Books > Biographies & Memoirs > Community & Culture

Haben: The Deafblind Woman Who Conquered Harvard Law [2020, PDF/EPUB, ENG]

by Haben Girma

(981 ratings)
Book cover


'This autobiography by a millennial Helen Keller teems with grace and grit.' -- O, The Oprah Magazine




'A profoundly important memoir.' -- The Times




** As featured in The Wall Street Journal, People, and on The TODAY Show ** A New York Times 'New & Noteworthy' Pick ** An O Magazine 'Book of the Month' Pick ** A Publishers Weekly Bestseller **





The incredible life story of Haben Girma, the first Deafblind graduate of Harvard Law School, and her amazing journey from isolation to the world stage.


Haben grew up spending summers with her family in the enchanting Eritrean city of Asmara. There, she discovered courage as she faced off against a bull she couldn't see, and found in herself an abiding strength as she absorbed her parents' harrowing experiences during Eritrea's thirty-year war with Ethiopia. Their refugee story inspired her to embark on a quest for knowledge, traveling the world in search of the secret to belonging. She explored numerous fascinating places, including Mali, where she helped build a school under the scorching Saharan sun. Her many adventures over the years range from the hair-raising to the hilarious.

Haben defines disability as an opportunity for innovation. She learned non-visual techniques for everything from dancing salsa to handling an electric saw. She developed a text-to-braille communication system that created an exciting new way to connect with people. Haben pioneered her way through obstacles, graduated from Harvard Law, and now uses her talents to advocate for people with disabilities.

Haben takes readers through a thrilling game of blind hide-and-seek in Louisiana, a treacherous climb up an iceberg in Alaska, and a magical moment with President Obama at The White House. Warm, funny, thoughtful, and uplifting, this captivating memoir is a testament to one woman's determination to find the keys to connection.
.
Read more ▾

Book details


  • Author : Haben Girma
  • Publisher : Twelve
  • Published : 08-10-2020
  • Language : English
  • Pages : 288
  • ISBN-10 : 1538728737
  • ISBN-13 : 978-1538728734
  • Reader Reviews : 981 (4.7)
download Free Download
literature Read Online

info-popup This book is available for free download in a number of formats - including epub, pdf, azw, mobi and more. You can also read the full text online using our ereader.

  • File Formats : PDF, FB2, DOC, EPUB, TXT
  • Status : ● available for FREE download
  • Downloads : 3548

About the Author


Haben Girma


Haben Girma advocates for equal opportunities for people with disabilities. President Obama named her a White House Champion of Change. She received the Helen Keller Achievement Award, and a spot on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list. President Bill Clinton, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and Chancellor Angela Merkel have all honored Haben. Her work has been featured in the Financial Times, BBC, Washington Post, NPR, and more.

.
Read more ▾

Reader Reviews

J
le
I’m sad I finished reading this book. I loved this book! The content was so interesting and it was well written.
Reviewed in the United States on 05-26-2023
Gosh, Haben has such an interesting perspective and story to tell. I hope I can learn from her story and be a better human when dealing with disabled and abled people. Thanks for the work you do Haben <3.
Read more ▾
J
William
Haben is a wonder! She is a brilliant compassionate woman with an amazing life story to tell.
Reviewed in the United States on 05-09-2023
I had a chance to attend a speaking engagement where Haben was the guest speaker. Everyone should have a chance to engage with this fabulous and brilliant woman. Recommend her book as an amazing experience!.
Read more ▾
J
Martin
She conquered more than just Harvard Law
Reviewed in the United States on 04-13-2021
The word 'inspiring' is probably not the word Haben Girma or anyone with disabilities likes to hear after hearing their stories. However, it is hard not to use the word 'inspiring' when you read her memoir, and learned about her courage and accomplishments. Perhaps the word 'inspiring' should not be used as a source of inspiration to overcome our obstacles but rather used as an inspiration that we are all uniquely gifted, and our gifts are waiting to be discovered by ourselves and/or others. As Haben pointed out, people with disabilities get called 'inspiring' so often that the word feels like a euphemism for pity and I understand where she's coming from. Perhaps the word 'galvanizing' should be used instead. Among the many things we do not get to choose in life (e.g., birthplace, skin color, gender, parents), Haben did not get to choose to be abled/disabled; she was born deafblind. Haben takes readers on a journey where she travelled across the world to help build a school in Mali, climbed icebergs in Alaska, trained her guide dog in New Jersey, studied law at Harvard Law School and shared a lifetime moment with President Obama at the White House. The stories were not spectacular or enthralling but they provided a unique perspective about disability. As an example, in Chapter 17 (Ableism and the Art of Blind PB&J), Haben shared an encounter with his little cousin, Yafet, where he demanded Haben to make him a PB&J sandwich. Haben refused and then asked Yafet a simple question - 'Can a blind person make a PB&J sandwich?' Yafet answered 'No' despite seeing Haben making one. This short encounter shows how assumptions nondisabled people make on disabled people can be insidious to the disabled community. As Haben wrote, 'Most people choose to accept ableism, because rejecting it—going against the dominant narrative—would take more conscious effort. I want Yafet to reject ableism. If he says that a blind person can make a PB&J, then I’ll make him one.' Another story worth highlighting was Haben's involvement in the case between National Federation of the Blind v. Scribd. This was a case which set legal precedent in making online businesses around the country to be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Unfortunately, Haben did not include the brief she wrote for the case which I found disappointing because I wanted to read her legal writing. My favorite part of this memoir came at the very end where Haben included a 'Brief Disability Accessibility Guide'. This guide listed ways to talk about disability including positive messages to send and harmful messages to avoid. How messages are broadcasted can help or hurt inclusion for disabled people, and therefore, I found this guide to be useful for advocates and supporters. Overall, I enjoyed reading this memoir even though some of the stories weren't as captivating as I wanted them to be. I hope she authors another book in the future which further discusses inclusion in different settings..
Read more ▾