Nonfiction

Disability Pride All Year Long

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Kendra Winchester

Contributing Editor

Kendra Winchester is a Contributing Editor for Book Riot where she writes about audiobooks and disability literature. She is also the Founder of Read Appalachia, which celebrates Appalachian literature and writing. Previously, Kendra co-founded and served as Executive Director for Reading Women, a podcast that gained an international following over its six-season run. In her off hours, you can find her writing on her Substack, Winchester Ave, and posting photos of her Corgis on Instagram and Twitter @kdwinchester.

As July comes to a close, so does Disability Pride Month. Throughout this season of celebrating disabled, chronically ill, Deaf, and neurodivergent authors, we’ve featured a host of memoirs, how-to, and other nonfiction titles. For the last day of Disability Pride, we’re delving into poetry inspired by the authors’ lives. But first, let’s jump into bookish goods!

Bookish Goods

a photo of cartoon cat bookmarks all laid out in a row

Long Cat & Dog Bookmarks by SeriousOperation 

I might lean team Corgi, but I am 100% also team cat. These are ADORABLE. Perfect bookmarks for any cat lover. And never fear; click through and there are dog options, too! $4

New Releases

a graphic of the cover of The Missing Thread: A Women’s History of the Ancient World by Daisy Dunn

The Missing Thread: A Women’s History of the Ancient World by Daisy Dunn

Classicist Daisy Dunn highlights the role of women in the ancient world. From Cleopatra to Sappho, Dunn highlights women at the center of some of the greatest nations in the history of the world.

a graphic of the cover of Loud: Accept Nothing Less Than the Life You Deserve Drew Afualo

Loud: Accept Nothing Less Than the Life You Deserve by Drew Afualo

Social media star Drew Afualo shares the life lessons she’s learned over the course of her career. Loud—part memoir, part how-to—gives readers a look into Afualo’s life and presents her manifesto on living life and achieving success in today’s digital world.

For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter.

Riot Recommendations

a graphic of the cover of The Perseverance by Raymond Antrobus

The Perseverance by Raymond Antrobus

There’s a certain magic that happens when you listen to a poet perform their own work. Deaf British Jamaican poet Raymond Antrobus narrates his poetry collection, adding brief introductions to some of the poems that describe his use of illustrations of British Sign Language (BSL) in his poetry. Much of Antrobus’ poetry centers around his Deaf and biracial identity, and listeners can hear the emotion hanging on every word. With Antrobus’ attention to detail and moving performance, The Perseverance is a powerful Deaf poetry collection that is equally as impactful on audio.

a graphic of the cover of The Girl Aquarium by Jen Campbell

The Girl Aquarium by Jen Campbell

When I think about disabled poets and the incredible work they’re putting out there, Jen Campbell immediately comes to mind. Her poems explore themes around queerness, disability, and disfigurement. Her poems are often inspired by her own experience as a bisexual woman with Ectrodactyly Ectodermal Dysplasia Clefting Syndrome. Her poems all have a dream-like feel, not a word out of place.


That’s it for this week! You can find me over on my substack Winchester Ave, over on Instagram @kdwinchester, on TikTok @kendrawinchester, or on my podcast Read Appalachia. As always, feel free to drop me a line at kendra.d.winchester@gmail.com. For even MORE bookish content, you can find my articles on Book Riot.

Happy reading, Friends!

~ Kendra

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