A review by katiedermody
The Pretty One: On Life, Pop Culture, Disability, and Other Reasons to Fall in Love With Me by Keah Brown

I have followed Keah on Instagram for a little under a year and enjoy her content, so when I saw that she wrote a book I added it to my TBR. In this collection of essays, she tells her story of growing up to be the Black disabled woman she is. Stories include how pop culture and movies influence(d) her (both positively and negatively), how something that able bodied folks think of as simple like putting hair in a ponytail was a life accomplishment for her, and how her Cerebral Palsy has affected her throughout her life. Keah was the creator of the #DisabledAndCute hashtag, which went viral, and she advocates for representation and inclusion in the beauty, fashion, and entertainment industries for Black people, people with disabilities, and especially those at that intersection. I enjoyed her book and I enjoyed listening to her read it--we like a lot of the same things (tv shows, movies, childhood favorites, etc.) but, as a mostly-able-bodied white woman, I learned a lot from her story and experiences about things that maybe never would have occured to me due to my privileged experience. At the same time, as someone who has developed chronic pain and fatigue the last few years, I did relate to and especially enjoy some of what she said--like not being able to count on her body, needing rest, having a spot on the couch that fits her body, etc.