August Book Club Summary
For August we read and discussed : “Reflections from a different journey : what adults with disabilities wish all parents knew / edited by Stanley D. Klein and John D. Kemp ; foreword by Marlee Matlin; BARD: DB 58425. Tuesday, AUGUST 27, 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. Amazon Book Summary: [This book] presents 40 stories by successful adults who grew up with disabilities. They provide insights into what it is like to persevere in the face of community prejudices, and what it takes for families and children with disabilities to work together toward fulfillment.
Topics Discussed:
-Do we want to read more current essay compilations on disability/Hard of Hearing/deafness? Laura to research options.
-When was it common for children born with Down Syndrome to be recommended to be institutionalized? (One of the essays discussed this topic). “Before the 1980s, the overwhelming majority of people with Down syndrome in the United States were placed in institutions, often times as infants or young children” From Global Down Syndrome Website
-One of the essays discussed “Thalidomide babies.” What is Thalidomide: Wikipedia definition
Article on birth defects from the drug.
-Since we discuss BARD frequently and how we need to have books that are on BARD so our low vision members can access the books, here’s more info on it: It is National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled. Braille Audio Reading Download (BARD): https://www.loc.gov/nls/
-We plan to decide on the upcoming books for 2025. Be looking for an email from Laura about that.
-Author Ron recommends: William Kent Krueger: https://williamkentkrueger.com/
-Do we want to have one or more books that aren’t hearing loss related? (Perhaps William Kent Krueger?)
Next Book: SEPTEMBER 2024: “The unheard: a memoir of deafness and Africa” by Josh Swiller (nonfiction/memoir) BARD/NLS: BARD only: DB 67060. Tuesday, SEPTEMBER 24, 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. [ZOOM-Registration Link To Come]. Amazon Book Summary: A young man’s quest to reconcile his deafness in an unforgiving world leads to a remarkable sojourn in a remote African village that pulsates with beauty and violence.