I normally don't write about books - which is really odd considering I read A LOT.
So, I'm going to start writing about a book I've read, just finished reading or in the process of reading.
Today, you guessed it - The Body Silent by Robert F. Murphy.
Murphy is a anthropologist who becomes disabled - he chronicles the process of his disability, providing insight into his transformation from losing more abilities that he was accustomed to having. Power dichotomies, anthropological theory, struggle for identity are just few of the issues that are in the book.
While, I do have some critique of the book - primarily there are many anthropological theories in his prose - however, none are analyzed deeper than the surface level, this book left me with a few tears and many thoughts which can be summarized with one sentence from his book.
'We live within the walls of our own making, staring out at life through bars thrown up by culture and annealed by our fears' - p.230.
We like to think of disabled people as not having the capacity to take care of themselves - which really isn't the case. We are uncomfortable by the unknown - the chance interaction with our own fears.
Yet, we all create our bars. Congratulating others about things we would never consider possible for ourselves.
If this book has taught me anything - its perhaps the people who live the mundane life that are the most disabled - the ones that do not feel pain, dispair, hope and triumphs.
Mahalo for reading.
Until next time.
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