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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.

Coming off of a holiday weekend, I had a little extra time to roam the internet and add even more books to my TBR. Far too many books seem to call my name. Essay collections, memoirs, histories, cookbooks — I love them all. Today, we’re looking at a couple new books and two of my favorites for Disability Pride Month. But first, bookish goods!

Bookish Goods

a photo of two mountain bookends made out of stained glass

Mountain Bookends by The Hampshire Lane Co

As a mountain girl, I LOVE all sorts of mountain decor, and these stained glass bookends are gorgeous. $35

New Books

a graphic of the cover of Dismantling Mass Incarceration by Premal Dharia; James Forman, Jr.; Maria Hawilo

Dismantling Mass Incarceration: A Handbook for Change edited by Premal Dharia, James Forman Jr., Maria Hawilo

This collection brings together some of our greatest minds to discuss the systemic issues around mass incarceration. From plans for intervention to a complete dismantling of our current carceral state, these essays present a range of possible solutions to bring hope for humanity and a brighter future.

a graphic of the cover of More, Please: On Food, Fat, Bingeing, Longing, and the Lust for "Enough" by Emma Specter

More, Please: On Food, Fat, Bingeing, Longing, and the Lust for “Enough” by Emma Specter

In her multi-model memoir, Emma Specter shares her experience of living with Binge-Eating Disorder. Using interviews and reporting — in addition to sharing her own experiences — Specter presents a complex portrait of a far too often misunderstood condition.

Riot Recommendations

a graphic of the cover of disability visability

Disability Visibility: First-Person Stories from the 21st Century edited by Alice Wong

Disability activist Alice Wong has gathered together some of the best disabled writers of the last few decades. This collection features authors from a wide range of backgrounds, each with their own unique experience of disability. Each essay gives a different perspective on what it’s like to live as a disabled person in the U.S. Plus, there are even more resources in the back of the book.

a graphic of the cover of A Face for Picasso: Coming of Age with Crouzon Syndrome by Ariel Henley

A Face for Picasso by Ariel Henley

Ariel Henley and her twin sister, Zan, were born with crouzon syndrome, a condition where their skulls fused too soon. Throughout their childhoods, they had dozens of procedures to save their lives and to make their faces more cosmetically “pleasing.”  A journalist who interviewed them said that they had a face for Picasso. This stayed with Henley, and she mulled over the meaning of the phrase for years. As she grows into her own, she begins to accept her body, and her reflection, for what it is. A Face for Picasso was named A Schneider Family Honor Book for Teens.


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 over on Book Riot.

Happy reading, Friends!

~ Kendra