Parasport Books

Book Synopsis*A Sunday Times Book of the Year* The remarkable and inspirational story of Oksana Masters, who was born with radiation-induced birth defects and suffered appalling abuse as an orphan, before being adopted and moving to the US, where she went on to triumph over her challenges to win seventeen Paralympic medals in four different sports. Oksana Masters was born in the shadow of Chernobyl, with one kidney, a partial stomach, six toes on each foot, webbed fingers, no right bicep and no thumbs. Her left leg was six inches shorter than her right, and she was missing both tibias. Relinquished to the orphanage system by birth parents daunted by the staggering cost of their child’s medical care, Oksana encountered numerous abuses, some horrifying. Salvation came at the age of seven when Gay Masters, an unmarried American professor who saw a photo of the little girl and became haunted by her eyes, waged a two-year war against stubborn adoption autTrade Review'Unexpectedly powerful...I couldn't put this memoir down. It's as true a tale of grit as I've ever heard, with a message filled with triumph and beauty - that what doesn't kill us makes us stronger, if we are loved.' -- Angela Duckworth, internationally bestselling author of Grit'The Hard Parts takes us from heartache to courage, from crushing disabilities to exemplary talents, from hopelessness to sky-high aspiration. Here is a young woman who persists with a fierce, undeniable optimism, no matter how devastating the challenges she has faced. Add to this timely story Oksana’s beginnings within the tragic backdrop of a Ukrainian orphanage. A hero lives among us.' -- Diana Nyad, author of Find a Way'Heart wrenching and extraordinary. The Hard Parts is a remarkable memoir of coping with trauma, but it's mostly about courage and achieving the impossible. I'm completely in awe of Oksana and her resilience – what an inspiration.' -- Ariana Neumann, author of When Time Stopped'A gut-wrenching, wildly inspiring story about overcoming the most daunting obstacles through steely tenacity, sheer will and a great big dose of motherly love.' -- Jeannette Walls, bestselling author of The Glass Castle'Gripping, powerful and inspiring. As a fellow athlete, I appreciate the commitment and discipline it takes to succeed, but Oksana is on another level altogether.' -- Tony Hawk, 16-time X Game Medallist in skateboarding'Like all the greats, Oksana lives on the edge of fear and uses every setback she’s ever had to ask more of herself. A revealing parting of the curtain, The Hard Parts is a candid - and often poignant - account of the challenges Oksana overcame along the way to becoming the best ever, and it’s more inspiring than words could ever convey.' -- Mikaela Shiffrin, two-time Olympic Gold Meda'list and four-time Overall World Cup Ski Champion'A book of rare quality... In these pages, not only does Oksana Masters triumph over tremendous odds but her victories are so multiple and her courage crosses so many different fronts that she forces us to rethink the term "Greatest Ever". Move aside GOATS and make a place for her.' -- Sally Jenkins, sports columnist for the Washington Post'Oksana Masters’ riveting journey of survival, perseverance and triumph is much more than an uplifting sports story. From the darkness and despair of life in a Ukrainian orphanage to the top of the Paralympic medal podium, Masters has written a story for our times. She is a remarkable athlete. She is a heroic and trailblazing woman.' -- Christine Brennan, USA Today columnist, author of Best Seat in the House'Oksana's story is emotionally pounding, from her Dickensian childhood in Ukraine's orphanages to promising her mother a gold medal in the Paralympics. The Hard Parts is a street-fight for survival, then success. And it stretches our own notions of just how much we can take.' -- Lesley Visser, Hall of Fame Sportscaster'Riveting' -- Donald McRae * Guardian *'It’s a story of horror and heroism, of hate and love, of piercing pain and immense, euphoric joy' * Irish Independent *'The book is by turns difficult to read and to put down; "triumph over adversity’ barely covers it"' * Telegraph *‘proves how little most of us know about genuine determination. . . The Hard Parts is shocking only in how it tends to understate the author’s pure bravery’ * The Times, Books of the Year *

