Uncharted: How Scientists Navigate Their Own Health, Research, and Experiences of Bias

by Edited by Skylar Bayer and Gabi Serrato Marks

Disability is defined by the ADA [Americans with Disabilities Act] as “a person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, a person who has a history or record of such an impairment, or a person who is perceived by others as having such an impairment.”

In this book, readers meet several scientists who have various infirmities and how they were mostly able to overcome those disabilities to achieve their work or school objectives.

Each author has a chapter in which they share their experiences as both a scientist and as someone who is considered disabled. The chapters themselves aren’t very long, so the reader is exposed to many different situations.

If I have any criticism, it is the fact that due to multiple authorship the writing can be uneven at times and sometimes I was left with more questions than answers, though I admit that could have been on purpose.

What I most appreciated about the book is that each of the authors manages to do what they need to do, sometimes with help, sometimes without. At times, I felt inspired by what the authors were able to accomplish.

I would recommend this book to anyone who feels they don’t quite fit in or someone who is specifically interested in the subject.

4/5 stars

[Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the advanced ebook copy in exchange for my honest and objective opinion which I have given here.]