. I chose to read this book as part of a group project at school. I was slightly apprehensive about the choice at first, but I finally decided to go for it and I'm glad that I did. "The Day The Voices Stopped: A Memoir of Madness and Hope" is the life of Ken Steele, told through his own words, about his struggles with schizophrenia. It details his journey from place to place, hospital to hospital and along the very edge of suicide. It describes the abuses he suffers in mental wards and how people took advantage of his position. It also describes his recovery and his life afterwards as a mental health advocate.
   The book begins with the day the voices came to Ken. "The voices arrived without warning on an October night in 1962, when I was fourteen years old. Kill yourself.... set yourself afire, they said." I found this a very gripping way to begin his story. We get to see what happened from day one and what things the voices say to him from the start. I think that, by letting us in on all 32 years of his struggle, he lets us into a new way of thinking about mental illness.
   I thought that the book and its content would disturb me, but it didn't disturb me at all. The only thing it did was make me think and question my own views on the issue, which I find to be a great quality in a book. The book is slightly depressing, but Steele does offer the reader rays of hope throughout the text to keep it from being one large pit of spirit lowering material.
   The book helped me to develop my position involving the care and treatment of those with mental illness and helped me to understand mental illness better. He takes his current feelings out of the picture (most of the time) so that we focus on the moment and what he was going through at the time he's telling about and can understand the hardship mental illness brings to those who suffer from it and their families. I think that everyone should read this book, whether they have a direct connection with mentally ill patients or not, for this reason. "The Day the Voices Stopped" is a very eye opening book and lets us into the minds of the mentally ill so that we can have a better understanding of them. There is, however, some very adult content within the text so the book is not appropriate for children, and parents should also be there to discuss it if their teenager is reading this book. As a teenager, I felt that it was important to be exposed to this so that I don't form the wrong conclusions about the mentally ill and their care, and my parents agreed with me.
   This is definitely a book that I would buy, if not for the educational value of it, but for the story itself. Ken's fight for sanity and his miraculous recovery thanks to a new line of anti-psychotics, and his later fight for rights for the mentally ill is an amazing story. I was constantly wondering where he would go, what he would have to deal with, and what the voices were going to tell him to do next. In exposing his story and sending out his voice, he has become a real hero for many people who have been silent for too long.



2. I chose to read `The Day The Voices Stopped: A Memoir of Madness of Hope' by Ken Steele and Claire Berman because I was interested in reading a book on the subject of mental illness. `The Day The Voices Stopped' is about Ken Steele's battle with schizophrenia; along with all the work he's done to better the care and treatment of mental health consumers. Before I read the book, I thought that the book would depress me, and that I would want to stop reading when some of the really bad parts came. But as I read, I got pulled into Ken's life. The bad parts still depressed me, but I kept on reading, desperately wanting to see Ken's happy ending. The book starts with the sudden arrival of Ken's voices; Voices that are constantly harassing and abusing him. Ken jumps from place to place, institution to institution, experiencing tragedy and joy. There are moments in the book when everything in Ken's life seems absolutely dismal, which makes his recovery and triumph over his illness all the more inspiring. The book doesn't stop on the day that Ken's voices stopped; it goes on to chronicle his advocacy for the rights of mental patients, and his struggle without the voices.
   
   I found `The Day The Voices Stopped' to be very enjoyable. Ken bears all, not sugar-coating anything in his struggles. It's a hard, truthful look into the life of someone with schizophrenia], and someone who has been constantly abused both by his voices and people around him. Ken's story is moving and inspirational. It makes one stop and look around at the world with new eyes. The story is written for Ken's point of view, sharing both his thoughts and what his voices said. He retells his story in a detached sort of view, distancing the view from his emotions he's feeling while looking back on his life.
   
   I highly recommended this book, but not to everyone. It is definitely not for younger kids, someone should be at least 15 if they are going to read this book. I highly recommend this book to anyone who knows someone with a mental illness and anyone who has a mental illness themselves. It really shows the thought process and emotions of someone with a mental illness, and helps us to relate to them better. I think it would be a good idea for a parent to read along with the book if their child is reading it, to help explain some things that the child might not understand.
   The book is not meant to depress someone. It is meant to give people a window into the mind of someone who is mentally ill, to help them better relate to them, to offer hope. It's meant to move people without mental illness, and to inspire those who do have a mental illness, telling them that they can find their way out of the confusing fog in their minds. In sharing his experiences, Ken has given a voice to those who have been silenced.