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Book SynopsisYoga can benefit every body, including yours! Discover how to take advantage of all yoga has to offer with this all-encompassing yoga guide. No matter who you are or what your abilities are, Yoga for Everyone includes a fabulous 50 poses proving something for everyone to love. From plus size yoga and pregnancy yoga, to yoga for the elderly or disabled, you can explore variations and modifications to much-loved yoga poses, from the comfort of your own home. Every exercise utilises the essential elements of yoga to ensure you can gain all the physical and mental benefits, and will also allow you to perform all 10 sequences, which combine different poses into one singular experience and focus on specific health benefits each pose has on your body. Dive straight in to discover: -A visually illustrated yoga guide showcasing diversity in people and their mixed fitness abilities -50 yoga exercises with a minimum of 3 modifications for varyinTrade ReviewGreat for first timers as the easy moves can be adapted for all shapes, sizes and abilities. * Woman's Own *This inclusive guide shows how to tailor yoga to the needs of your body, no matter what your shape, size, age or ability. * Country Living *

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Book SynopsisDisability sport is a relatively recent phenomenon, yet it is also one that, particularly in the context of social inclusion, is attracting increasing political and academic interest. The purpose of this important new text  the first of its kind  is to introduce the reader to key concepts in disability and disability sport and to examine the complex relationships between modern sport, disability and other aspects of wider society. Drawing upon original data from interviews, surveys and policy documents, the book examines how disability sport has developed and is currently organised, and explores key themes, issues and concepts including: disability theory and policy the emergence and development of disability sport disability sport development in local authorities mainstreaming disability sport disability, physical education and school sport elite disability sport and the Paralympic Games disTrade Review'Thomas and Smith have delivered a much-needed critical examination of the opportunities and challenges facing the modern Paralympic and disability sport movement. In the run-up to London 2012 this is a book that should be read by all students, academics, administrators and policy-makers with an interest in disability sport.' - Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson "There is a real need for this book. It provides a unique and valuable sociological analysis of disability sport." Karen P DePauw, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Table of Contents1. Disability theory and policy 2. The emergence and development of disability sport 3. Local authorities and disability sport development 4. Mainstreaming disability sport: a case study of four sports 5. Disability, physical education and school sport 6. Elite disability sport: the Paralympic Games 7. Disability sport and the media

