KU Libraries will be leading the university’s Common Book Program starting with the 2022-23 selection, “Disability Visibility: First-person Stories from the Twenty-First Century,” edited by disability rights activist Alice Wong.
The KU Common Book program is presented through a partnership between KU Libraries, the Hall Center for the Humanities, and the Division of Academic Success. With “Disability Visibility” KU celebrates its 10th Common Book, a program that builds community among students, faculty, and staff; encourages intellectual engagement through reading and discussion; and creates shared conversation about topics and issues of significance in today’s world.
During the fall semester, the students and faculty on campus, as well as the community at large, will be invited to read this anthology of personal essays by disabled people. The stories explore the complexities of the contemporary disabled experience, challenges assumptions, deepens understanding, and celebrates disability culture.
The KU Common Book Selection Committee and Steering Committee selected this anthology for its range of diverse perspectives on the lived experience of both visible and invisible disability. The book is easy to excerpt, accessible, and lends itself to a variety of disciplines as it comprises personal narratives, blog posts, manifestos, and eulogies as well as congressional testimony. A student reader on the Selection Committee said, “This book provides a unique perspective into the disability community that we can use to raise more awareness in our classes.”
There will be various opportunities for engagement with “Disability Visibility” and the Common Book program throughout the 2022-23 school year. If you’re interested in learning more about KU’s Common Book or wish to attend programs and events hosted by KU Libraries, contact Christy McWard, Executive Director of Communications & Advancement at cmcward@ku.edu.
