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Healthy, Wealthy, and Wise April 2020
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| When My Time Comes: Conversations About Whether Those Who Are Dying Should Have... by Diane RehmWhat it is: a frank and poignant look at the controversial right-to-die movement, with moving accounts of how people from different walks of life approach the topic and evaluate their healthcare choices.
Don't miss: the less widely discussed topics this issue raises, from the absurdity of mundane paperwork during the end-of-life process to concerns about how the movement could be used against minorities and disabled people.
About the author: Diane Rehm is a renowned radio host (her eponymous NPR show ran from 1984-2016) who has become a leading voice in the right-to-die movement after losing her husband to Parkinson's in 2014. |
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| If At Birth You Don't Succeed: My Adventures with Disaster and Destiny by Zach AnnerWhat it's about: In this engaging and inspirational collection of essays, comedian and disability advocate Zach Anner talks about his cerebal palsy, career journey, and of course, what it's like meeting Oprah.
Why you might like it: Anner is candid and very funny, but he's also not afraid to discuss some of the weightier issues that come with disabled life.
Want a taste? "There's no denying it: I was a crappy baby who failed his way into this world and I've been making the best of it ever since." |
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| Enabling Acts: the Hidden Story of How the Americans with Disabilities Act Gave the... by Lennard J. DavisWhat it is: an exhaustive but approachable account of the legal and political struggle to pass the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and what life as a disabled person was like before it.
Don't miss: the "Capitol Crawl," in which disabled activists crawled up the stairs to the Capitol Building to demonstrate the figurative and literal obstacles between them and full participation in society.
Why you should read it: While things like wheelchair ramps and closed captioning may seem unremarkable to many people, they were rare before the ADA and accessibility advocates argue there is still much work to be done. |
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| Sick: A Memoir by Porochista KhakpourWhat it's about: the author's journey through decades of misdiagnosed health problems due to late-stage Lyme disease, and her health's effects on her professional and romantic lives -- and her sometimes complicated relationship with her own body.
Read it for: the honesty with which Khakpour discusses the psychological fallout of her physical illness, which is a topic that could use more attention. |
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| Autism in Heels: the Untold Story of a Female Life on the Spectrum by Jennifer Cook O'TooleWhat it is: an upbeat and inspirational guide/memoir that urges readers (and the medical establishment) to reevaluate stereotypical ideas about what autism looks like, especially the ways gender can effect the expression of autistic traits.
Why it's important: The author goes to great lengths to encourage people to view autism as more of a difference than a "disease," and how her diagnosis came as a relief instead of something negative. |
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| Differently Wired: A Parent's Guide to Raising An Atypical Child with Confidence and Hope by Deborah ReberWhat it's about: the ways having a neuroatypical child can (and should) change your approach to parenting, and how to make life easier for both your child and yourself.
Advice includes: prioritize basic self-care, avoid isolation, and approach parenting your atypical child "from a place of possibility instead of fear."
About the author: Deborah Reber is a young adult novelist and creator of TILT Parenting, a website (and podcast!) designed to support parents with neurodivergent children. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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