ONE COMMUNITY, MANY STORIES
Read • Meet • Discuss • Engage
Glenview Public Library's annual community-wide reading program returns! Join with friends, neighbors, and Library staff in reading, Haben: The Deafblind Woman Who Conquered Harvard Law by Haben Girma. After you've read the book, join us on March 5 for a virtual live interview with the author herself.
Copies of the book are available at the Reader Services Desk. Ebooks and audiobooks are also available for check out.
The Book
In her memoir, Haben takes readers through a game of blind hide-and-seek in Louisiana, a climb up an iceberg in Alaska, and a magical moment with President Obama at The White House. Warm, funny, thoughtful, and uplifting, this captivating memoir is a testament to one woman’s determination to find the keys to connection.
The Author
Haben Girma is a human rights lawyer advancing disability justice. President Obama named her a White House Champion of Change. She received the Helen Keller Achievement Award, a spot on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list, and TIME100 Talks. Haben was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, where she currently lives.
The Book
In her memoir, Haben takes readers through a game of blind hide-and-seek in Louisiana, a climb up an iceberg in Alaska, and a magical moment with President Obama at The White House. Warm, funny, thoughtful, and uplifting, this captivating memoir is a testament to one woman’s determination to find the keys to connection.
The Author
Haben Girma is a human rights lawyer advancing disability justice. President Obama named her a White House Champion of Change. She received the Helen Keller Achievement Award, a spot on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list, and TIME100 Talks. Haben was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, where she currently lives.
Programs & Book Discussions
Accommodations for Individuals with Disabilities
The Library provides ADA accommodations for Library programs and meetings. To request accommodations call 847.729.7500 or fill out the online form, opens a new window. The Library requires five business days' notice if special accommodation is needed.
A hearing loop is installed in the Community Room and Multipurpose Room for individuals with reduced ranges of hearing. T-coil hearing aid users can listen directly to the sound system using their hearing aids, while non-hearing aid users can listen through a headset using one of the Library's loop receivers.
Programs & Book Discussions
Accommodations for Individuals with Disabilities
The Library provides ADA accommodations for Library programs and meetings. To request accommodations call 847.729.7500 or fill out the online form, opens a new window. The Library requires five business days' notice if special accommodation is needed.
A hearing loop is installed in the Community Room and Multipurpose Room for individuals with reduced ranges of hearing. T-coil hearing aid users can listen directly to the sound system using their hearing aids, while non-hearing aid users can listen through a headset using one of the Library's loop receivers.
Discussion Points
What does the word “inspiring” mean in this context: The overuse of the word, especially for the most trivial things, has dulled its meaning. People sometimes even use the word as a disguise for pity. When do you think it would be okay to call a disabled person inspiring? How do you move beyond the “inspiration cliché”?
While she discusses many serious topics and events, Haben’s memoir is notably lighthearted and funny. What was your favorite humorous moment in the book?
“Ableism runs so deep in our society that most ableists don’t recognize their actions as ableist.” Can you think of a time when you or someone you know unintentionally did something ableist?
Discussion Points
What does the word “inspiring” mean in this context: The overuse of the word, especially for the most trivial things, has dulled its meaning. People sometimes even use the word as a disguise for pity. When do you think it would be okay to call a disabled person inspiring? How doe you move beyond the “inspiration cliché”?
While she discusses many serious topics and events, Haben’s memoir is notably lighthearted and funny. What was your favorite humorous moment in the book?
“Ableism runs so deep in our society that most ableists don’t recognize their actions as ableist.” Can you think of a time when you or someone you know unintentionally did something ableist?
Library of Things
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