Able-bodied
A large Wagnerian grandmother. A great-aunt known as ‘the Buchenwald chicken’. Shame and misery on the sports field. A club-footed father who disappeared to the golf course every weekend. How do these experiences lead to a career in psychology? Able-Bodied is a unique account of how being the son of a disabled man and the product of an eccentric family brought Leslie Swartz to a professional life working with disability issues. At the heart of this tale is a moving account of a complex, troubled, but loving father–son relationship, a relationship that spurred a lifetime of trying to understand and come to grips with what different bodies and different abilities mean for us all. With wit, compassion, frankness and irreverence, Swartz considers the challenges faced by families, academics, institutions and everyone trying to make a positive difference to society. Poignant and often hilarious, Able-Bodied is a tale of conflict, achievement, pain and triumph. It is a fascinating blend of personal narrative, anecdote and reflection on society, medicine and ethics.

About the Author - Leslie Swartz
Leslie Swartz is a clinical psychologist and professor of psychology at Stellenbosch University. He is one of South Africa’s foremost scholars in disability studies, and an internationally recognised researcher and author. He has written and contributed to many books and articles on psychology, mental health and disability. Leslie lives in Cape Town with his wife Louise Frenkel, also a clinical ps ...[more about Leslie Swartz ]