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drbatfcc's review
5.0
Dense, but fascinating. A memoir of an artist with spina bifida - her experiences in the world, her artistic work highlighting the disability community, her collaborations, etc. A long, but very worthwhile read.
kleonard's review
2.0
A sprawling memoir by artist Riva Lehrer, who has spina bifida. Lehrer writes with gusto about her life and the lives of her family members, lovers, and friends, and while the writing is often interesting, it could have used a good, strong edit for clarity of chronology and other issues. And while Lehrer sets up the memoir by connecting herself with the mythical Golem, she only returns to this theme sporadically, making it feel like an add-on in many places. Lehrer does a good job of explaining the challenges she has face because of her disabilities and how she has incorporated disability and identity into her work, but unfortunately she also comes across as demanding, often unpleasant, and dismissive of others' concerns or needs.
itsambarnotamber's review
3.0
The beginning of the book is slow going but as she embraces who she is as an artist the book really picks up. It's not really a book about her spina bifida but more her life in all its detailed vulnerability while happening to have a physical disability. However as someone who works with the spina bifida community she is deeply ignorant in many ways and has this arrogance that everyone should live the life she lives. She mentions meeting other adults with spina bifida and how child like they are and how they all lived with their parents. She talks about purposely not having friends who were disabled until she absolutely had to. So much of how she hates how others view her is how she viewed people like her. She was part of the spina bifida community while knowing very little of it. Her life as an artist is incredible but her thoughts about the disability community, even while defending them and still acting as if she is above said community, leaves a bitter taste in your mouth. However, her writing style is beautiful and poetic and as she becomes more comfortable as an adult she is hilarious in the way she describes uncomfortable situations.
I met this author for a book reading and unfortunately that arrogance followed her in person and outside of her book. I still appreciate her honesty in this book even if her personality wasn't always likeable.
I met this author for a book reading and unfortunately that arrogance followed her in person and outside of her book. I still appreciate her honesty in this book even if her personality wasn't always likeable.
alexisrt's review
5.0
This was an outstanding memoir that deserves much more publicity than it seems to have had.
Riva Lehrer was born with lipomyelomeningocele, a form of spina bifida, in 1958--just when surgeons were beginning to operate on infants rather than waiting to see if they could survive. Her first two years were spent in Cincinnati Children's Hospital, before her parents were finally able to take her home. Since then, she's had dozens of surgeries. These things are important to know, but they are not who Riva Lehrer is. Her story is not just her disability, but her art, her family, and her activism, all inseparable.
Lehrer's story is one of identity: how she developed as a woman, as an artist, as a queer person, and as a disabled person, and how all those identities have intersected: the disabled are frequently desexualized, and her work as an artist has often focused on portraying disabled people. She discusses, openly and frankly, how society sees her and people like her. The book contains quite a few of her portraits, and for this reason I recommend getting the paper edition (or if you must read it as an ebook, do so on a good quality color tablet).
What marks the memoir is her glorious sense of compassion and sensitivity. Her parents, especially her mother, both loved her deeply and would have done anything for her, but were overprotective. Carole Horwitz Lehrer gave up a medical research career to have children; it was probably her actions that saved Riva's life and kept her from being institutionalized. At the same time, Carole dominated her daughter's life and made devastating medical decisions on her behalf. Riva is able to treat the complexity of her relationship with her mother, and her mother's own physical problems, with uncommon grace.
Her writing also shows the same care as her portraiture. There's a remarkable level of detail and precision, especially when discussing her family. The book is not funny, but Lehrer reveals herself as a person of great warmth and humor.
Although the book is not directly about religion at all, this is also a distinctly Jewish story, from her imagery of herself as the golem to the Jewish culture she was steeped in--adding yet another facet to her identity.
Riva Lehrer was born with lipomyelomeningocele, a form of spina bifida, in 1958--just when surgeons were beginning to operate on infants rather than waiting to see if they could survive. Her first two years were spent in Cincinnati Children's Hospital, before her parents were finally able to take her home. Since then, she's had dozens of surgeries. These things are important to know, but they are not who Riva Lehrer is. Her story is not just her disability, but her art, her family, and her activism, all inseparable.
Lehrer's story is one of identity: how she developed as a woman, as an artist, as a queer person, and as a disabled person, and how all those identities have intersected: the disabled are frequently desexualized, and her work as an artist has often focused on portraying disabled people. She discusses, openly and frankly, how society sees her and people like her. The book contains quite a few of her portraits, and for this reason I recommend getting the paper edition (or if you must read it as an ebook, do so on a good quality color tablet).
What marks the memoir is her glorious sense of compassion and sensitivity. Her parents, especially her mother, both loved her deeply and would have done anything for her, but were overprotective. Carole Horwitz Lehrer gave up a medical research career to have children; it was probably her actions that saved Riva's life and kept her from being institutionalized. At the same time, Carole dominated her daughter's life and made devastating medical decisions on her behalf. Riva is able to treat the complexity of her relationship with her mother, and her mother's own physical problems, with uncommon grace.
Her writing also shows the same care as her portraiture. There's a remarkable level of detail and precision, especially when discussing her family. The book is not funny, but Lehrer reveals herself as a person of great warmth and humor.
Although the book is not directly about religion at all, this is also a distinctly Jewish story, from her imagery of herself as the golem to the Jewish culture she was steeped in--adding yet another facet to her identity.
thechemicaldetective's review
5.0
A witty, intimate autobiography packed with portraits by the artist.
Lehrer considers how we see others, how others see us, and ruminates on objectivity - 'you can't make another's body except by pulling it through your own'.
Born with spina bifida, the story of Lehrer's fight to survive, the interminable medical procedures, how she regained control of her life, her courage and determination are moving and inspiring.
'At the heart of disability is imagination. We rethink every act of daily living, not to mention the obligations of a career. Imagination rules our lives. Even after we've reinvented how to shop, how to get to our job, how to find a job, our body decides that what you could do on Monday is no longer doable on Wednesday.'
I didn't want the book to end. Golem Girl felt like a long conversation with one of the most interesting people on the planet. And it really is a two way conversation. Throughout the book, Lehrer reflects on her own thoughts and actions, opening the door for the readers to ask questions of themselves.
Lehrer considers how we see others, how others see us, and ruminates on objectivity - 'you can't make another's body except by pulling it through your own'.
Born with spina bifida, the story of Lehrer's fight to survive, the interminable medical procedures, how she regained control of her life, her courage and determination are moving and inspiring.
'At the heart of disability is imagination. We rethink every act of daily living, not to mention the obligations of a career. Imagination rules our lives. Even after we've reinvented how to shop, how to get to our job, how to find a job, our body decides that what you could do on Monday is no longer doable on Wednesday.'
I didn't want the book to end. Golem Girl felt like a long conversation with one of the most interesting people on the planet. And it really is a two way conversation. Throughout the book, Lehrer reflects on her own thoughts and actions, opening the door for the readers to ask questions of themselves.