The Polio Journals: Lessons from My Mother

Part memoir, part social commentary, The Polio Journals tells the story of Carol Rosenstiel, who contracted the disease in 1927 at the age of two, leaving her permanently paralyzed from the waist down. In the 1920s, society viewed polio as a shameful reflection of the dirty lifestyle of its victims, leading Carol’s parents to silence all issues related to their daughter’s disability. Pushed by her parents to be exceptional in order to make up for her impairment, Carol became a successful mu...