Good Kings Bad Kings

Remembering disabled activist and author Susan Nussbaum

Susan Nussbaum, a Chicago-based activist, writer, actor, and playwright died on April 28, 2022. She was one of the original staff members of Access Living, one of the oldest independent living centers in the US, and a founding member of Chicago ADAPT.

In remembrance of Susan’s life and work, I am giving away 5 copies of her novel, Good Kings Bad Kings (Workman Publishing, 2013). It is out of stock from many independent booksellers so please note I may have to use a huge bookselling website that shall not be named that rhymes with pentathlon. And if for some reason it’s out stock there I will purchase it at a later date.

I met Susan once when she was visiting the San Francisco Bay Area and was excited about the recent news that her novel will be adapted into a television series by Jim LeBrecht, co-director of Crip Camp, and Hollis Rich.

Thank you, Susan.

A photo of a purple paperback book, Good Kings Bad Kings, a novel by Susan Nussbaum. There is one yellow hand on the left with the words ‘good kings’ and beneath a red hand from the right, ‘bad kings.’ It is standing upright with a quote at the top by novelist Barbara Kingsolver, “This is fiction at its best…Simply and breathtakingly honest…A stunning accomplishment.” On the upper left corner is a round sticker, “PEN/Bellwether Prize Winner for Socially Engaged Fiction.”

About the book

Told in alternating perspectives by a varied and vocal cast of characters, Nussbaum pulls back the curtain to reveal the complicated and funny and tough life inside the walls of an institution for juveniles with disabilities. From Yessenia Lopez, who dreams of her next boyfriend and of one day of living outside those walls, to Teddy, a resident who dresses up daily in a full suit and tie, to Mia, who guards a terrifying secret, Nussbaum has crafted a multifaceted portrait of a way of life hidden from most of us. In this isolated human warehouse on Chicago’s South Side, friendships are forged, trust is built, and love affairs begin. And it’s in their alliances that the residents ultimately find the strength to bond together and finally fight back against their mistreatment.

Told with humor and authenticity in voices that stay with you long past the last page, Good Kings, Bad Kings is at once strikingly original, baldly funny, and profoundly moving.

About the author

Susan Nussbaum’s plays have been widely produced. Her play Mishuganismo is included in the anthology Staring Back: The Disability Experience from the Inside Out. In 2008 she was cited by the Utne Reader as one of “50 Visionaries Who Are Changing Your World” for her work with girls with disabilities. This is her first novel.

Details

1) Any disabled person in the US is eligible for this giveaway. You do not need to disclose any details about your disability.

If you already received a book from one of my previous giveaways, please consider letting other people have a chance.

2) The first 5 people will receive a paperback, audiobook or e-book. If you do not receive a reply that means the books have been claimed or you did not include all the required information. 

3) Send an email to DisabilityVisibilityProject@gmail.com with ‘Book Giveaway’ in the title of the message. Do not reply to this post!!

4) Include the following information in your message:

• First and last name

• Mailing address

• Preferred format. Pick one only: paperback, audiobook or e-book

Please note: Due to low availability, you may not be able to receive your copy immediately.