About the Book
"I remember I believed all my problems would be solved, if only I were beautiful. Then I was beautiful."—Jonathan Mack, from his story "The Right Way to be Crippled and Naked."
Welcome to the worlds of the disabled. The physically disabled. The mentally disabled. The emotionally disabled. What does that word "disabled" mean anyway? Is there a right way to be crippled? Editors Sheila Black and Michael Northen (co-editors of the highly praised anthology Beauty is a Verb: The New Poetry of Disability) join newcomer Annabelle Hayse to present short stories by Dagoberto Gilb, Anne Finger, Stephen Kuusisto, Thom Jones, Lisa Gill, Floyd Skloot, and others. These authors—all who experience the "disability" they write about—crack open the cage of our culture's stereotypes. We look inside, and, through these people we thought broken, we uncover new ways of seeing and knowing.
About the Author :
Michael Northen is the editor of Wordgathering, A Journal of Disability Poetry and Literature. With Sheila Black and Jennifer Bartlet, he co-edited Beauty is a Verb: The New Poetry of Disability and is the past facilitator of the Inglis House Poetry Workshop for writers with disabilities. As an educator for over 40 years, he has taught adults with physical disabilities, women on public assistance, prisoners, and rural and inner city children. Sheila Black is the author of three poetry collections: Love/Iraq, House of Bone and, most recently, Wen Kroy, which won the 2011 Orphic Prize in Poetry from Dream Horse Press). She is also a co-editor with Jennifer Bartlett and Michael Northen of Beauty is a Verb: the New Poetry of Disability, published by Cinco Puntos Press and named a 2012 Notable Book for Adults by the American Library Association (ALA). She received a 2012 Witter Bynner Fellowship from the Library of Congress for which she was selected by Philip Levine. She lives in San Antonio, Texas where she directs Gemini Ink, a literary arts center.
Review :
"An anthology of finely crafted short fiction that represents the experiences of writers with disabilities. ... The voices and experiences represented here are plural. The perspectives of writers with disabilities are not monolithic, nor is there one way to write from those perspectives." --Foreword Reviews "This fine collection of stories, written by authors who live with disability, fills a space on the world's bookshelves that has sat empty for far too long. But the fictional riches to be found in these narratives - which range across a vast span of characters, voices, situations, styles, and genres - are united in additional ways: attention to literary craft, loyalty to emotional authenticity, and the outright rejection of every disability cliche there is. A must-have book not just for lovers of literature, but for all who embrace the exquisite diversity of humanity." --Rachel Simon, author of Riding The Bus With My Sister and The Story of Beautiful Girl "Each piece in this much-needed anthology of short stories disrupts stereotypes. While characters with disabilities do appear in traditional literature--often as misrepresented stock figures--the characters featured in this collection defy harmful assumptions. Created by writers with disabilities, these vivid, engaging short fiction pieces can alter the way disability is perceived. I will definitely use this book in my classes." --Patricia Dunn, Stony Brook University, author of Disabling Characters "The Right Way to be Crippled and Naked reminds us that disability is as ubiquitous in life and literature as love or death. With voices so distinct and diverse this theme becomes an abundant watershed. And in the hands of artists who actually know their subject matter, who embrace their identities, the theme is elevated to incandescence. What remains is a kernel of humanity: at its best, at its worst, and in all of its splendor." --Eileen Cronin, author of Mermaid "This is a fiercely unsentimental, deeply moving, sometimes thrilling, and utterly necessary book. These stories use the lens of physical and mental disability to enlarge and complicate our sense of the world. Characters who are too often invisible to the eye of mainstream culture shine in these pages, sharing pain, wisdom, and humor. This is a book we've needed for a long time. A great collection, too, for anyone who teaches fiction writing." --Jane McCafferty, author of First You Try Everything "For those already familiar with disability literature to those new to the genre, there are stories to delight and challenge all readers here. The Right Way to be Crippled & Naked brings together a diverse chorus of voices who explore the joys and pains of the human experience with humour, compassion, anger, and unflinching honesty. Quite simply, an outstanding and memorable anthology." --Kathryn Allan, author of Accessing the Future "Here are stories of lust and sex, news of work-arounds and strange sensations, tales of mythic patience and pissed-off patients, flash fictions of protest and red-glitter keyboards. These stories arrive full-blooded and bloody, and difference leaves its trail on form and content. Highly recommended." --Petra Kuppers, University of Michigan, author of Studying Disability Arts and Culture
