Lives that change in an instant because—as the opening story in Extraordinary Lives 2: Stories of Men and Women Who Did Not Surrender begins—"bad things happen when you least expect them." Twenty-two narratives, vastly different from one another, chronicle existences rebuilt after devastating workplace injuries. They offer testimony—sometimes hopeful, sometimes not—to the profound struggle of finding one's way forward. As Antonella Patete writes in her introduction, "reclaiming your own life demands time, humility, and strength of spirit." The stories are accompanied by striking drawings by Lorenzo "Lore" Pierfelice, whose work does far more than decorate the page. Never pedantic, his illustrations deepen the narrative with layers of further reflection. Following Extraordinary Lives: Stories of Women and Men Who Made a Difference (2018—download it here), which gave voice to prominent figures, this second volume turns to the everyday. And finds the extraordinary in it.
Review by Giulia Galeotti