July is Disability Pride Month, a time to focus on people with disabilities and their history, culture, accomplishments, and struggles. This commemorative event began as a Disability Pride Day in Boston in 1990, the year the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law. It became Disability Pride Month in 2015, coinciding with the 25th anniversary of the ADA.
In honor of Disability Pride Month, I’ve curated this list of my personal favorite books that center or highlight the experience of the disability community. Some of these books are written by authors who draw from their own experience as being disabled; other are written by authors who have significant personal experience with disability, though the disability is not their own. Whether fiction or nonfiction, all these stories center and celebrate the experiences of disabled individuals.
Something I love about an assortment of books compiled by something other than genre is the sheer variety of books on offer, and that is especially true here: we’ve got campus novels, fantasy, romance, coming of age stories, literary fiction, memoir, even a book with elements drawn from the horror genre. What a roundup!
There are so many more books I could have shared here, so please fill up the comments section with your own favorites. I can’t wait to see what you’ve read and loved.
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This campus novel takes places at Ohio’s River Valley School for the Deaf, a boarding school where students can count on the cultural richness of the deaf community being celebrated. When Charlie enrolls as a new student, she’s never met another deaf student; her parents had kept her in traditional school for far too long, hoping her issues with hearing would simply disappear once they got her cochlear implants dialed in. Charlie knew that would never happen, and quickly makes herself at home in her new school setting, not knowing the school’s very existence is actively being threatened. I knew little about deafness and the deaf community prior to reading this book, and ate up all the details about various facets of the deaf experience deaf author Nović wove into the story. More info →
In this novel written as a memoir, Elizabeth McCracken, (or perhaps more accurately, the character that we feel is Elizabeth McCracken), shares about her larger-than-life mother, the titular hero of this book. She begins her story in summer 2019, one year after her mother died: she’s traveled to London, a place that holds many memories of the trips McCracken and her mother once traveled to together. She interweaves stories from her mother’s life, including her experience of disability, with her present day narrative of experiencing London without her now. Through her insightful anecdotes and introspective reflections, McCracken makes you wish you’d had the chance to know the complicated, charming, occasionally infuriating woman that was her mother. More info →
This YA science fiction, described as The Handmaid’s Tale meets the Pacific Rim, was loosely inspired by the first and only female emperor in Chinese history, Empress Wu. Young female soon-to-be-warrior Zetian is out to avenge her sister’s wrongful death. While few concubine-pilots survive a battle—their life force basically gets sucked dry by the pilot—Zetian not only survives, she kills the pilot who murdered her sister. And she’s not about to stop there. Zetian is feisty and she can be mean in her fight to show her people that women deserve better than having their feet bound and dying as concubine-pilots. Because her feet are bound, she sometimes uses a cane or wheelchair. There’s political intrigue and misogynous advisors who would rather see her dead, on top of fighting battles against Hunduns. And if all that wasn’t enough, there’s a polyamorous love triangle with Shimin, the pilot she’s paired with, and Yizhi, her only friend. More info →
After Zayneb, the only Muslim in class, stands up to her Islamaphobic teacher, she’s suspended from school—and so her family books her ticket to leave Indiana and spend spring break with her expat aunt in Doha, Qatar. While her anger is justified, the way she expresses it isn’t always and she’s resolved to try to be a nicer version of herself in Doha. Zayneb meets Adam on the flight there and neither thinks they’ll see each other again, yet they soon find themselves in the same friend group. Since Adam was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis a few months prior, he’s kept it a secret from his father and dropped out of college; his family is grieving the death of his mother from MS and he doesn’t want to cause them more pain with his own news. Written in the form of diary entries, we see Zayneb and Adam connect as they discuss their families, religion, and so much more. More info →
