Golem Girl: A Memoir - 'A hymn to life, love, family, and spirit' DAVID MITCHELL

The memoir of Riva Lehrer, an artist born with spina bifida, explores her search for freedom and connection in a society afraid of strange bodies. It is a vibrant and illustrated tale of tenacity and creativity, challenging societal norms and celebrating disability as an opportunity for innovation and resistance.

Format: Hardback
Length: 448 pages
Publication date: 08 December 2020
Publisher: Little, Brown Book Group

"Golem Girl" is a captivating memoir by DAVID MITCHELL, the author of "Cloud Atlas." It tells the inspiring story of an artist born with disabilities who embarks on a quest for freedom and connection in a society that often fears and marginalizes the unfamiliar.

Born in 1958 with spina bifida, Riva Lehrer faced numerous challenges and expectations from the medical community. Her parents and doctors believed that her condition was a permanent disability that would limit her opportunities and prevent her from living an independent life. However, Riva refused to accept these limitations and embarked on a journey to defy the odds.

As an adult, Riva was invited to join a group of artists, writers, and performers who were building Disability Culture. Their work was a radical rejection of the tropes that defined disabled people as pitiful, frightening, or worthless. They believed that disability was an opportunity for creativity and resistance.

Riva's involvement with this group transformed her perspective on her own identity and the world around her. She began to question the myths she had been told her entire life about her body, her sexuality, and other measures of normalcy. Through her art, she sought to create a space where bodies could flow between all possibilities, challenging the rigid boundaries imposed by society.

"Golem Girl" is written with the vivid, cinematic prose of a visual artist, and it is filled with love and playfulness. Riva's portraits, featured throughout the memoir, are stunning and evocative, capturing the essence of her subjects and challenging the way we see them.

This memoir is an extraordinary testament to the power of tenacity and creativity. It invites us to stretch ourselves toward a world where bodies are celebrated for their diversity and individuality, and where we can embrace the beauty and complexity of all human experiences.

Weight: 1024g
Dimension: 168 x 241 x 40 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780349014814