Raised on her parents' stories of Eritrea's decades-long war with Ethiopia, American-born Girma showed her strength by becoming the first deaf-blind woman to graduate from Harvard Law School. Now she advocates for those with disabilities. Meanwhile, she's created a text-to-Braille communication system and received honors from presidents and prime ministers. With a 60,000-copy first printing; featured at BookExpo.

Born with deaf-blindness, Girma grew up with enough vision to know when someone was in front of her and enough hearing to know when someone close to her was talking. However, she had difficulty reading facial features or distinguishing people in group conversations. Relying on her own problem-solving skills, Girma overcame roadblocks while simultaneously obtaining her undergraduate and then law degree. In the process, she developed new methods of communication and found her calling in advocating for the deaf and blind communities in more accessible communication, education, and employment opportunities. As a lawyer and advocate, Girma shares a collection of vignettes illustrating the defining points in her life. She peppers her writing with a witty sense of humor and showcases her strength in facing obstacles, along with challenging antiquated societal beliefs about people with disabilities, whether describing her experience climbing Alaska's Mendenhall Glacier or helping a drunk friend get to his dorm by using her seeing-eye dog that he adores as a lure. VERDICT An absolute must-read; Haben's compelling account reveals a driven and accomplished woman and displays her impressive advocacy for the disabled community.—Stacy Shaw, Denver