3. I recommend this book to all people who want to understand mental illness better or to anyone who just needs to be inspired. Ken Steele gives you such a gripping and vivid picture of his extremely difficult life as a mentally ill person, I felt like I was experiencing it with him. Never before have I been brought to tears from reading a book, nor have I ever felt so much hope that I can overcome adversity in my own life.



4. The book writtten in a simple style, is nonetheless extremely moving. It was very interesting to read how a schizophrenic views the world around him, and how we appear to him. An excellent read.



5. This book presents an incredibly honest insight into the experience of a paranoid schizophrenic. Ken Steele invites his readers into the most personal spaces of his mind and walks us through his life experiences. The book left me in tears. A must read for anyone who works as a mental health provider or seeks to understand what a friend or loved one is going through.

5 comments about Touch the Top of the World: A Blind Man's Journey to Climb Farther than the Eye Can See: My Story.

1. Erik spoke at the American Dental Assoc. conference in Denver where my husband got the
   chance to meet him. He autographed a copy of the book "To Gray, Reach!".
   
   I happened upon it while cleaning last week and was immediately intrigued. I
   used to rock climb but have not been actively involved in the sport for a
   couple years. Anyway, I have never written to any author before but was so
   impressed with Erik's gift of story telling that I had to write. He is one
   funny dude. I laughed out loud at his adventures and dialog with his
   climibing partners. It brought back fond memories of previous climbing trips
   and the fun times I shared with my climbing buddies. I will probably never
   climb any of the seven summits but was able to enjoy expericing these climbs
   through his words.
   
   I am an Occupational Therapist and meet people everyday in my work that
   exhibit self-limiting behavior that prevents them from living full,
   enriched, healthy lives. I am going to recommend Erik's book to encourage
   others to REACH! Thanks for a great book! What a refreshing way to look at
   life...



2. This was definately an interesting book, and it kept my interest. In the midst of so many mountaineering books that are often similar, this offers a substantially different perspective. Few of us would have the skill or determination to climb even one of the seven summits. The author, however, summits four...blind. That being said, I didn't particularly care for his writing style. It seemed fragmented and did not have a lot of continuity, at times I had to reread sections to determine what he was talking about. Also, as someone else mentioned, it would have been more impressive if he had waited until he completed all seven summits before he wrote the book. Most of all, I thought the repeated sexual references did nothing to enhance the story. Whether it was referring to the computer game they played at the camp for the blind, his exchanges with the various guides, or whatever, they were really unnecessary. Repeating middle and high school dirty phrases was not impressive either. If his intention was to inspire and impress us with his mountaineering feats, then those references did not help his cause.



3. I saw Erik speak last year and received a copy of this book. It sat on my bookshelf for a long time until I had a chance to read it! I loved hearing his stories when I saw him speak, but the book goes much further and provides a treasure trove of great anecdotes of how he has refused to sit back and be led through life. Erik's tales weave a tapestry of courageous and compassionate acts that are an inspiration to anyone who's ever climbed a mountain or reached for a goal "because it was there". I highly recommend it!



4. I was disappointed in this book. I love to read about Everest and those who climb it, but this book was dry and too much about the authors whole life and not much about his Everest adventure.



5. About eight months ago (from the time of writing this review) my wife lost her eyesight. Knowing about Erik Weihenmayer from a Travel Channel special that included a segment about his leading the Global Explorers annual trek to Machu Picchu, I actually wrote his website in the hopes of getting someone there to give me ideas about how to help my wife enjoy the outdoors again. Little did I know I'd be hearing from Mr. Weihenmayer himself. He was truly gracious and helpful, and both he and some other folks from his site and Global Explorers suggested I give this book a look.
   
   I purchased this along with Sabriye Tenberken's "My Path Leads to Tibet." What I was hoping for was not so much the usual "inspirational" stories that make soccer moms cry when Oprah tells them to read this book but the day-to-day details that would give me insights into what my wife was experiencing and what I could do to help. "Tibet" provided some details, but didn't really cover a lot about how a person deals with losing their eyesight or what they learn about to adapt.
   
