Lucky Girl

 

Maria's Book Banter is back for more in 2024. Sorry if that rhyme has gotten to be a bit cliché lately. To start the new year off, I wanted to blog about a book that is positive and uplifting. Lucky Girl: Lessons on Overcoming Odds and Building a Limitless Future by Paralympian Scout Bassett seemed to be the perfect choice.

Scout Bassett was born in China, where as an infant, she lost her right leg in a fire. For 7 years after that, she lived in an orphanage where life was hard, particularly for a child with a disability.

Adopted by an American family, Scout writes about the difficulties she had being accepted in her new environment as a Chinese girl who has a limb difference. Things changed for the better when she got a running prosthetic in eighth grade. With her new leg, she started competing in races. This is where she discovered her true self and eventually became a world-class track and field athlete.

Scout calls herself “Lucky Girl” because she has beaten the odds that seemed stacked mightily against her. She has learned life lessons that she wants to share with those of us who have disabilities or other differences that may set us apart from the rest of society. These lessons are the essence of this book.

With her realistic view on life, Scout has valuable insight on the human condition. Reading the book, I found myself agreeing with her often, especially with her thinking on facing adversity, a disability not defining you, low expectations for people with disabilities, the dangers of loneliness, and people with disabilities having a “seat at the table”. I was also moved by the story about a little girl named Hope, Scout’s friend from the orphanage.

It could be said that Scout’s thoughts are obvious or unoriginal. I would argue that it doesn’t hurt to be reminded of these simple, yet important principles. Moreover, for some, it could be the first time being exposed to such ideas making this a worthwhile book to read. I do recommend it for any young adult with a disability or a professional who works with people with disabilities.

On a completely separate note, over the holidays, I finished a series of books on the 6 wives of Henry VIII by Alison Weir. If you're a fan of historical literature like I am or are interested in the British Royal Family, I highly recommend this series. Additionally, Rosalyn Landor, the audiobook narrator, does a phenomenal job with these books. Her velvety voice really makes these stories and their characters come to life for anyone listening to them.

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