New in the PRC Library …

In Sickness and In Health – Love, Disability and A Quest To Understand the Perils and Pleasures of Interabled Romance by Ben Mattlin. Beacon Press 2018

One of Mattlin’s quests in writing this book was to find out if interabled pairings (meaning one partner is able bodied and the other lives with a disability) are truly as unusual or rare as might be thought. Through conversations with other couples with varying abilities, ethnic backgrounds and orientations, Mattlin went on a quest for clarity.

Many years after their first date, Ben Mattlin’s wife remembers what caused her to fall in love with Ben--his confidence and determination.One of the first date memories she recalls is when Ben convinced her to ride on his lap in his wheelchair after a concert. Occasionally they still use that way of travel unbothered by the stares of onlookers.

During the course of reading this book, you’ll meet people who discuss their interabled romances along with the joys and challenges of life. Another thing you will find is an unpolished glimpse of how the lives of interabled couples compare and differ from non-interabled relationships from first dates to widowhood.

A copy of this book can be checked out from the Paralysis Resource Center’s library.

Please see the online catalog and borrowing instructions.