   Mr. Weihenmayer's book, however, provides a LOT of details about how he felt as he lost his sight and some decent information about how he learned t adapt. In fact, I used several of the things he mentions in his book to help my wife start adjusting. For example, he describes how his mother would make him put away the groceries that he liked (fruit, cereal, cookies, etc.) so he knew exactly where they were. On our next grocery trip, I laid out all of the foods that were mostly hers, or that she used a lot, and let her put them away. Those of us that have family and friends that have lost their eyesight, there can be a line to walk between wanting to limit their challenges as they adapt and thrusting challenges upon them so that they CAN adapt. This book provides enough insight into some of the challenges that can be helpful that it can give the reader ideas about how to help their blind friends and/or family.
   
   Likewise, Mr. Weihenmayer describes his adjustment to losing his eyesight with a combination of humor and bluntness that people who have lost their eyesight can sympathize one moment and laugh the next. I tracked down a copy on tape for my wife, and we actually listened to it while driving back and forth from the school for the blind she will be attending to learn the adaptive skills and technologies needed to get back into her career. It helped provide her with the understanding that her feelings, frustration, anger, and such were normal - that she was not the only one that had had these thoughts or moments. We're so inundated with mental pablum from the Lifetime and Hallmark channels' made-for-TV-movies about such things that many think they're supposed to face loosing their eyesight with the quiet, southern-belleesque dignity of Scarlet O'Hara or some garbage. No. There's times you want to bawl your eyes out and yell, "This sucks!!!! Why me!!?!?!!?!?" And that's okay.
   
   Mr. Weihenmayer's book helps show that such moments are perfectly normal. But he also shows how people eventually move on and learn to reclaim their lives. It should be noted, however, that the American Foundation for the Blind's credo mentions in part that, while there are exceptional people like Mr. Weihenmayer, the accomplishments of "normal" blind people are no less extraordinary. You don't have to climb Mt. Everest to be exceptional or inspirational as a blind person. Simply reclaiming your life as a human being in a world that is still rather unfriendly to blind people (seriously... you're set for life if your 400lbs and need a scooter, but you're still pretty much on your own if your blind) is no less awe-inspiring than climbing a mountain.
   
   If you know someone that has gone blind, or if you yourself have gone blind, pick up this book. Honestly I found the day-to-day details more interesting and helpful than the latter one-third that focused mostly on his climbing. But, that's because the first half to two-thirds focused more on the stuff I was actually reading it for.

5 comments about The Body Silent: The Different World of the Disabled.

1. 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.



2. 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.



3. 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.



4. 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



5. 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.

3 comments about Amped: A Soldier's Race for Gold in the Shadow of War.

1. I read this book because my friend Bill Briggs is the co-author. He's the "with" in the byline. So, full disclosure. I read this book with wonder and amazement because it has a you-are-there feeling start to finish. Put your politics aside. Take a break from thinking about rising gas prices and put yourself in the moment with medic Kortney Clemons on tour in Baghdad. The opening sequence in this book is brutal. It's real. It's about a real human being with a distinct personality and interesting background doing "routine" things as part of the war in Iraq. Do your mental eyes glaze over at the phrase "roadside bomb?" That will never happen again. The scene is powerful, moving and told with compelling detail. It all seems to come down to the little things, the difference between life (Clemons) and death (three soldiers) just inches away. From battlefield to hospital and the decisions about how to manage with one leg, "Amped" is about a journey deep into the soul. Again, the detail is what makes this book, the honest self-analysis. Along the way, the history of the purple heart, the background on paralympics, and plenty of science about amputees and their future-world, high-tech artificial limbs. When Clemons confronts his demons, he is straightforward and unafraid to reveal his torment. Along the way, you will learn about prosthetics and the science and art of restoring a stride to a human being. Clemons was born with a powerful sense of self-determination and strong moral code. The bulk of "Amped" is about his quest for dignity and self-worth, through powerlifting and running. Clemons brings a mountain of pride to every challenge, but the most moving parts are when he opens up to friends and coaches for advice. Think you're having a rough day? Think the soldiers in Iraq are a bit faceless, think there aren't real people in Baghdad doing what their country asked of them? Read "Amped." Think about the difference between life and death, think about Clemons' challenge to return to the world he left and admire one powerful human spirit, facing every challenge and running in the moment. Highly recommended for all returning soldiers. Clemons shows the path to mental and physical well-being.



