GIMP: When Life Deals You a Crappy Hand, You Can Fold -or You Can Play (Hardcover)
by Mark Zupan (Author), Tim Swanson (Author)

This is one of the best biographies I've ever read!Nobody could have told Mark's story as well as he does.Yes,he's often raunchy and rude throughout the book.But he's also brutally frank and honest.He doesn't hide or sugarcoat anything.He freely admits that he's been a major jerk at times.You will feel a lot of things for Mark while reading this,but one thing you won't feel is sympathy-and that's how he wants it.He wants you to treat him just like a normal person.You will,however,come away with a lot of respect for him,because he earns it.This is a remarkable story of triumph over tragedy.It's also in-your-face,no-nonsense biography at its best.

Accessible Home Design: Architectural Solutions for the Wheelchair User (Paperback)
by Thomas D. Davies Jr. (Author), Carol Peredo Lopez (Author)

What must I do to install an elevator in my two-story home? Can I retrofit my master bathroom to include a spacious roll-in shower? How can my flower garden be made more accessible? The architecture staff of the Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) has been solving these and other issues related to accessible design for decades.

Accessible home projects have always involved intricate planning and design, but their construction is often compromised because builders are unfamiliar with the specialized concepts and techniques. The need for expert information on this area of design is critical, and in response, PVA offers this revised and expanded second edition of Accessible Home Design.

Each chapter addresses accessibility related to specific building components. Subjects include entrances, residential elevators and lifts, kitchen design, bath and toilet room plans, plumbing fixtures, grab bars, doors, windows and outdoor rooms, and garden paths.

With careful planning and Accessible Home Design as your guide, you can develop attractive and functional designs that not only improve accessibility, but also increase the comfort and enjoyment of your home.

Wheelchair Selection and Configuration (Paperback)
by Rory A. Cooper (Author)

Wheelchair Selection and Configuration serves as an excellent resource for those learning about the "ins and outs" of wheelchairs.

Rolling Along: The Story of Taylor and His Wheelchair (Hardcover)
by Jamee Riggio Heelan (Author), Nicola Simmonds (Illustrator)

Have you ever wondered what goes on in the day of a wheelchair-using child? This book details all the triumphs and struggles of such a child. Taylor and Tyler are twins, but while Tyler can run, jump, and skip, Taylor has cerebral palsy and walks with a walker or uses the wheelchair. Readers can see how Taylor attends daily physical therapy sessions with Kathryn, a physical therapist, and how he colors, studies, and does other, ordinary activities with his brother. He even plays basketball in his wheelchair.

Tyler is helping Taylor learn to do wheelies with his wheelchair. Despite the daredevil connotation, wheelies are useful for getting up on curbs and other uneven spots.

Situations that hinder Taylor are those that unimpaired people probably don't notice: tall water fountains and sinks; small bathrooms; steps and stairs, and heavy doors. All public buildings after ADA are required to remedy these shortcomings (as far as I am aware), but of course, not every building is disabled accessible, even in 2005.

Illustrations are clever half drawings, half photographs. For example, photographed head and arms are joined by casually drawn bodies and props. This approach evokes more energy, perhaps, than mere photos of a boy in a wheelchair.

This engaging, positive view of cerebral palsy will have students saying, "Gee, I didn't know how much a disabled person can do."

Choosing a Wheelchair: A Guide for Optimal Independence (Paperback)
by Gary Karp (Author)

The wheelchair is a liberator, not a prison. With the right wheelchair, quality of life increases dramatically. Even people with severe disabilities can have a considerable degree of independence and activity. However, choosing the wrong chair can indeed be tantamount to "confinement." People selecting a chair for the first time can be distracted by emotions of loss or anger, overwhelmed with the amount that there is to learn and the number of features to consider, and unsure of their part in the selection process. Experienced chair users might know features on their present chair that don't work well, but are probably not aware of all the fast-changing choices in technology, features, or manufacturers. Choosing a Wheelchair: A Guide for Optimal Independence, a companion title to Life on Wheels guides you through the selection process to help you identify the chair that can provide you with optimal independence. Contents include:

• The wheelchair as a mobility tool
• The selection process and your part in it
• How to compare manufacturers (including smaller, niche manufacturers)
• Basic choices, such as power or manual? Fixed frame or folding?
• Features and options for both power and manual chair users
• Paying for the chair and insurance
• Wheelchair maintenance
• A primer on wheeling technique