Light Reading

You Will Dream New Dreams: Inspiring Personal Stories by Parents of Children With Disabilities
by Stanely D. Klein, Kim Schive

From Publishers Weekly
Each year, 40,000 babies with disabilities are born, and another 80,000 children will develop a major developmental disability by the age of 10. You Will Dream New Dreams: Inspiring Personal Stories by Parents of Children with Disabilities includes pieces like "Hard Choices," on the painful decision to place a brain-damaged child in a group home, and "Getting to Know My Son," on a mother's struggle to accept and love a child with Down's syndrome. Compiled by clinical psychologist Stanley D. Klein and Kim Schive, a former editor of Exceptional Parent magazine, the book offers emotional support to disabled children's families and should help educators and health-care professionals better understand these parents' perspectives.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal
Knowing that "parents' strongest allies will always be other parents," Klein and Schive have collected from all over the country stories by parents of children with special needs. You Will Dream New Dreams is a remarkable parent's support group in print. The shared narratives come from those with newly diagnosed children, adult disabled children, and everything in between; their stories are short and unfold in plain language just what the parent suffering from informational and emotional overload needs. These experiences offer hope and encouragement and serve as a reminder that there are others out there who can help. The appendix includes resources to help parents track down local information and support. Klein is a cofounder of Exceptional Parent magazine and Schive is an associate editor there, so one can assume that this book will get ample publicity from that publication, the one most read by the target audience. This one will be requested. Essential for all consumer health collections. KellyJo Houtz Griffin, Eatonville, WA
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

No Pity: People With Disabilities Forging a New Civil Rights Movement
by Joseph P. Shapiro

From Publishers Weekly
Shapiro, social policies writer for U.S. News & World Report , centers his empathetic review of our society's relations to its disabled population on the 1992 passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act. He documents the political progress of the issue with stories about several of the nation's estimated 35 million disabled people. Included are polio-afflicted activists, Special Olympics competitors, armed services veterans and elderly people who owe their survival to medical and technological advances. While the author cites encouraging signs of progress made in the advance of their rights, he notes that disabled people still struggle to be accepted on equal, independent terms without being patronized, segregated or victimized in an antiquated social services system and a prejudiced society. Author tour.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

In Search of Better Angels : Stories of Disability in the Human Family
by J. David Smith

Review

"We must first understand others before we can care about them and we must care about them before we can love them. In this book, J. David Smith takes us on a fascinating journey from understanding to caring to love."

Why I Burned My Book and Other Essays on Disability (American Subjects)
by Paul K. Longmore

Book Info
Collection of essays reflecting a transformation in social consciousness and societal practices including the disability rights revolution. Covers contemporary advocacy and current academic studies as responses to a historical pattern of systemic prejudice and institutionalized discrimination against people with disabilities. Softcover, hardcover available.

Book Description
This wide-ranging book shows why Paul Longmore is one of the most respected figures in disability studies today. Understanding disability as a major variety of human experience, he urges us to establish it as a category of social, political, and historical analysis in much the same way that race, gender, and class already have been. The essays here search for the often hidden pattern of systemic prejudice and probe into the institutionalized discrimination that affects the one in five Americans with disabilities.

Whether writing about the social critic Randolph Bourne, contemporary political activists, or media representations of people with disabilities, Longmore demonstrates that the search for heroes is a key part of the continuing struggle of disabled people to gain a voice and to shape their destinies. His essays on bioethics and public policy examine the conflict of agendas between disability rights activists and non-disabled policy makers, healthcare professionals, euthanasia advocates, and corporate medical bureaucracies. The title essay, which concludes the book, demonstrates the necessity of activism for any disabled person who wants access to the American dream.

Moving Violations : War Zones, Wheelchairs, and Declarations of Independence
by John Hockenberry

You keepon learning, after the last page., October 31, 1999

Moving Violations, the memoir of John Hockenberry-- is a very moving story. It is frank and honest, inspiring and also surprisingly entertaining. Mr. Hockenberry uses a style that works well--he starts at the end, goes back to the beginning, and blends the story very nicely. He is a seasoned reporter; he sure knows how to keep his audience's attention! But it is not only his story that intrigues me. It is a pattern of human behavior that I have noticed before, in real life relationships as well as in autobiographies. At some juncture in the lives of a great number of people, the courage, the desire, maybe even the need for honesty appears and manifests itself in a variety of ways.

After major life events, be they catastrophes or spiritual enlightenment-or any number of other life changing experiences-to relate to readers or listeners the formerly hidden or "avoided " side of one's life, the mistakes if you will, the things one would ordinarily suppress is often a significant aspect of writings and speeches. In biographies in which family secrets, for instance, are aired in public, a reader can wonder if the subject is angry or embarrassed, or even if all the facts are accurate. But in biography, when a public figure reveals the sins of his or her youth, the transgressions against the formal law or the social norms, it is usually after a significant event in that person's life has occurred. Sometimes it may be when the writer is approaching or has reached old age; but more often it is something that literally wakes one up to a new sense of priorities, a new value system, a need to be as open honest with oneself, and consequently with everyone else. Self-disclosure can be freeing, healing and energizing.

