This book takes stock of the disabled person's place in our society, beginning with a broad analysis of the problem and moving into the author's own lived experience. Angelini was born with cerebral palsy, and this gives him a rare vantage point from which to speak about disability in society — one grounded in personal knowledge rather than theory alone.
He starts by examining disability in general terms, describing the most common types. He then turns to the law: what protections exist, what rights are enshrined, what regulations are in place. From there, Angelini explores the sociological dimensions — voluntary associations, different models of integration (family, marriage, the problem of isolation, what technology makes possible). He closes with his own experiences across several domains: education, work, and sport. Since 1997, he has been a world champion bodybuilder in the disabled category. He speaks honestly about both the obstacles he has faced and his achievements.
Angelini holds degrees in law and political science. He lives independently, supported by his work as a lawyer and the help of a trained assistant. Throughout the book, he argues for a crucial shift in how we see disabled people: not as objects of our compassionate aid, but as active agents in their own lives.
The book does not offer concrete proposals for integrating disabled and non-disabled people. Instead, it describes the disabled person's current position in society and the barriers that emerge on both sides — obstacles that prevent genuine meeting and mutual enrichment. Real integration happens only when both sides accept each other as they are, when difference is recognized as a source of growth, when both are willing to exchange and learn. This requires us to overcome the prejudices that treat disability as a burden, and to truly know one another.
Written in clear, direct language, this book is for anyone who wants to understand this reality and grasp it as a whole.
Anna Pia Brancoli, 2000