Riva Lehrer

nonfiction/memoir - (incidentally bisexual) visual artist born in 1958 Cincinnati with severe spinal bifida.

it's easy to read this memoir, witnessing the author growing from a premature infant unlikely to survive her first 2 years, persisting as a charming little girl with the unceasing support of her mother and the family's indispensable housekeeper Dorie, and carrying herself forth into adulthood as a skilled painter--images of her paintings (in full color) accompany the text. Lehrer is funny and is also as skilled a storyteller as she is an artist--which is to say, very.
Don't skip the epilogue at the end (reflecting on disability rights post-COVID 19) and see also the notes on the portrait artwork included at the very end.… (mais)

Excellent read!

Riva Lehrer ‘tells’ her dramatic life story in detail, from birth to the present as well as its deep connection to her loving, and supportive family.

Lehrer purposely bares her heart and soul with words, and exposes her body, and those of her many, many warm-hearted, devoted friends, collaborators and subjects in her portrait paintings. She shows us how respecting our imperfect selves allows us to acknowledge, honor and nurture the goodness and grace in everyone.

A professional artist, teacher and life-long learner, her book, Golem Girl is a MUST READ for all of us now and forever. It is a wondrous, beautifully poetic masterwork filled with honesty, respect, kindness, integrity, humor and love.

As humans we are each unique but more significantly all the same.

Best book I've read this year, and probably for many years.

(This review does not do this book justice.)… (mais)