Remember 2003, the Year of the Disabled? This book is tethered to that moment—though what it actually changed in disabled people's lives remains unclear, except for one thing: a new term to describe them: "diversamente abili," or differently able. "Diversabilità" is also the title of Canevaro and Ianes's slim volume. In its opening pages, Claudio Imprudente—interviewed by the two authors—explains why that term matters, speaking from the perspective of someone with severe disability who is nonetheless extraordinarily active and committed. The authors weave together stories and conversations with Imprudente and other figures who, like him, are professionals deeply engaged in this field.
Through these experts, the book tackles essential themes: education, school integration and how it might improve, different types of disability, family, social life, rights. The interviews alternate with stories of disabled people that surface real problems tied to life's biggest questions—birth, growth, adolescence, self-realization, parents. The topics and questions posed to the experts feel genuinely interesting and grounded in the Italian context. The book is also reasonably priced. The only drawback: without an analytical index, it's hard to navigate unless you immediately connect each expert's name to their field of work. The volume ends with a useful—if incomplete—list of relevant films, magazines, websites, and organizations.
Cristina Tersigni, 2004