Haben Girma, the first deafblind person to graduate from Harvard Law School, has led an amazing life. Born in Oakland, California of Eritrean refugee parents, in her memoir, Haben, she describes facing off against a bull she couldn’t see, how she helped build a school in Mali, climbed an iceberg in Alaska, met Barrack Obama in the White House and has gone horse-riding and stand up paddling. She’s developed a text to braille communication system that’s created an exciting new way to connect with people. Harben now uses her talents to advocate for people with disabilities. This uplifting story is a testament to one woman’s determination to find the keys to communication and to live a full and happy life. Twelve, R547.
Gazillions of fans of the popular Friends TV series will rush to lay hands on Friends Forever – the one about the episodes which celebrates 25 years of the famous production. Gary Susman, Jeannine Dillon and Bryan Cairns have put together comprehensive coverage of the six friends’ adventures over 10 seasons and 236 episodes. With all those viewers regularly reaching for the remote (23 million for each episode, would you believe?) this neat coffee table-style book is bound to fly off the shelves. It covers everything you ever wanted to know about the series and is illustrated with loads of gorgeous pics from the various episodes. Forget the remote … grab the book! HarperCollins, R709.
Enjoy watching Jonathan Van Ness, the grooming and self-care expert on Netflix’s hit show, The Queer Eye? Then you’ll rush to get your hands on his memoir, Over The Top. Life in a small Midwestern town wasn’t always easy for a child who engaged in carpet figure-skating and was just so gay. His memoir uncovers the pain and passion it took to become the model of self-love and acceptance. It’s raw, rambunctious and reveals the man behind the stiletto heels and the crop tops to show that no matter how broken or lost you may be, you can always make a gorgeous recovery. Simon & Schuster, R365.