2. The Kortney Clemons story is one we all need to hear: What happens to the people we send over to Iraq who come home busted up? Clemons and his co-writer, Bill Briggs, prove that there is hope, but neither of them hold back in showing how much work is involved putting a life back together. With vivid detail and edge-of-your-seat style, they tell a story that is at once unique and universal. The human capacity to suffer, endure and overcome never ceases to amaze me, and for anyone who needs a reminder, "Amped" is a great read.



3. Received this item very quickly. Wonderful book! I met Kortney this weekend at a memorial motorcycle ride--what an amazing individual that has risen above! I look forward to reading the rest of the book!
   
   RIP Dave!

5 comments about Don't Leave Me This Way: Or When I Get Back on My Feet You'll Be Sorry.

1. This is yet another insight into the hellish situation that exists when healthy people become incapacitated and end up in rehab or nursing home situations. (For comparison, read Joni Eareckson's autobiography and Stephen Thompson's Genesis: A Portrait of Spinal Cord Injury. Each one of these author's stories begin in different decades, but all, including Julia Garrison, describe first-hand similar experiences of dealing with a health-care system that is both abusive and neglectful).
   
   If Julia's family hadn't been there for her, including a devoted husband, mother and eight brothers, she would have quickly withered and died in a nursing home. A simple request for tampons was denied, and she was offered adult diapers as a substitute, because the home didn't stock tampons or even pads. It was far easier for the nursing home staff to have a compliant patient in diapers, rather than an ornery, loud and gutsy 37-year-old woman who refused to roll over and accept the cards that fate had laid out for her.
   
   The medical profession will move heaven and earth to save the life of an accident or stroke victim, but then doesn't seem to know what to do with the patients whose lives they have just saved. Julia Fox Garrison, with an insane will to survive, and surrounded by the love of her family, took charge of her own recovery and made her own plans for the rest of her life, the one she would have to live after she was discharged from the hospital and sent home.
   
   
   Garrison's book is must reading for anyone whose life has been altered by a single event. Life does somehow go on, and the book is blessedly free of the heavy-handed preaching that often accompanies the retelling of tragic true-life stories.



2. I read the first two paragraphs, stopped, and read them again. I then got up from my comfy chair, found my husband and daughter and read the first two paragraphs aloud to them. We were all blown away. The rest of Julia Garrison's story is just as breathtaking. I couldn't put it down. I cried hard twice and laughed out loud too many times to count. When I finished, I just sat for a long while with the book in my hands, looking at the cover, wishing for more. I'm the same age the author was when, without warning, she had a massive stroke, and her life changed forever. So I keep imagining myself in her shoes, wondering if I possess the courage, determination, and positive attitude Julia has, wondering if I would survive...and then thrive. I don't know, but I know this: Her story inhabits me now. And I carry her messages of positive attitude, dignity, and hope with me. This book should be read by everyone who has ever been a patient, everyone who has ever faced overwhelming obstacles, every doctor, and definitely every medical student. Have I left anyone out?



3. I am a rehab nurse and I just couldn't put this book down.
   
   Yes, all of the portraits are not flattering of folks in the healthcare profession. We must view patients as people, with all their likes, dislikes and quirks.
   
   I found it to be a very funny, uplifting first person account.



4. I really loved this book, and would recommend it to anyone and everyone. Although I've never suffered any of the physical impairments that the author has, her story is very easy to relate to. Not to mention that it serves as a reminder to all of us to never give up, and to never take anything for granted.
   
   Ms. Garrison's persistance is to be admired, as is her sense of humor through ordeals that have broken the spirits of many. Kudos to you, Julia, and may you never lose your courage, love of life, and wonderful spirit!



5. Julia Garrison Fox writes her experiences after suffering a stroke at the age of 37. This is a must read for all healthcare professionals especially those who work in the rehabilitation field. She pulls no punches and write candidly about what it feels like both physically and emotionally to go through a life altering incident. This is a wake-up call for all in the healthcare field, we are real good at treating the body but we sometimes forget the human spirit we are also caring for.