What do you think?
Rate this book
GRIT: A Family Memoir on Adversity and Triumph
GRIT - A FAMILY MEMOIR ON ADVERSITY AND TRIUMPH is a true tale of victories over crushing odds including blindness, institutional imprisonment, alcoholism, and cancer. It is, also, a rare, insider’s view of the historic, hard-fought struggle that led to the passing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) – a crown jewel of the American experience. Senator John "I appreciated Jeff playing his song ‘The ADA Anthem’, for the Senate, following the law’s signing.” GRIT, by award-winning songwriter and documentarian Jeff Moyer, is important for both American and Disability History; it documents the horrors of state institutions for those with cognitive disabilities, within which Jeff's younger brother Mark languished for years. While Mark is central to GRIT, the memoir also details their father's overcoming of alcoholism, cancer, over-radiation, and the resulting loss of his lower jaw. GRIT tells the story of Jeff's resilience in the face of progressive blindness and his son’s living with undiagnosed, severe ADHD. It recalls Jeff's role as troubadour and leader in the Disability Rights Movement and his work in assistive technology including his role in the development of the speech synthesizer that became the prosthesis used by Dr. Stephen Hawking. It documents Jeff's experience as a life-saving kidney donor with resulting severe, chronic pain. "Jeff takes us across the expanse of human hopelessness and helplessness of human grief, loss, and miscommunication, into new realization of possibilities…his book is jolting, riveting, transcendent. It is a must-read…especially for families and professionals who work with individuals who differ from the norm. This is a book designed to be quoted often in living rooms and hallowed places of learning.” – Sally E. Pisarchik Ph.D., educational theoretician, and program developer. “This book, with its revolutionary construct of the normalcy of disability, will upend perceptions and change lives.” – Gair Linhart, founder of Special Orchestra. “I couldn’t put it down…a rich and beautiful testament to a rich and beautiful life” – Kathy Tallalay, VP, Textbook Publications, W.W. Norton, New York.
591 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 19, 2018
10 people are currently reading
13 people want to read
About the author
Jeff Moyer
14 books7 followersJeff Moyer is an award-winning documentary producer, award-winning songwriter, author, disability right’s advocate and motivational speaker.
Jeff Moyer was born in 1949 in Cleveland, Ohio. At five, Jeff began to go blind. That same year, Jeff's brother Mark was born with a severe cognitive disability. Jeff's progressive blindness and Mark's grim circumstances helped him understand the need for the acceptance and inclusion of people with disabilities.
Mark was institutionalized in 1963 at the barbaric Columbus State Institution for the Mentally Retarded, where he suffered until 1981. Jeff became a leader in the disability right’s movement after graduating with honors from The University of California at Berkeley in Social Welfare. Jeff received a Master's degree in Rehabilitation Administration from The University of San Francisco. Jeff has worked as a rehabilitation program developer, assistive technology pioneer, disability access consultant, author, songwriter, publisher and motivational speaker since 1973.
Jeff has presented to numerous national and world conferences and has spoken and sung in 47 states. He has been featured as an NPR "Morning Edition" Commentator, on The CBS Evening News with Walter Cronkite, on 20/20, in National Geographic, and in a BBC documentary on the U.S. Disability Rights Movement.
After 20 years of advocacy, in 2002, Jeff was successful in moving Mark, back into the community with supported living services. Much of his published music and writings address the normalcy of disability, the power of the human spirit to overcome adversity, humor and the importance of social inclusion.
Following Mark’s death in 2014, Jeff and his wife Cristi moved to Chula Vista, CA.
Jeff Moyer was born in 1949 in Cleveland, Ohio. At five, Jeff began to go blind. That same year, Jeff's brother Mark was born with a severe cognitive disability. Jeff's progressive blindness and Mark's grim circumstances helped him understand the need for the acceptance and inclusion of people with disabilities.
Mark was institutionalized in 1963 at the barbaric Columbus State Institution for the Mentally Retarded, where he suffered until 1981. Jeff became a leader in the disability right’s movement after graduating with honors from The University of California at Berkeley in Social Welfare. Jeff received a Master's degree in Rehabilitation Administration from The University of San Francisco. Jeff has worked as a rehabilitation program developer, assistive technology pioneer, disability access consultant, author, songwriter, publisher and motivational speaker since 1973.
Jeff has presented to numerous national and world conferences and has spoken and sung in 47 states. He has been featured as an NPR "Morning Edition" Commentator, on The CBS Evening News with Walter Cronkite, on 20/20, in National Geographic, and in a BBC documentary on the U.S. Disability Rights Movement.
After 20 years of advocacy, in 2002, Jeff was successful in moving Mark, back into the community with supported living services. Much of his published music and writings address the normalcy of disability, the power of the human spirit to overcome adversity, humor and the importance of social inclusion.
Following Mark’s death in 2014, Jeff and his wife Cristi moved to Chula Vista, CA.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 of 1 review
February 3, 2020
A very deep and detailed read
I never read a book like that before. It was so real and authentic. I feel every emotion. I would have given up riding after the first fall. The poems were a treat. Thanks for sharing.
I never read a book like that before. It was so real and authentic. I feel every emotion. I would have given up riding after the first fall. The poems were a treat. Thanks for sharing.
Displaying 1 of 1 review