This WW2 adventure will appeal to fans of historical fiction and underdog stories. Nine-year-old Ada has never been allowed to leave her family’s small apartment. Her foot is twisted and her mother is too ashamed of the physical impairment to let Ada out in public. When the war arrives in London, Ada’s little brother is put on a train to safety and Ada makes a daring escape to join him. Out in the countryside, a woman named Susan begrudgingly takes the children into her home. There, Ada learns to read, ride a horse, and wiggle her way into Susan’s heart. Readers will be riveted by the danger, daring, and risks that both Ada and Susan take to discover true belonging and a place to call home. More info →
Verónica, a Peruvian-American teen with hip dysplasia, dreams of being an aquatic performer at the Mermaid Cove in Central Florida. When she’s in the water swimming, she feels healthy, free, and at peace. But her strict parents will never let her audition, much less let her be with her cute new neighbor Alex so Vero decides it’s time to take control of her own life. I appreciated the way the story thoughtfully handled the friction that exists between a disabled teen and her non-disabled siblings. More info →
This clever twist on Beauty and the Beast features Harper, a modern-day 17-year-old girl who is going through a terrible time when she gets sucked right into a fantasy world. There she encounters Prince Rhen, heir to the throne of Emberfall, who is cursed, turns into a beast, and destroys everything he holds dear. (Sound familiar?). This retelling is delightfully modern, features a character with cerebral palsy, and straddles reality and fantasy in a refreshing way. More info →
The follow-up to Plainsong returns readers to Holt, Colorado and a cast of familiar characters as well as some new faces. The elderly McPheron brothers, Harold and Raymond, are adjusting to no longer having Victoria and her daughter living with them, as the single mother has left the ranch and started college. Meanwhile, a young boy takes care of his grandfather and a disabled couple struggles to do their best for their kids. Haruf is an excellent choice for readers who love Wallace Stegner, Wendell Berry, and Marilynne Robinson, as I do. More info →
This rom-com is laugh-out-loud funny and excellent on audio. Chloe Brown is a grump for good reason: her fiance abandoned her after she was diagnosed with fibromyalgia. After a near death experience, she comes up with a to-do list to help her “get a life,” including things like “ride a motorcycle,” “go camping,” and “do something bad.” When she enlists her landlord Red to help her accomplish the list, their flirtation quickly escalates as they learn more about each other. Charming, delightful, and VERY steamy. Narrator Adjoa Andoh makes the witty banter between Chloe and Red crackle and spark. (Open door.) More info →
Roanhorse brings this complex pre-Columbian American fantasy world to life with gritty characters grappling with prophecies and political intrigue. The holy city of Tova prepares for the Convergence, a rare celestial event when the winter solstice and solar eclipse coincide, under Sun Priest Naranpa’s guidance. Disgraced captain Xiala sets her ship for Tova, carrying a young blind passenger named Serapio. She doesn’t know anything about him, other than it’s imperative he arrive on the day of the Convergence. And then there’s Okoa, a member of the ruling family and whose mother has just died creating a power vacuum his sister is ready to fill. No one and nothing is as they seem and by the time these characters collide, their world will be undone. Content warnings apply. More info →
When Adah at Main Street Books in Davidson told me back in April 2022 that this book will forever change the way she sees the world, I couldn’t start reading fast enough. Arlo is a 23-year-old DeafBlind man whose world opens up when he meets his new interpreter Cyril as he begins courses at the local community college. Arlo’s devout Jehovah’s Witness guardians disapprove of Cyril because he’s agnostic, gay, and inexperienced with DeafBlind clients, but Arlo takes to him immediately; he’s never had such a fierce advocate in his corner. Thanks to Cyril, Arlo soon learns that the love of his life, who he never expected to see again, may not be out of reach after all. Fell has been an ASL interpreter for the Deaf for nearly twenty years; his fascinating and enlightening descriptions of the methods and ethics of interpretation absolutely made the story for me. More info →
A 2023 Summer Reading Guide selection: Movies cast magic spells in this unique and darkly humorous thriller set in 1990s Mexico City. Montserrat and Tristán are childhood friends who once bonded over classic horror films. Now, nearing forty, she’s an under-appreciated disabled sound engineer and he’s a washed-up telenovela star. When they cross paths with a legendary director, he persuades the two to help him complete an unfinished horror film from the 30s, the script for which was written by a Nazi occultist. The director claims that bad luck has plagued everyone who worked on the film, but completing it will break the curse and bring their trio prosperity. But instead of luck, their interference unleashes something dark and deadly in Mexico City. Surprising, sharp, and smart. More info →
