Accidents of Nature

Accidents of Nature is a novel by Harriet McBryde Johnson that explores the life of Jean, a seventeen-year-old girl with cerebral palsy. Set in the 1970s, the story unfolds over a week at Camp Courage, a summer camp for children with disabilities. Jean, who has always tried to align with the expectations of the able-bodied world, meets Sara, a fellow camper who is a proud and outspoken disability rights activist. Through her friendship with Sara, Jean is introduced to a new perspective on disability and begins to question the societal norms and prejudices she has internalized. The novel delves into themes of identity, empowerment, and the disability rights movement, challenging the reader to reconsider their own views on disability and what it means to lead a fulfilling life.