Disfigured

On Fairy Tales, Disability, and Making Space

By (author) Amanda Leduc
Categories: Sociology, Sociology and anthropology, Society and Social Sciences
Series: Exploded Views
Publisher: Coach House Books
Paperback : 9781552453957, 256 pages, February 2020

Description

Fairy tales shape how we see the world, so what happens when you identify more with the Beast than Beauty? | If every disabled character is mocked and mistreated, how does the Beast ever imagine a happily-ever-after? Amanda Leduc looks at fairy tales from the Brothers Grimm to Disney, showing us how they influence our expectations and behaviour and linking the quest for disability rights to new kinds of stories that celebrate difference.

Awards

  • Short-listed, Governor General’s Literary Award Nonfiction 2020
  • Short-listed, Aurora Awards "Best Related Work" 2021

Reviews

"Leduc persuasively illustrates the power of stories to affect reality in this painstakingly researched and provocative study that invites us to consider our favorite folktales from another angle. " —Sara Shreve, Library Journal

"She [Leduc] argues that template is how society continues to treat the disabled: rather than making the world accessible for everyone, the disabled are often asked to adapt to inaccessible environments. " —Ryan Porter, Quill & Quire

"Historically we have associated the disabled body image and disabled life with an unhappy ending” —Sue Carter, Toronto Star