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Book SynopsisThis comprehensive ground-breaking southern African-centred collection spans the breadth of disability research and practice. Reputable and emerging scholars, together with disability advocates adopt a critical and interdisciplinary stance to prove, challenge and shift commonly held social understanding of disability in traditional discourses, frontiers and practices in prominent areas such as inter/national development, disability studies, education, culture, health, religion, gender, sports, tourism, ICT, theatre, media , housing and legislation. This handbook provides a body of interdisciplinary analyses suitable for the development of disability studies in southern Africa. Through drawing upon and introducing resources from several disciplines, theoretical perspectives and personal narratives from disability activists, it reflects on disability and sustainable development in southern Africa. It also addresses a clear need to bring together interdisciplinary perspeTrade Review'This much needed expansive text pulls in perspectives from activists, researchers, academics, lawyers and practitioners from health, the arts and education in order to centralise disability concerns in Southern Africa. While this book marks a significant turn - from the Global North to the Global South in disability studies - its important contributions will be felt across many national spaces when readers take seriously the sophisticated and unashamedly politicised analyses presented throughout the text. A significant, original and rigorous collection of work' - Dan Goodley, Professor of Disability Studies and Education, the University of Sheffield‘The contributors present a wide range of perspectives: disabled people, disability activists, academics, not-for profits. Many are from the region (mainly Zimbabwe, South Africa and Zambia but Botswana, Malawi, Tanzania, Swaziland, Lesotho are also represented), but there are also global perspectives from USA, Finland and Norway, making this a truly international collection with an African focus. This essential book establishes a context for disability studies in southern Africa and will be of use to academics, practitioners and activists in the region who are concerned with disability inclusive development' – Associate Professor Judith McKenzie, Division of Disability Studies, University of Cape Town'This is a landmark contribution to Disability Studies in Southern Africa. Drawing upon experts and advocates from throughout the region, this well-edited volume provides breadth and depth to understanding an important range of political, socio-economic and psychological concerns of people living with disabilities, their families and their communities. This book should be on the shelf of anyone working on disability in Southern Africa – but just as importantly - with 15% of the world’s population now living with a disability, this volume should be read and shared by all who work on international development, global public health and social justice issues throughout the region.' Nora Ellen Groce, PhD, Leonard Cheshire Research Centre, University College LondonTable of ContentsPart 1: Disability Inclusion and Sustainable Development 1. Introduction: Critical Connections and Gaps in Disability and Development 2. Leave No One Behind: Disability Mainstreaming in Action 3. Reflections on the Development of the National Disability Mainstream Plan in Lesotho 4. Theatre for Development: Bringing Disabled Students’ Hidden Transcripts out of the Closet 5. Building Sustainable Communities: Why Inclusion Matters in the Post-Conflict Environment 6. Experiences of Disabled People in Using Information and Communication Technology in Mozambique Part 2: Access to Education 7. Personal Reflections of Disabled Women on Access to Early Childhood Education in Zimbabwe 8. Educating Deaf Children in Mainstream and Special Secondary School Settings: Inclusive Mirage or Reality? 9. Using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health Model in Changing the Discourse of Disability to Promote Inclusive Education in Zambia 10. Examining the Effectiveness of the Special Class Model in Zimbabwe Part 3: Inclusion in Higher Education 11. When Rights are Discretionary: Policy and Practice of Support Provision for Disabled Students in Southern Africa 12. Access, Equality and Inclusion of Disabled Students within South African Further and Higher Educational Institutions Part 4: Disability, Employment, Entrepreneurship & CBR 13. Community-Based Rehabilitation for Inclusive Social Development in Southern Africa 14. Employment, Entrepreneurship and Sustainable Development Issues in Southern Africa 15. Enhancing Realistic Hopes and Aspirations towards Vocational Choices: Focus on Deaf Secondary Students in Zimbabwe Part 5: Religion, Gender and Parenthood 16. The ‘Unholy Trinity’ against Disabled People in Zimbabwe: Religion, Culture and the Bible 17. Addressing Disability and Gender in Education Development: Global Policies, Local Strategies 18. Socio-economic Barriers faced by Women with Disabilities in Zimbabwe 19. Disability, Intimacy and Parenthood: Deconstructing ‘Mutually Exclusive’ Constructs Part 6: Tourism, Sports and Accessibility 20. Disability and Tourism in Southern Africa: A Policy Analysis 21. State and Status of Wheelchair Basketball Facilities in Zimbabwe 22. Mobile Outreach Seating Clinics: Improving Access to Wheelchair and Support Services Part 7: Narratives from Disability Activists 23. A Citizen of Two Worlds 24. Disability Advocacy through Media: Action Power 25. Disability Advocacy in Action: Why I Built an Accessible House in Zimbabwe 26. The Security Guard who turned the Lawyer into A Disability Activist 27. ‘For I know the Plans that I have for you’: the Story of my Life 28. Concluding Remarks and Future Direction

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Book SynopsisAs a person involved in the care and development of individuals with disabilities, you have both the opportunity and challenge to provide movement experiences that fit within the scope of each person's abilities. Physical Activities In the Wheelchair and Out: An Illustrated Guide to Personalizing Participation helps you create physical activity options that encourage success by honoring the capabilities of each person under your care. Physical Activities In the Wheelchair and Out is an illustrated book of games, skills, and activities for individuals with severe or multiple disabilities who may or may not use wheelchairs. The book can also be used with students who have normal developmental skills. By suggesting ways that many familiar skills, games, and activities might be performed, Physical Activities In the Wheelchair and Out offers opportunities for those with mobility challenges and disabilities to participate on their own terms. Written by E. Ann Davis, with a foreword by Lauren Lieberman,Physical Activities In the Wheelchair and Out emphasizes the importance of creating movement experiences that offer participants with physical limitations a sense of confidence and increased self-esteem. Rather than require individuals to follow preconceived activity patterns, Physical Activities In the Wheelchair and Out offers you the tools to help each participant enjoy movement while working according to his or her own abilities. This easy-to-use reference organizes activities and skills as individual and partner actions focusing on body awareness, body actions, and basic manipulative skills. You'll find simple ideas and guidelines for modifying each activity to fit the needs of each person. Following the basic guidelines, these activities allow each individual to participate to the extent he or she is able. Whether you are a teacher, therapist, recreation specialist, caregiver, or parent, Physical Activities In the Wheelchair and Out offers a wealth of ideas to help you encourage people with disabilities to develop basic movement skills in ways that meet their unique abilities: Over 450 skills and activities for individuals with severely limited or low mobility and disabilities 25 illustrated games focusing on body awareness, body actions, and basic manipulative skills Flexible design of activities and games offering modifications for individuals seated in chairs or wheelchairs or on the floor More than 450 illustrations conveying the accompanying instructions in an easy-to-follow visual format Over 100 additional activity ideas to try on your own or incorporate within the games presented in the book Activities are specifically designed for those with delayed or poor motor coordination and control and limited physical skill. The activites can be easily incorporated within adapted physical education, therapeutic recreation, and home settings. Most important, the activities and games in Physical Activities In the Wheelchair and Out offer the experience of physical successand enjoymentfor those whose physical limitations create daily movement challenges.Table of ContentsChapter 1. Body Awareness Chapter 2. Drop Chapter 3. Push Chapter 4. Toss Chapter 5. Throw Chapter 6. Kick Chapter 7. Catch Chapter 8. Strike Chapter 9. Odds and Ends Chapter 10. Games The Last Word