But my interest in this whole issue is not just that it seems to happen, but rather why does it happen? Is it even a deliberate attempt at openness, or is it a natural instinct after a significant life experience? Is it a debt one owes to oneself to represent one's life as it really was, with the good the bad and the in between, rather that use the selective memory that sheds only positive light on the teller? Does traumatic or life jolting experience remind us so much of our finite condition, that we can no longer abide superficiality? Do we then care more about getting in touch with our true selves than what others may think of us? But most of all, is this a conscious thing? I think it may not be, but rather this behavior may be part of a growth process--a very positive one-- that many but not all people achieve in their lifetime. Could these phenomena be considered a sort of spiritual evolution in the context of a single life span? I would think there have been studies about this sort of thing. If so, I would like to know about them. I thank Mr. Hocenberry for his gift to all readers who pick up this book; it is a treasure.

Riding the bus with my sister: A True Life Journey
by Rachel Simon

From Publishers Weekly
This perceptive, uplifting chronicle shows how much Simon, a creative writing professor at Bryn Mawr College, had to learn from her mentally retarded sister, Beth, about life, love and happiness. Beth lives independently and is in a long-term romantic relationship, but perhaps the most surprising thing about her, certainly to her (mostly) supportive family, is how she spends her days riding buses. Six days a week (the buses don't run on Sundays in her unnamed Pennsylvania city), all day, she cruises around, chatting up her favorite drivers, dispensing advice and holding her ground against those who find her a nuisance. Rachel joined Beth on her rides for a year, a few days every two weeks, in an attempt to mend their distanced relationship and gain some insight into Beth's daily life. She wound up learning a great deal about herself and how narrowly she'd been seeing the world. Beth's community within the transit system is a much stronger network than the one Rachel has in her hectic world, and some of the portraits of drivers and the other people in Beth's life are unforgettable. Rachel juxtaposes this with the story of their childhood, including the dissolution of their parents' marriage and the devastating abandonment by their mother, the effect of which is tied poignantly to the sisters' present relationship. Although she is honest about the frustrations of relating to her stubborn sister, Rachel comes to a new appreciation of her, and it is a pleasure for readers to share in that discovery. Agent, Anne Edelstein. (Aug. 26) Forecast: A blurb from Rosie O'Donnell and an author tour should pique women readers' interest.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Reflections from a Different Journey: What Adults with Disabilities Wish All Parents Knew
by Stanley Kline, John Kemp

Reflections from a Different Journey presents 40 stories by successful adults who grew up with disabilities. They provide insights into what it is like to persevere in the face of community prejudices, and what it takes for families and children with disabilities to work together toward fulfillment.

While there are many books for parents on raising a child with a disability, this is the first to help them learn from people with disabilities, and to help children face the unique challenges and rewards of growing up with a disability. Reflections from a Different Journey will also encourage and inspire older children and adults with disabilities, other family members, and education and health care professionals who serve these families.

Views from Our Shoes: Growing Up With a Brother or Sister With Special Needs
by Donald J. Meyer (Editor), Cary Pillo (Illustrator)

From School Library Journal
Grade 3-10?A collection of 45 brief essays by children and young adults who have a sibling with special needs, ranging from mental retardation through a number of rare syndromes. The writings are arranged in chronological order, from that of a 4 year old to an 18 year old. As such, they vary in quality as well as in insights into family relationships. The writings seem to be quite honest as some children come right out and say that they feel they are treated unfairly and that their siblings can get away with things that they cannot. In most cases, however, the children speak out against those who make fun of or misunderstand the youngsters who are different. As such, this book would be useful for schools that have special-ed programs or a number of mainstreamed students for it concentrates on what special-needs children can do rather than what they cannot, and makes a firm statement advocating community support for all members of the family. The final piece is an eloquent plea for giving opportunities to special children. The drawings illustrate the children in sometimes amusing ways and add informality rather than clarification. Information on the special needs is included, as well as addresses and Web sites to find more information. The disabilities or disorders are explained in a glossary. This is certainly a different kind of book on developmental disabilities and, as such, fills a need.

FDR's Splendid Deception: The Moving Story of Roosevelt's Massive Disability-And the Intense Efforts to Conceal It from the Public. By Hugh Gregory Gallagher

A Rare But Important Take on FDR, May 6, 2000
Reviewer: Brett Leggett from Richmond, Virginia
Countless biographies have been written about the nation's 32nd President, but few devote more than a chapter or passing reference to FDR's battle with Polio. Mr. Gallagher's book is a rare and important one in illustrating what his day-to-day struggle was like. He details FDR's carefully orchestrated public appearances, which, for the country, maintained the illusion that their President could actually walk.

While I found the book to be inspirational, perhaps the most fascinating realization was the respect of the media in maintaining this illusion. For instance, we learn that of the thousands of photos taken of Roosevelt, only a couple exist that show him in his wheelchair. In an age where every aspect of a President's health and private life are scrutinized, this book allows us to ask the uneasy question of whether one of our greatest Presidents could ever have been elected today. You don't have to be a history buff to appreciate the value of this book; I highly recommend it.

