2022: A perfect companion for anyone looking to be a better ally or learn more about people with disabilities.

When you hear the phrase "do the work", "do your research", or "don't expect us to educate you, find the resources yourself", this is the book we are talking about! Plenty of books and educational materials exist about the disabled community; don't expect your disabled friends to take on the burden of having to educate you if they don't want to.

Luckily, Emily Ladau is here to answer all of your questions, ones you have had for a while, and ones you've never even thought about. She does a wonderful job of navigating some universal truths about the disabled community, while allowing for a wide variety of opinions and responses. Trying to nail down exactly how every single disabled person will respond to a situation is a bit like saying that all left-handed people will respond a certain way. Sure, they might all hate spiral bound notebooks, but that's about the limit to the generalizations you can make.

I thought that Ladau was an extremely patient guide and super encouraging, no matter your previous experience with the disabled community. She was very certain on some unwavering no-no's, but will be happy to hold your hand as you ask questions and continue to learn and grow. I would feel very comfortable sharing this with my parents, with my friends, with pretty much anyone at any level. Give it a read, because an estimated 15% of Americans are disabled, and it's up to you to do the work.