Reads SUMMER
BY KATIE CAMPBELL
Looking for a good book to sink your teeth into this summer? Here are seven books from d/Deaf, disabled and neurodivergent authors for you to delve into
The Pretty One: On Life, Pop Culture, Disability, and Other Reasons to Fall in Love With Me by Keah Brown Creator of the viral hashtag #DisabledAndCute Keah Brown has a non-disabled twin sister, who friends called “the pretty one.” With friends like that, who needs enemies? This collection of non-fiction essays explore Keah’s identities as a Black and disabled woman in white, non-disabled America with grace, humour, and poise, celebrating the love that Keah found for herself - and that you should find for yourself, too.
The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang
The debut novel from Helen Hoang follows Stella Lane in her quest to integrate romance into her life; Stella is autistic, and to her French kissing reminds her of a shark having its teeth cleaned by other fish. She turns to Michael, a professional escort, to help her improve her experiences in the shark tank that is dating. This novel was followed by a sequel, The Bride Test, with another in the works. The author herself is autistic.
Hyperbole and a Half: Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem, and Other Things That Happened by Allie Brosh Allie is the creator of the fantastically funny and always relatable webcomic Hyperbole and a Half, as well as everyone’s favourite “[x] all the things” meme. A combination of memoir and graphic novel, the book is laugh-out-loud funny while it explores the nuances of life through Allie’s trademark simplistic yet heavily expressive art style. At times, it takes a look into Allie’s life as she navigates the world while living with depression, and while it can be unflattering at points, it’s relatable and honest.
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posabilitymagazine.co.uk
