Literary theme analysis, by a book like {foo}
Books about Disability
Far from the Tree: Parents, Children, and the Search for Identity
by Andrew Solomon
An exploration of how parents and children adjust to extraordinary differences, and how it affects their dynamic.
Andrew Solomon’s startling proposition in Far from the Tree is that being exceptional is at the core of the human condition—that difference is what unites us. He writes about families coping with ... (Goodreads)
Riding the Bus with My Sister: A True Life Journey
by Rachel Simon
A woman spends a year riding the bus with her intellectually disabled sister, gaining a new perspective on life and love.
Rachel Simon's sister Beth is a spirited woman who lives intensely and often joyfully, despite her intellectual disability. Beth spends her days riding the buses in her Pennsylvania city. The ... (Goodreads)
Out of My Mind
by Sharon M. Draper
A young girl with cerebral palsy struggles to overcome obstacles and prove her ability.
Melody Brooks is a girl who was born with cerebral palsy . Also, who is ten years old. Her parents have done everything they can to help her live a normal life, but life is often frustrating for ... (Wikipedia)
Of Human Bondage
by W. Somerset Maugham
A young man's struggles to find a sense of purpose, despite a series of catastrophic misfortunes.
The book begins with the death of Helen Carey, the much beloved mother of nine-year-old Philip Carey. Philip has a club foot and his father had died a few months before. Now orphaned, he is sent to ... (Wikipedia)
The Ship Who Sang
by Anne McCaffrey
A young girl, born with severe physical disabilities, embarks on a journey to become a "brainship", a human-computer interface.
Helva had been born human, but only her brain had been saved—saved to be schooled, programmed, and implanted into the sleek titanium body of an intergalactic scout ship. But first she had to choose a ... (Goodreads)
Wonderstruck
by Brian Selznick
Two stories from different eras intertwine, revealing hidden connections between a deaf girl and a runaway boy.
Ben’s story starts in Gunflint Lake, Minnesota in June 1977. He was born deaf in his left ear. Ben’s mom, Elaine, was the town librarian, but died in a car crash. He now lives with his aunt and uncle ... (Wikipedia)
The 57 Bus: A True Story of Two Teenagers and the Crime That Changed Their Lives
by Dashka Slater
Examines a single act of violence, exploring its impact on two disparate lives.
A, New York Times, Bestseller Stonewall Book Award Winner—Mike Morgan & Larry Romans Children's & Young Adult Literature Award,YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults Finalist One ... (Barnes & Noble)
Blindness
by José Saramago
A society is plunged into chaos when everyone suddenly loses their sight.
Blindness is the story of an unexplained mass epidemic of blindness afflicting nearly everyone in an unnamed city, and the social breakdown that swiftly follows. The novel follows the misfortune of a ... (Wikipedia)
Me Before You
by Jojo Moyes
A woman and a disabled man form an unlikely bond as she helps him rediscover the joy of life.
From the #1, New York Times, bestselling author of, The Giver of Stars, discover the love story that captured over 20 million hearts in, Me Before You,, After You, and, Still Me,. They had nothing in ... (Goodreads)
Seeing Voices
by Oliver Sacks
A study of the deaf culture and the history of sign language, exploring the relationship between language and the brain.
Like The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat , this is a fascinating voyage into a strange and wonderful land, a provocative meditation on communication, biology, adaptation, and culture. In Seeing ... (Goodreads)
The Story of My Life
by Helen Keller
The extraordinary account of a woman overcoming physical and cognitive obstacles to live an inspiring life.
When she was 19 months old, Helen Keller (1880–1968) suffered a severe illness that left her blind and deaf. Not long after, she also became mute. Her tenacious struggle to overcome these ... (Goodreads)
Freak the Mighty
by Rodman Philbrick
The story of two unlikely friends, united by a shared sense of bravery and courage.
The novel is set in a version of Portsmouth, New Hampshire . , In the beginning of the book, Maxwell Kane is a young boy with low self-esteem . He lives with his grandfather, Grim, and grandmother, ... (Wikipedia)
The War I Finally Won
by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
A young girl with a disability finds the courage to fight for independence and to make her own choices.
Ada and her younger brother, Jamie, now have a permanent home with their loving legal guardian, Susan Smith. Although Jamie adapts more easily, Ada still struggles with the aftermath of her old life, ... (Goodreads)
The Running Dream
by Wendelin Van Draanen
A teenage girl's inspiring journey to recovery and redemption after a devastating injury.
An award-winning and inspiring novel. When Jessica's dreams are shattered, she puts herself back together—and learns to dream bigger than ever before., , Jessica thinks her life is over when she ... (Goodreads)
An Anthropologist on Mars: Seven Paradoxical Tales
by Oliver Sacks
Study of human behavior, exploring the complexities of neurological conditions.
Paradoxical portraits of seven neurological patients, including a surgeon consumed by the compulsive tics of Tourette's syndrome unless he is operating; an artist who loses all sense of color in a ... (Goodreads)
Rosemary: The Hidden Kennedy Daughter
by Kate Clifford Larson
An exploration of the life of Rosemary Kennedy, uncovering the heartbreaking story of her family's secret.