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewMore Than Medals is an excellent and well-researched book which will speak to many readers, and which breaks ground in the study of disability sports - not solely in Japan or Asia, but in general! * The International Journal of the History of Sport *The author provides excellent background on the organization of sporting associations. Employing diverse sources ranging from personal narratives to mass media accounts and institutional materials, Frost shows that disability sports have offered a prominent, though until now undertheorized, arena in which postwar Japan has interrogated and challenged notions of disability, national pride, and athletic excellence. * Choice *Dennis J Frost's More Than Medals: A History of the Paralympics and Disability Sports in Postwar Japan is a very comprehensive historiography of this topic, applying the author's careful review of Japanese primary sources, including literature and interviews. Foreign-language speakers of any language have difficulty accessing the references in the field, as I have experienced as a native speaker of Japanese and with English as a foreign language. Thus, I think Frost has done an excellent job with this historical study. Overall, this book has outstanding analyses of disability sports in Japan. I encourage my colleagues in disability studies, both in Japan and outside the country, to read this work. * H-Net *More than Medals is a meticulously researched book with rich information, including interviews with key people and literature reviews, deep analyses, and powerful insights. It is very readable as well. For me, this book has been a source of great delight. * ScienceOpen.com *More Than Medals gives a detailed, nuanced analysis of how disability sports have transformed over the last fifty years. Frost's study is a welcome addition to the field of sports history. * Studies on Asia *Frost's pioneering and well-researched monograph has to offer to scholars and students of sports history, disability studies, and contemporary Japanese history[.] * Monumenta Nipponica *Table of ContentsIntroduction: The Paralympic Movement in Japan: An Imperfect Success Story 1. Tokyo's Other Games: The Origins and Impact of the 1964 Paralympics 2. Lost Games: The Far East and South Pacific (FESPIC) Games for the Disabled, 1975–2006 3. Japan's "Cradle of Disability Sports": Ōita and the International Wheelchair Marathon, 1981– 4. A Turning Point: The 1998 Winter Paralympics in Nagano 5. Athletes First: Preparing for the 2020 Tokyo Summer Paralympic Games Coda: The 2021 Problem

