The Disability Book Archive

[ID: A book cover. A painting. Person in an orange coat with a walking crutch stands in front of a window. A large, black and white cat is behind them. The painting is in a black rectangle. Above it, the phrase “The Cambridge Companion to” in small, yellow caps. Below the painting, the title of the book “Literature and Disability” in large, yellow capitals. Below it, the text “Edited by Clare Barker and Stuart Murray” in smaller, white italics. The shape has a gold border, and is edited over a larger version of the painting. /end]

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Content Warning:

• References to historical ableism
• References to historical prejudice
• TBD

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Summary:

This Companion analyzes the representation of disability in literatures in English, including American and postcolonial writing, across all major time periods and through a variety of critical approaches. Through the alternative ideas of mind and embodiment generated by physiological and psychological impairments, an understanding of disability narrative changes the way we read literature. With contributions from major figures in literary disability studies, The Cambridge Companion to Literature and Disability covers a wide range of impairments, including cognitive difference, neurobehavioral conditions, and mental and chronic illnesses. This book shows how disability demands innovation in literary form and aesthetics, challenges the notion of a human ‘norm’ in the writing of character, and redraws the ways in which writing makes meaning of the broad spectrum of humanity. It will be a key resource for students and teachers of disability and literary studies.

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Notes:

This book is a part of the “Cambridge Companion” series.

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Archivist Comments:

I read two essays in this book for a project, and honestly they were great but there is a lot of information here. I don’t know all the content warnings and whatnot, so if anyone has information regarding that it would be appreciated.

Also, if anyone knows what that painting is on the cover please let me know.

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