Sipping Dom Pérignon Through a Straw: Reimagining Success as a Disabled Achiever
by Eddie Ndopu
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Description
"Global humanitarian Eddie Ndopu's rousing memoir about being both profoundly disabled and profoundly successful without trading one for the other. Eddie Ndopu grew up loving pop music and reruns of The Bold and the Beautiful, and as an adult he would become a globe-trotting disability activist. By his early twenties, he had rocketed through every boundary put in front of him--a queer, Black wheelchair user--challenging bias at the highest echelons of power and prestige. Born with spinal show more muscular atrophy, a rare degenerative motor neuron disease affecting his physical mobility, Eddie was told that he wouldn't live beyond age five. But using his razor-sharp mind and grit, Eddie became the first-ever disabled African awarded a full scholarship to the prestigious Oxford University for a master's degree in public policy, a remarkable feat worthy of a toast. But beyond the challenges that students face--making it to class on time, managing steamy crushes, and being student body president--Eddie faced obstacles as a disabled individual that often go unnoticed and unaddressed, namely a revolving door of care aides. Saddled with the burden of raising money to cover his most basic needs: a care aide, financial aid, and disability accommodations, Eddie writes about his fight for financial aid and his continued advocacy for the rights of people with disabilities. Sipping Dom Pérignon Through a Straw follows Eddie as he scales the mountain of success only to find exclusion, discrimination, and neglect still lying in wait on the other side. Written with his one good finger, Eddie's vibrant prose delivers a clarion call to underdogs everywhere to stop climbing mountains and start moving them instead"-- show lessTags
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Member Reviews
This is a hard and very compelling story -- I particularly loved that the audiobook was narrated by the author, as hearing Eddie's voice is really important. I admit I was a little turned off, especially early on, because it started to sound a little like a "it's so hard to get good help these days" sort of story. I had to get out of my own way and listen harder to the larger questions that Ndopu is addressing -- the systemic ableism, the extra helpings of humiliation and hardships that are asked of disabled individuals in every aspect of their lives, the many layers of privilege that continue to stand in the way. It's moving, powerful, and opens a window on a day-to-day grind that many of us never consider until something happens to show more change the trajectory of our lives.
Advanced Listener's Copy provided by Libro.FM show less
Advanced Listener's Copy provided by Libro.FM show less
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Non-fiction
55 works; 1 member
Author Information
1 Work 35 Members
Classifications
- Genres
- Nonfiction, Biography & Memoir, General Nonfiction
- DDC/MDS
- 362.4092 — Society, government, & culture Social problems and social services Social Welfare People with disabilites Biography; History By Place Biography
- LCC
- HV1559 .S6 — Social sciences Social pathology. Social and public welfare. Criminology Social pathology. Social and public welfare. Protection, assistance and relief Special classes People with disabilities
- BISAC
Statistics
- Members
- 35
- Popularity
- 815,434
- Reviews
- 1
- Rating
- (3.75)
- Languages
- English
- Media
- Paper, Audiobook, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 5
- ASINs
- 2