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Book SynopsisHow does a small provincial city in southern Japan become the site of a world-famous wheelchair marathon that has been attracting the best international athletes since 1981?In More Than Medals, Dennis J. Frost answers this question and addresses the histories of individuals, institutions, and eventsthe 1964 Paralympics, the FESPIC Games, the Oita International Wheelchair Marathon, the Nagano Winter Paralympics, and the 2021 Tokyo Summer Games that played important roles in the development of disability sports in Japan. Sporting events in the postwar era, Frost shows, have repeatedly served as forums for addressing the concerns of individuals with disabilities. More Than Medals provides new insights on the cultural and historical nature of disability and demonstrates how sporting events have challenged some stigmas associated with disability, while reinforcing or generating others.Frost analyzes institutional materials and uses close readings of medTrade ReviewMore Than Medals is an excellent and well-researched book which will speak to many readers, and which breaks ground in the study of disability sports - not solely in Japan or Asia, but in general! * The International Journal of the History of Sport *The author provides excellent background on the organization of sporting associations. Employing diverse sources ranging from personal narratives to mass media accounts and institutional materials, Frost shows that disability sports have offered a prominent, though until now undertheorized, arena in which postwar Japan has interrogated and challenged notions of disability, national pride, and athletic excellence. * Choice *Dennis J Frost's More Than Medals: A History of the Paralympics and Disability Sports in Postwar Japan is a very comprehensive historiography of this topic, applying the author's careful review of Japanese primary sources, including literature and interviews. Foreign-language speakers of any language have difficulty accessing the references in the field, as I have experienced as a native speaker of Japanese and with English as a foreign language. Thus, I think Frost has done an excellent job with this historical study. Overall, this book has outstanding analyses of disability sports in Japan. I encourage my colleagues in disability studies, both in Japan and outside the country, to read this work. * H-Net *More than Medals is a meticulously researched book with rich information, including interviews with key people and literature reviews, deep analyses, and powerful insights. It is very readable as well. For me, this book has been a source of great delight. * ScienceOpen.com *More Than Medals gives a detailed, nuanced analysis of how disability sports have transformed over the last fifty years. Frost's study is a welcome addition to the field of sports history. * Studies on Asia *Frost's pioneering and well-researched monograph has to offer to scholars and students of sports history, disability studies, and contemporary Japanese history[.] * Monumenta Nipponica *Table of ContentsIntroduction: The Paralympic Movement in Japan: An Imperfect Success Story 1. Tokyo's Other Games: The Origins and Impact of the 1964 Paralympics 2. Lost Games: The Far East and South Pacific (FESPIC) Games for the Disabled, 1975–2006 3. Japan's "Cradle of Disability Sports": Ōita and the International Wheelchair Marathon, 1981– 4. A Turning Point: The 1998 Winter Paralympics in Nagano 5. Athletes First: Preparing for the 2020 Tokyo Summer Paralympic Games Coda: The 2021 Problem

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Book SynopsisReach for the Racquet is the story of a young Sikh man, Meva Dhesi, who overcomes adversity following a horrific car accident and ultimately achieves his dreams of becoming a competitive badminton and Para badminton player. With the help of his amputee and badminton friends, Sikh religion, close family, and surrounding community, Meva found he could recover, rehabilitate, get fit, compete, and most important of all, succeed. His story is brought to life in witty, humorous prose. It will inspire anyone who is facing challenges and struggles to overcome and reach their goals. The sky's the limit!

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Book SynopsisOn 31st January 2010, Trooper Corie Mapp of The Life Guards was driving his armoured vehicle on combat operations in Afghanistan when it ran over an IED. The explosion that followed caused him massive injuries. But this was not the end of his active life but rather the beginning. The next thing Corie remembers was waking in the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Selly Oak, Birmingham, not realising that he was a double amputee. Two months later, and having made an almost miraculous against-the-odds recovery, Corie was back with his regiment in Windsor, and continued to serve until 2013. Sport was an important part of Corie's life before the explosion and a vital one after. In rehabilitation, he rediscovered his sporting skills, and competed successful in disabled cricket at a national level, and was a member of Team GB for sitting volley ball and athletics at the Warrior and the Invictus Games. However, when he was offered the chance to bobsleigh, his horizons widened considerably. After just one year of training, in 2014 Corie won gold in the inaugural Para Bobsleigh World Cup competition in St Moritz, was second overall in the World Cup 2014/15 season and became the overall World Cup champion in 2018. In the 2021-22 season, he will continue to train and compete at the highest levels in North America and Europe. On the international bobsleigh circuit he is affectionately known 'Black Ice'. This book is Corie Mapp's remarkable story of triumph over adversity.Trade Review"No matter what obstacles have come his way in life, he will never give up until he overcomes them. With sheer determination, strength and courage, Corie has proved to be top of whatever sport he has taken on at an elite level. The incredible list of his personal and professional accomplishments just keeps growing." Les Ferdinand MBE Director of Football, Queens Park Rangers Football Club;Table of ContentsPreface by Les Ferdinand Foreword by the Rt Hon Sir Hugh Robertson A Personal View by Barney Campbell Prelude A Moment of Truth 1. Bimshire 2. Pride and Industry 3. The Beat of a Distant Drum 4. A Donkey Walloper in Khaki 5. A Tin in the Kit 6. Marilyn Monroe 7. Mount Doom 8. Operation MINIMISE 9. Back on Two Feet 10. Playing to Win 11. The Purest Form of Insanity 12. Life, Death and the Whole Black Thing postscript And finally . . . Glossary of Army slang etc Index Acknowledgements About the co-author About the Household Cavalry Foundation

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