One of, People,’s Top Ten Books of 2015, "[Larson] succeeds in providing a well-rounded portrait of a woman who, until now, has never been viewed in full.",—Boston Globe, “A biography that chronicles ... (Barnes & Noble)
Handle with Care
by Jodi Picoult
A story of a family struggling with difficult decisions, facing tough truths about life.
The story follows the life of a young girl, Willow O'Keefe, and her family. Willow has Type III osteogenesis imperfecta (OI), a disease also known as brittle bone syndrome. To her parents, Sean and ... (Wikipedia)
Lock In
by John Scalzi
A sci-fi thriller involving a global pandemic and a world of augmented reality.
The world is exposed to a highly contagious virus. Most who get sick experience nothing worse than flu -like symptoms. For 1%, the virus causes the victims to be fully awake, but unable to move or ... (Wikipedia)
The Girls
by Lori Lansens
Two conjoined twins in search of independence and a sense of self-worth.
Meet Rose and Ruby: sisters, best friends, confidantes, and conjoined twins. Since their birth, Rose and Ruby Darlen have been known simply as "the girls." They make friends, fall in love, have jobs, ... (Goodreads)
Stuck in Neutral
by Terry Trueman
A teenage boy with cerebral palsy contemplates his life and the possibility of his father ending it.
The book follows Shawn McDaniel's first-person point of view . He is a 14-year-old boy with cerebral palsy, a neurological disorder that affects motor control. In Shawn's case, his entire body is ... (Wikipedia)
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
by Jean-Dominique Bauby
A paralyzed man's memoir, transcribed through blinking his left eye.
On December 8, 1995, Bauby, the editor-in-chief of French, Elle, magazine, suffered a stroke and lapsed into a coma . He awoke 20 days later, mentally aware of his surroundings, but physically ... (Wikipedia)
A Personal Matter
by Kenzaburō Ōe
A man’s personal struggles with the birth of his disabled son, the consequences of his actions and his search for redemption.
The plot follows the story of Bird, a 27 year old Japanese man. The book starts with him wondering about a hypothetical trip to Africa, which is a recurrent theme in his mind throughout the story. ... (Wikipedia)
Marcelo in the Real World
by Francisco X. Stork
A young man with Asperger's Syndrome navigates the challenges of the real world.
Marcelo Sandoval, is a seventeen-year-old who hears music in his head as a result of mild autism , described as a " cognitive disorder " by his father. , He attends a school that caters to the needs ... (Wikipedia)
Autobiography of a Face
by Lucy Grealy
A memoir about facing physical deformity and the psychological effects of being ostracized.
The prologue introduces the reader to Lucy's struggle with self-image. She describes her work at the stable Diamond D, which was her first job after finishing chemotherapy. Through this first ... (Wikipedia)
The Reason I Jump: The Inner Voice of a Thirteen-Year-Old Boy with Autism
by Naoki Higashida
Insightful and moving exploration of life with autism from the perspective of a young boy.
Written by Naoki Higashida, a very smart, very self-aware, and very charming thirteen-year-old boy with autism, it is a one-of-a-kind memoir that demonstrates how an autistic mind thinks, feels, ... (Goodreads)
Paperboy
by Vince Vawter
A young boy with a stutter takes over his friend's paper route for a month, facing racial tensions and personal challenges along the way.
The story takes place in 1959 in Memphis. "Little Man" Victor, an eleven-year-old boy who stutters, takes over his best friend Rat's paper route while Rat is visiting his grandparents. Little Man has ... (Wikipedia)
Rules
by Cynthia Lord
A young girl's attempt to make peace with her family's dynamic and her autistic brother.
This Newbery Honor Book is a heartfelt and witty story about feeling different and finding acceptance–beyond the rules. Twelve-year-old Catherine just wants a normal life. Which is near impossible ... (Goodreads)
The Elephant Man
by Bernard Pomerance
The story of John Merrick, a severely deformed man in Victorian England, and his journey to find acceptance and dignity.
The Elephant Man opens with Frederick Treves , an up-and-coming surgeon, meeting his new employer Francis Carr-Gomm, the administrator of the London Hospital. Ross, the manager of a freak show , ... (Wikipedia)
The Story of Beautiful Girl
by Rachel Simon
A love story between two people with intellectual disabilities, on a journey to find home and belonging.
It is 1968. Lynnie, a young white woman with a developmental disability, and Homan, an African American deaf man, are locked away in an institution, the School for the Incurable and Feebleminded, and ... (Goodreads)
Auggie & Me: Three Wonder Stories
by R.J. Palacio
Collection of three stories exploring empathy, kindness, and understanding.
WONDER, IS NOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE STARRING JULIA ROBERTS AND JACOB TREMBLAY!,Over 8 million people have read the #1, New York Times, bestseller, Wonder, and have fallen in love with Auggie ... (Barnes & Noble)
So B. It
by Sarah Weeks
A young girl's journey of self-discovery, uncovering the secrets of her past.
