CHALLENGED BY HANDICAP

by Richard Lyttle ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 1, 1970

Geared to inspire, as witness the sermonesque headings and uncritical, eulogistic biographies. ""A Child Shall Lead Them"" recalls Laura Bridgman (instead of Helen Keller, sensibly) and her struggle to penetrate the mysteries of language, but the crucial question goes unanswered -- ""How could Laura learn words for things she could not possibly touch?"" -- and the hollowness of her life and personality goes unmentioned. The nine other chapters deal with people whose often-anthologized experiences were not just symbolic, whose accomplishments were not (with a few exceptions) only functions of their handicaps: John Wesley Powell explored the Colorado River undeterred by the loss of an arm during the Civil War and became a respected, progressive geologist even with ""One Guiding Hand""; Karl Steinmetz, the hunchbacked electrical genius, came to terms (rather facilely here) with the problem of loneliness as adoptive parent, great friend, and ""Giver of Power."" What Pulitzer made of ""His Own World"" is celebrated, but his means of coping with his eventual blindness appear to have been solely financial -- by-products of wealth -- and his means of resolving the ""yellow-journalism"" scandal appear to have been wholly magical. Washington Roebling contracted paralyzing caisson disease (now ""the bends"") while supervising the construction of ""His Bridge"" (the Brooklyn); Dr. Edward Trudeau actually used his disease to research and reform TB treatment (""Physician, Heal Thyself""). Roy Campanella -- body damaged, ""Spirit Untouched"" -- and congenitally blind Jose Feliciano will be most familiar, but perhaps best is the story of Henry Viscardi, head of Just One Break (JOBs for the handicapped), himself born without legs, and as adept with artificial limbs as is Harold Russell (actor, lecturer, civil libertarian) with uncosmetic hooks for hands. None of these triumphs can be gainsaid, but the book -- however harmless -- is a conventional encomium, not a judicious appraisal.

Pub Date: Feb. 1, 1970

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Reilly & Lee

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 1970

Categories: NONFICTION