Recs if you like Sitting Pretty: The View from My Ordinary Resilient Disabled Body...

Books that are part memoir part another genre: in a way that blends multiple mediums and/or themes in unique and engaging ways. Magical, explosive and memorable narratives expressed with creativity and depth. Books that inspire me to write more.

in honor of disability pride month, here is a series on the colours of the flag! our fifth colour on this flag is red, which represents any and all physical disabilities. examples of physical disabilities include cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, celiac disease, dwarfism, diabetes, wheelchair users, polio, asthma, muscular dystrophy, cancer, scoliosis, ALS, arthritis and many more. books within this list will be both fiction and non-fiction. as always, feel free to comment any you recommend!

A huge list of nonfiction books encompassing Disabled, Deaf, Neurodivergent, Ill bodyminds.

Similar lists of mine to check out: Disabled, Deaf, Neurodivergent, Ill Poetry AND Disability Sexuality

Non-fiction books about disability by disabled authors

books written by disabled authors

Books that specifically focus on the intersection between being LGBTQ and disabled. Contains some books looking at ways to feel like a sexual person when disabled.

mental and physical disabilities across all genres

A collection of books by a range of disabled authors exploring what it means to navigate a world that isn’t built with accessibility in mind. Personal stories with sharp insight, these works challenge what we think we know about disability, chronic illness, mental health, neurodiversity, the myth of recovery, and what it means to belong.

List is a work in progress!

A collection of community recommendations for learning to live with a disability ❤️‍🩹

These books try to get to the root of what pain is and where it comes from and how humans have tried to treat it. From chronic illness, disability to medication. Nonfiction regarding health, women's health, mental health, painkillers, opium, the body and autoimmune diseases. This list is NOT about finding healing (since that is a very individual journey) but how to be seen and understood and how to find the words to describe pain and sickness.

Centering own voices, but inclusive of disability theory

I'm always looking for good disability rep in a good story, both fiction and non. Note on The Luminaries: specifically included for its rep of a MC who needs glasses, where it isn’t forgotten by the 2nd half of the story. Note on Set the Record Straight: I’ve chosen to focus on physical disabilities/chronic illnesses in this list - this is the exception. I thought it had such a good rep of neurodiversity that I had to include it.

It's towards the end of disability pride month, so I thought I would recommend some of the nonfiction books that I've either used for my studies or would handsell as a bookseller. If you have any other suggestions, let me know!

Everyone has a story, and some people get to tell them in a memoir.

these are some of my favorite read-by-the-author memoirs and nonfiction :) these are just titles i can personally vouch for, but i would welcome recommendations of books you’ve listened to and can vouch for as well!! (i have some ideas of books i want to list but won’t add them yet since I haven’t finished them)

This list includes non-celebrity memoirs that provide diverse life experiences that will make you feel all the emotions. Some of the authors may be popular online or widely known, but they are not industry celebrities.

Memoirs not released in 2026

Happy disability pride month!