I Don't Do Disability and Other Lies I've Told Myself

A beautifully intimate blend of personal narrative, cultural critique, and sharp-eyed social commentary on disability and motherhood, this stirring debut is lyrical, heartfelt, and uncomfortably honest. Adelle Purdham, with uncanny precision, cuts our heart strings and dissects our minds with her archeological approach to excavating life's difficult truths. I Don't Do Disability and Other Lies I've Told Myself is a riveting collection of essays that will deeply resonate with readers. * Lindsay Wong, author of The Woo-Woo *
At its heart, I Don't Do Disability And Other Lies I've Told Myself is a story about creativity and love, the essential ingredients necessary to harness the wildness and the wonder of our world, and, in Purdham's case, to face down inherent ableism, both in herself and others. Purdham shows us that disability is life, and she illustrates this with fierce veracity and through intensely readable prose, writing with a wisdom and clarity that comes from great self-reflection and research, but also via the simple act of living. * Emily Urquhart, author of Ordinary Wonder Tales *
Beautiful and moving. * Ayelet Tsabari, author of The Art of Leaving *
The essays cover topics from raising a child with Down syndrome, to homelessness and our responsibility to each other, to the role of fantasy in relationships, and more. * Cooper Lee Bombardier, author of Pass with Care *
Purdham's fearless honesty and vulnerability fills these pages with magic. This is a stunning debut. * Christina Myers, author of The List of Last Chances *
An extraordinary memoir that takes us on an arduous journey of heartbreak and evolving new ways of perceiving love - even meaning, itself. * Betsy Warland, author of Breathing the Page *
At once heartbreakingly honest and defiantly joyful, I Don't Do Disability and Other Lies I've Told Myself is a poetic tribute to the relationships that have shaped Adelle, her family, and their experiences with Down syndrome. Beautiful, deliberate, and thought provoking. * Jen Sookfong Lee, author of Superfan *