I enjoy following Taussig on Instagram and loved getting to know her better through this memoir-in-essays. She details her life as a wheelchair-user and what it was like growing up paralyzed in the 90s and early 2000s, including the subpar disability rep she saw on-screen. This book is her invitation for us to reconsider the ableism around us, in our lives and in media, and what accessibility really looks like and why it matters. Well-written, vulnerable, and humorous. More info →
Johnson is an author, attorney, and disability rights activist. Due to a congenital neuromuscular disease, she’s always needed assistance with her daily care and uses a motorized wheelchair. Her life defies assumptions about disability. Her memoir details her pursuit of a law career and her activism and also includes profound meditations on death and pleasure. More info →
Like many, I first learned of Hannah Gadsby through her Netflix special Nanette. It was an incredibly personal show in which the comedian took on homophobia, gendered violence, and more. At the time, she said she was quitting comedy but lucky for us, she didn’t. Here she takes us behind the scenes of establishing her comedy career and creating the show, including what it was like being a queer person from Tasmania, where homosexuality was illegal until 1997, and her decision to tell the truth, no matter the cost. She also shares about being diagnosed with autism and ADHD as an adult and how her relationship to comedy evolved. I especially appreciated her insights into family dynamics and storytelling. More info →
“I am in a bar in Brooklyn, listening to two men, my friends, discuss whether my life is worth living.” So begins Pulitzer finalist Jones’s new memoir about living with a disability that is instantly recognizable and “other” to nearly everyone she encounters. Jones employs an interesting circular structure to portray what it’s like to move through the world in her particular and unique body. Jones was born with a condition called sacral agenesis which affects her appearance and her ability to easily walk and move; physical pain is a near constant companion. Here she writes of self-consciousness and shame, of believing stories about herself that turned out to be all wrong, of learning to rewrite them. Along the way she tells stories about a a panoply of interesting topics I never expected to encounter here: tons of literary references, Bernini sculptures, Roger Federer, the Cambodian genocide, higher education, the Sundance Film Festival, Beyoncé(!). Content warnings apply, including unexpected violence. More info →
Leland, now in his 40s, wasn’t diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa until college, despite years of knowing something was wrong with his vision. At some point, he’ll have no vision left and this starts him on a journey of adaptation and exploration. Part memoir, part nonfiction history and cultural examination, Leland’s experience and relationship to his own blindness starts out by mirroring systemic ableism and moves toward acceptance. A thought-provoking and thoughtful read. More info →
Chronic illnesses and autoimmune diseases are on the rise but they remain difficult to diagnose and are often misunderstood, leading to years of pain, discomfort, and even medical abuse for patients. Author Meghan O’Rourke understands this on a personal level, detailing her quest for answers, no matter how many doctors dismissed her symptoms. By talking with doctors, patients, and researchers, she explores how the Western model of medicine impacts those living with invisible illnesses, hitting those who are part of marginalized communities the hardest. She also profiles innovators within the field and discusses how the increasing number of long COVID patients could hopefully lead to better care. More info →
Disabled activist and Founder and Director of the Disability Visibility Project Alice Wong assembled this anthology of essays by disabled writers. Their work highlights the everyday reality of their unique situations, celebrates disability culture, and explores the complexity of being disabled in an ableist society. More info →
Comedic essayist Samantha Irby’s latest essay collection touches on chronic illness, life during quarantine, new career opportunities, and so much more. I think of this book often, particularly for the essay in which she recounts that she simply replies “I like it!”, as many times as necessary, whenever someone is condescending about her taste. More info →
What are your favorite disability fiction and nonfiction reads? Please share in the comments.
P.S. What Should I Read Next #349: Canceling Netflix rebooted my reading life with Rachel Seidman.
