by Roger Ebert
First published 2003
Roger Ebert opens with the moment a bullet pierced his spine at age six, changing everything. He takes readers through sixty years of navigating life from a wheelchair, sharing both victories and setbacks as he pursues excellence despite his inability to walk. Ebert examines how rehabilitation methods have evolved since 1943 while criticizing medical professionals who fail to understand long-term spinal cord care. He addresses the 10,000 Americans who suffer these injuries annually, offering practical guidance for living fully after such trauma. The book explores his four-decade marriage to a woman who also uses a wheelchair, showing how two people built a complete relationship around shared understanding. Ebert speaks directly to families and caregivers, emphasizing that wheelchairs only limit people as much as they allow. At its heart, this memoir demonstrates how determination and proper support can create a rewarding existence after devastating injury.
Genres: medical, autobiography, biography-memoir, disability
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: overcoming-adversity, personal-journey
106 pages · Paperback · iUniverse, Inc.