(The above reviews came from Amazon.com)

Heavy reading

Assistive Technology: Expanding a Universe of Opportunities for People with Disabilities By John Williams- contains a list of more than 550 assistive technology manufacturers from around the world.

The following are excerpts from longer book reviews; click on the links following each to read each review in its entirety.

The Psychological & Social Impact of Disability . . - 4th ed - In Review
Robert P. Marinelli and Arthur E. Dell Orto Editors Springer Publishing Company New York, NY 1999, 468 pages.

This is the fourth edition of a text that addresses the psychological and social effects of disability. It consists of a collection of comprehensive readings and is very appropriate for a graduate course in rehabilitation counseling. I use it in a course I teach entitled "Human Development, Diversity, and Impairments." I commend the editors for trying to include chapters that review a variety of disability related topics. It is clear that no single text can adequately represent what people with a variety of disabilities may experience; however, the readings in this book are varied and all-inclusive. This edition seems much more dynamic than the third because it includes more pieces from various authors. What complements this book the most is the presence of the consumer's voice. A synopsis of the book by section follows.

The first section, Perspectives on Disability and Consumer, is a very strong collection of writings on various psychological aspects of disability, including the socio-political ramifications of disability. Overall, this section is a very cohesive set, except for the Trieschmann piece on the Energy Model that seems out of place despite being intriguing (it would seem a better fit in the New Directions section).

The second section, entitled Family and Developmental Issues in Disability, is another strong set of chapters on the implications of disability on the family. The topic of disability and the family is growing in the professional literature, and this section adds to the trend by including chapters that offer direction to rehabilitation counselors and other professionals in terms of the emotional impact of disability on family members. Kim Mueser's piece on family and mental illness speaks volumes! She reviews current research in the field and presents a specific protocol for working with families where mental illness is present. Such specificity is potentially very useful to professionals by helping them choose effective treatment modalities when working with families.

The third section addresses the personal impact of disability. This section contains some moving chapters from the perspective of people with disabilities. The acceptance of disability is discussed in detail as well as concepts such as hope and anger. These pieces give the reader a more personal account of how disability affects a human being. The chapters are compelling in this section and truly enhance the quality of this book, especially from the viewpoint that people with disabilities have physical as well as emotional and psychological reactions. My students have found these chapters very helpful in understanding the effects of disability.

Link http://www.findarticles.com/cf_0/m0825/4_67/81759720/p1/article.jhtml

The New Disability History: American Perspectives. Edited by Paul K. Longmore and Lauri Umansky (New York: New York University Press, 2001. vi plus 416 pages. 

Link http://www.findarticles.com/cf_0/m2005/1_36/92587368/p1/article.jhtml

Disability
Gale Encyclopedia of Popular Culture by Martin F. Norden

The presence of disability in popular culture has taken many forms; indeed, people with disabilities (PWDs) have appeared frequently across the pop-culture spectrum: movies, television, print media, dance, theater, music, and sports. Disability representations have never been in short supply, though many produced by the mainstream cultural industries remain questionable at best, hurtful and divisive at worst.

Images of disability have perhaps found their most frequent expression in movies, with the vast majority created from the perspective of able-bodied filmmakers and intended primarily for able-bodied audiences. The earliest silent movies, each only a few minutes long, tended to portray PWDs as comic figures given to pursuing others or being pursued themselves, as in The Legless Runner (1907), The Invalid's Adventure (1907), and Don't Pull My Leg (1908). As the medium matured, moviemakers borrowed heavily from such nineteenth-century literary fare as Moby Dick, A Christmas Carol, Notre Dame de Paris (The Hunchback of Notre Dame), Treasure Island, and The Two Orphans, to create more intricate narratives that portrayed disabled people either as innocent victims or incarnations of evil. The films in this tradition included Orphans of the Storm (1921), The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923, but many versions made since), The Sea Beast (1926), and numerous adaptations of A Christmas Carol. The 1930s saw a continuing interest in such stereotypical extremes--most notably in Moby Dick (1930), Charlie Chaplin's City Lights (1931), Todd Browning's famous gallery of grotesques, Freaks (1932), and a 1939 remake of Hunchback. Such images began fading during the World War II era in favor of relatively realistic and sensitive portraits of disabled veterans. Pride of the Marines (1945) and Bright Victory (1951) both dealt with blinded ex-servicemen; real-life veteran Harold Russell, whose service legacy was to lose his hands (replaced by metal hooks), played himself in The Best Years of Our Lives (1946), and Fred Zinnemann's The Men (1951), Marlon Brando's first film, dealt with paraplegics. These images, in turn, began giving way to famously larger-than-life civilians who "triumphed" over their disabilities: opera singer Marjorie Lawrence and Franklin D. Roosevelt, both polio victims, in Interrupted Melody (1955) and Sunrise at Campobello (1960) respectively, Helen Keller, deaf, dumb, and blind, in The Miracle Worker (1962). Stanley Kubrick's Dr. Strangelove (1964), however, mocked these latter types with its title character, and signaled their temporary demise.

(click on the link below to finish reading this article)

http://www.findarticles.com/cf_0/g1epc/tov/2419100345/p1/article.jhtml