'What Happened to You?': Writing by Disabled Women - Hardcover

by Lois Keith (Editor)

Lois Keith was thirty-five, with a successful career, two daughters, and a partner of many years, when she was hit by a car and paralyzed from the waist down. Over the next few years, she discovered both a community of disabled people and a paucity of literature and public understanding about their lives.

In response, she began soliciting the manuscripts that make up What Happened to You?, a candid, powerful, and often hilarious collection of fiction, essays, and poetry by women with disabilities. Coming from a wide range of backgrounds and ages, impairments and experiences, the thirty-six women included in the book write on everything from access to abuse, equality to equanimity, in what may well be the definitive volume on living with a disability.

At the same time, this anthology tells a universal story about dealing with pain and illness, about overcoming prejudice and unjust legislation, and about the importance, regardless of an individual's fortitude, of creating a community.

Back Jacket

Lois Keith was thirty-five, with a successful career, two daughters, and a partner of many years, when she was hit by a car and paralyzed from the waist down. Over the next few years, she discovered both a community of disabled people and a paucity of literature and public understanding about their lives. In response, she began soliciting the manuscripts that make up "What Happened to You?", a candid, powerful, and often hilarious collection of fiction, essays, and poetry by women with disabilities. Coming from a wide range of backgrounds and ages, impairments and experiences, the thirty-six women included in the book write on everything from access to abuse, equality to equanimity, in what may well be the definitive volume on living with a disability. At the same time, this anthology tells a universal story about dealing with pain and illness, about overcoming prejudice and unjust legislation, and about the importance, regardless of an individual's fortitude, of creating a community.

Author Biography

Lois Keith is a disabled woman, and a teacher, writer, and editor. She has written two books on teaching English and a variety of articles, poems, and essays on disability issues. She lives in North London with her husband and two daughters. She is currently working on a novel.