As everyone knows I love to read. I love to read books about everything and anything. When asked to review Weirder than Marshmallows, I was amazed to learn the author is disabled (just like me)! I was also saddened to learn that the author had passed away, meaning this would be something I would truly treasure because I wouldn’t be able to read anything more by Dan Fogg!
The reason I was drawn to this book is because not only is it full of funny (TRUE), interesting, and abnormal stories but because it gave Dan’s account of living life in a wheelchair. It gave his honest approach to life as a person with a disability, his message is simple “Everyone would like to be included and treated like a human being” (my words not his).
I truly believe this book would be great for any person, it make lights of several things that people think but rarely speak about.
For instance, I loved the stories in the ”Do Not Stop on Tracks” about all the things we should know but don’t seem to be able to do without a warning sign. A perfect example used in the book is lighter fluid, most people realize we should not consume this, shouldn’t put this on our skin, and shouldn’t dare spray it on a lit flame but because someone didn’t heed this warning, we have labels on the lighter fluid.
My favorite chapter is “McBlinded” about a pink McDonald’s which caused something to happen because someone couldn’t take their eyes off the pink, and not paying attention to where they were going. I laughed the whole way through the story! I truly believe this is a great story to share with people, especially a great lesson for early drivers!
I found the story “Push Buttons” extremely comical because my phone seems to not like me at times either. Dan Fogg talks about how his phone seemed to work for everyone else but him, and I can really relate to this story. It seems Andy can get my phone to work when I’m so frustrated I’m shaking the dang thing while literally saying “Please work, I need to call my mom” or something like that! I really think these happen to everyone but we don’t tend to take the time to really talk about them, and I respect that Dan Fogg did!
The stories that hit close to home were “Dan’s Musing” which he really dives deep into being disabled, and how things that seem to help us normally tend to leave us separated from society. The fact is he’s right, we have a way of finding our way in but sometimes it’s difficult. I’m grateful to know that NightFire Publications had no problem with publishing this book, even though Dan Fogg does talk about his disability and how it relates him to society. It’s hard to find books that are really truthful about disabilities and this book surely holds no punches!
I really enjoyed this book, and I think that everyone should read it!
Click here to see original review. ~ Disclaimer: Reviewer was provided with a review copy of this book.
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