Sitting Pretty

The View from My Ordinary, Resilient, Disabled Body

De: Rebekah Taussig

Narrado por: Rebekah Taussig

A memoir-in-essays from disability advocate and creator of the Instagram account @sitting_pretty Rebekah Taussig, processing a lifetime of memories to paint a beautiful, nuanced portrait of a body that looks and moves differently than most.

Growing up as a paralyzed girl during the '90s and early 2000s, Rebekah Taussig only saw disability depicted as something monstrous (The Hunchback of Notre Dame), inspirational (Helen Keller), or angelic (Forrest Gump). None of this felt right; and as she got older, she longed for more stories that allowed disability to be complex and ordinary, uncomfortable and fine, painful and fulfilling.

Writing about the rhythms and textures of what it means to live in a body that doesn’t fit, Rebekah reflects on everything from the complications of kindness and charity, living both independently and dependently, experiencing intimacy, and how the pervasiveness of ableism in our everyday media directly translates to everyday life.

Disability affects all of us, directly or indirectly, at one point or another. By exploring this truth in poignant and lyrical essays, Taussig illustrates the need for more stories and more voices to understand the diversity of humanity. Sitting Pretty challenges us as a society to be patient and vigilant, practical and imaginative, kind and relentless, as we set to work to write an entirely different story.

©2020 Rebekah Taussig (P)2020 HarperCollins Publishers

AMPLIFY this type of constructive, imaginative, and uplifting voice!!

Taussig’s words obliterate the distance between a rich life of experiences that so many of us would never bother peeking into. “Disabled? Me? Never! Why do I need to add this perspective to my repertoire?!” As caustically impudent as that sounds, it’s simple truth. We think our bodies and capabilities as infallible except to age and why would us with able bodied fret about something as far away as old age?! Well, Taussig presents an emotionally accessible, humorous, and educational journey that removes any doubt as to why accessibility and disability belongs in society’s evolving dialogues of inclusion and representation. I am so glad my mind was stretched because her insights are embedded in my mind. Thank you, Rebekah!

great book

absolutely wonderful. what a great book to share.
really good 4 everyone to read no matter what or how you move around or don't!

Learn how Disabled people experience life

This book was amazing. I’m so glad I was able to listen to it. As a fellow disabled person I related to it a lot. At the same time I think it’s a great book for non-disabled people to learn how they can be Ally to the largest minority in the world. The disabled community.

Opened my mind to what I and many need to know

Very well written and well read by the author. I highly recommend this book to anyone. It really opened my mind to what I take for granted and what it means to live in this society with so many people with different abilities that are ignored and undervalued. I hope to read more by this author.

Worth every second and penny--and a world more

Hearing this felt like having an eloquent writer turn my jumble of thoughts and feelings into words

Great book. A must read for everyone

Opened my eyes to ways to create a world more accessible and inclusive for people with disabilities.

Not written like a text book.

One of the more insightful books that discusses ableism. Had me in tears several times, and laughing at others. I highly recommend it.

I feel seen

it is so refreshing to read a book about someone who lives a life somewhat similar to one's own. it was great to hear someone share thoughts and feelings that I have had myself. I also learned that I really do have a whole lot of ableist beliefs and this book is going to motivate me to challenge my own ableist beliefs as well as others.

resiliency in the face of obstacles

its relevancy to me, as a fellow wheelchair dependent woman. We have much in common.

Eye opening

This story was recommended in a CP facebook group I am in for my son. I am really glad I read it to get this kind of perspective on life and the challenges that some may face. Great book!