MOTHER-DAUGHTER BOOK READING
On Sept 30, Shared Adventures sponsored a unique book-reading of two mother-daughter books. Danilyn Rutherford, mother of Mollie, a very active Shared Adventures participant, and author of Beautiful Mystery: Living in a Wordless World; and Dena Taylor and Becky Taylor, a local disability rights activist with cerebral palsy, who co-wrote, Tell Me the Number Before Infinity: The Story of a Girl with a Quirky Mind, an Eccentric Family, and Oh Yes, a Disability, did readings from their books.
Both books are touching and beautifully written stories. Danilyn is a trained as an anthropologist, which has given her both the personal and social perspective of living with Mollie, who is non-verbal. Besides being a loving and engaged mother, Danilyn also observes how society relates to Mollie and disabled individuals in general.
Before the book-reading, Danilyn was interviewed on NPR.
Dena Taylor is a recognized local writer, and she and Becky share telling the story of Becky’s path growing up and finding her place in the world in their book. Becky has a strong affinity for math, and has degrees in accounting and computer science (the title of the book is Becky’s answer–at age 4–to her father’s question to her as to whether infinity is an odd or an even number). Becky has been on the Santa County Commission on Disabilities for several of years.
Both books are available from Bookshop Santa Cruz and Amazon.
“A powerfully argued view of how to think about profound human difference.”
~ T.M. Luhrmann on Beautiful Mystery
“Should be required reading for teachers…and everyone in equity and critical disability studies.”
~ Gloria Filax on Tell Me the Number Before Infinity