Now a major motion picture starring Alfre Woodard, Jessica Collins, John Heard, Jacinda Barrett, Cloris Leachman, and Talitha Bateman—in theaters October 2017! From acclaimed author Sarah Weeks comes ... (Goodreads)
Miss Jane
by Brad Watson
A novel about a woman born with a genital birth defect in rural Mississippi in the early 20th century, and her journey to find purpose and love.
Brings to life a forgotten woman and a lost world in a Southern pastoral. Inspired by the true story of his own great-aunt, Watson explores the life of Miss Jane Chisolm, born in rural, ... (Goodreads)
Joni: An Unforgettable Story
by Joni Eareckson Tada
Story of faith and resilience in the face of adversity, after suffering a life-changing accident.
The award-winning story of a young woman who triumphed over devastating odds to touch countless lives the world over with the healing message of Christ. In a split second on a hot July afternoon, a ... (Goodreads)
Unlocked: An Oral History of Haden's Syndrome
by John Scalzi
A collection of interviews with people affected by Haden's Syndrome, a virus that leaves victims locked in their own bodies.
The world is exposed to a highly contagious virus. Most who get sick experience nothing worse than flu -like symptoms. For 1%, the virus causes the victims to be fully awake, but unable to move or ... (Wikipedia)
Awakenings
by Oliver Sacks
Exploring the effects of a mysterious sleeping sickness, the power of hope and human resilience.
Awakenings is a 1973 non-fiction book by Oliver Sacks. It recounts the life histories of those who had been victims of the 1920s encephalitis lethargica epidemic. Sacks chronicles his efforts in the ... (Goodreads)
Thunder Dog: The True Story of a Blind Man, His Guide Dog, and the Triumph of Trust at Ground Zero
by Michael Hingson
A blind man and his guide dog navigate through the chaos of 9/11, surviving the collapse of the Twin Towers.
Faith. Trust. Triumph. ,“I’m sorry,” the doctor said. “He is permanently and totally blind. There is nothing we can do for him.”,, George and Sarah Hingson looked at each other, devastated. Their ... (Barnes & Noble)
Left Neglected
by Lisa Genova
A woman's struggle to find balance and acceptance after suffering a traumatic brain injury.
Sarah Nickerson is like any other career-driven supermom in Welmont, the affluent Boston suburb where she leads a hectic but charmed life with her husband Bob, faithful nanny, and three children - ... (Goodreads)
Forrest Gump
by Winston Groom
A story of an intellectually disabled man's incredible journey through life, with all its turns and surprises.
Forrest Gump, named after Klu Klux Klan Grand Wizard Nathan Bedford Forrest , narrates the story of his life. The author uses misspellings and grammatical errors to indicate his Southern accent, ... (Wikipedia)
Blue Pills: A Positive Love Story
by Frederik Peeters
A graphic memoir about a man falling in love with a woman who is HIV positive and navigating the complexities of their relationship.
From one of Europe’s most celebrated young comics artists, a deeply personal story that will resonate with all who have chosen to love in the face of great challenges. One summer night at a house ... (Goodreads)
The Miracle Worker: A Play
by William Gibson
The story of a young girl's triumph over blindness and deafness, with the help of a devoted teacher.
In Tuscumbia, Alabama , an illness renders infant Helen Keller blind , deaf , and consequently mute ( deaf-mute ). , Pitied and badly spoiled by her parents, Helen is taught no discipline and, by the ... (Wikipedia)
Silent Child
by Sarah A. Denzil
A gripping story of a young girl's struggle to overcome her challenges and find her voice.
In the summer of 2006, Emma Price watched helplessly as her six-year-old son's red coat was fished out of the River Ouse. It was the tragic story of the year - a little boy, Aiden, wandered away from ... (Goodreads)
A Silent Voice, Vol. 7
by Yoshitoki Ōima
「じゃーな、西宮」。硝子を庇って大けがを負い、眠り続ける将也。前を向くと決めた硝子は、絶望の中、壊してしまったものを取り戻そうと動き出す。バラバラになった仲間たちの「こえ」にそっと耳を澄ませる━━。繋がる想い。そして、再開した映画作り。時を刻み始めた彼らの世界に、待ち受ける未来は━━。 ... (Goodreads)
Tangerine
by Edward Bloor
A young boy with visual impairment moves to a new town and uncovers dark secrets about his family and the community.
In a prologue when Paul Fisher was in kindergarten, a few friends of Erik, Paul's older brother, calls Paul "Eclipse Boy," causing Paul to believe that was why he was visually impaired. Seven years ... (Wikipedia)
Say What You Will
by Cammie McGovern
Amy, who has cerebral palsy, and Matthew, who has OCD, form an unlikely friendship and navigate the challenges of high school and first love.
John Green's The Fault in Our Stars meets Rainbow Rowell's Eleanor & Park in this beautifully written, incredibly honest, and emotionally poignant novel. Cammie McGovern's insightful young adult ... (Goodreads)
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