July is Disability Pride month, and audiobooks open up a world of possibility for many readers.
We at Libro.fm are dedicated to amplifying disabled and neurodivergent voices, and care deeply about making reading accessible for a wide spectrum of abilities.
To celebrate, here’s a list of audiobooks centering disability representation, all written by disabled authors and recommended by our trusted booksellers. These stories are perfect for enjoying this July and beyond!
Care Work
“As a person who has mostly lived an [able-bodied] life, but has experienced what it is to be socialized as a femme into care work — this book blew my tiny mind. It challenged and changed the way I view a lot of things, including my own interpersonal relationships and my relationship to work, care, disability and ability, and more. Essential reading.”
— Kait, Alphabet Soup Bookstore
View the audiobook
Disability Visibility
”Containing dozens of personal stories, this is an absolute must-read for anyone looking to learn about the breadth, diversity, and history of disabled experience(s) from disabled folks themselves.”
— Miriasha, Phoenix Books
View the audiobook
Sitting Pretty
”Brilliantly written, hugely important book. This should be required reading. I’m ashamed to say that my knowledge and understanding of disability in America, and in general, is lacking. This is one of many books to increase my own awareness and begin to shift my point of view… My particular wows in this book (and really, every chapter was a wow) were how someone is only disabled in relation to how we’ve made the world. If a hearing person walked into a room fully of people speaking sign language, they would be at a disadvantage, it’s all about perspective… Taussig’s audiobook narration is particularly great and even includes the list of recommended reading and further learning at the end.”
— Kimi, Buttonwood Books and Toys
View the audiobook
Leg
”This hilarious memoir tells the story of Greg Marshall’s coming of age as a gay and disabled boy in the ’90s and of his being unaware of either label. Told by his parents that he had “tight tendons,” Marshall did not know that he had cerebral palsy until he was in his thirties. Marshall brings us into his wild and bizarre family, their fights with terminal illnesses, and their determination to avoid labels at all times.”
— Zoe, Bookshop Santa Cruz
View the audiobook
Death of the Author
“An absolute masterpiece, this book-within-a-book follows a disabled Nigerian-American author as she skyrockets to fame — and the main character of her book, Ankara, a ‘rusted robot’ and android scholar on a post-human Earth. Disability, identity, family, fame, what it means to be the author of your own story, Okorafor offers a rich and razor sharp exploration of it all in Death of the Author, with an ending that made me want to start all over again!”
— Megan, Underground Books
View the audiobook
Sipping Dom Pérignon Through a Straw
”This wickedly smart biography had me gasping at each injustice the author had to face, and then cackling at his witty comebacks. I also highly recommend the audio book… because the author reads it himself!”
— Amy, Jerrol’s
View the audiobook
Easy Beauty
”Such beauty and tenderness in this memoir written by a philosophy professor and journalist born with a condition that severely affects her height and gait. An intimate portrait of a life of the mind from the perspective of a woman with a disabled body – part travel essay, part philosophy reader, all brilliance. For fans of Joan Didion, Michelle Zauner, and Elizabeth Gilbert.”
— Em, A Great Good Place for Books
View the audiobook
Dear Black Girls
Despite gold medals, WNBA championships, and a list of accolades, A’ja Wilson knows how it feels to be swept under the rug—to not be heard, to not feel seen, to not be taken seriously. But even when life tried to hold her down, it didn’t stop her. Dear Black Girls is a necessary and meaningful exploration of what it means to be a Black woman in America today—and a rallying cry to lift up women and girls everywhere.
View the audiobook
True Biz
”Surprisingly eye-opening and educational story about ASL and deaf culture. Will leave you understanding this disenfranchised community a bit better and reflecting on the power of choice.”
— Ana, Vastela Books
View the audiobook
Connecting Dots
”Connecting Dots by Joshua Miele is the memoir of a man who was blinded in childhood, but it is also so much more than that. It’s an exploration of what unexpected tragedy does to everyone. It’s a look at the progress we’d made in disability access, how much he helped make, and how much [there] still is left to do. It’s informational and emotional, and it’s a super important read right now.”
— Anna, Katy Budget Books
View the audiobook
Ellie Haycock is Totally Normal
”Truly loved this YA about a chronically ill teen whose attempt to keep her hospital life and high school life separate goes completely awry. I love the discussion of medical autonomy, especially with a mommy blogger mother who shares a few too many details online.”
— Kimi, The Silver Unicorn Bookstore
View the audiobookSupport disabled authors all year long and experience worlds both real and imagined through the lens of disability. These authors provide expansive perspectives on ability, identity, justice, and community.
Find more stories by authors with disabilities, explore audiobooks centering disabled characters, read interviews with disabled authors, and locate disabled and/or neurodivergent-owned independent bookshops to support.