Description
Book SynopsisFrom the Periphery consists of nearly forty first-person narratives from activists and everyday people who describe what it’s like to be treated differently by society because of their disabilities. Their stories are raw and painful but also surprisingly funny and deeply moving—describing anger, independence, bigotry, solidarity, and love, in the family, at school, and in the workplace.
Inspired by the oral historians Studs Terkel and Svetlana Alexievich,
From the Periphery will become a classic oral history collection that increases the understanding of the lived experiences of people with disabilities, their responses to oppression, and the strategies they use to fight for empowerment.
Trade Review"A mind-expanding collection of important stories." -- Kirkus Reviews
"This is a necessary book, and as uplifiting as it is heartbreaking. These voices have gone unheard for a long enough. May these stories of courageous American be read far and wide." Peter Orner, author of Am I Alone Here? , a finalist for the National Book Critic Circle Award
"At a time when people with disabilities face huge barriers to health care, the highest incarceration rates, and the most violence in schools, Justesen's book is a valuable tool for advocates, teachers, doctorseveryone seeking a broader understanding of people in our society who have faced and fought marginalization and discrimination. Justesen gives us a broad range of intense stories, with voices of people who live with every type of disability and who come from diverse cultures and ethnicities." Susan Mizner, disability counsel for ACLU
"In unfiltered and unvarnished stories, disabled people and parents honestly discuss their personal experiences as they move forward in life. Disabled people and nondisabled people will learn not only about the pain people experience but also what they are doing to empower themselves and others." Judith E. Heumann, international disability rights advocate
"A perfect primer for anyone interested in disability studies, oral histories, and getting to know the disabled community in a more personal way." Library Journal
"These first-person narratives are eye-opening, honest, and compelling." Booklist
