Imperfect: An Improbable Life by Jim Abbott
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

When I saw this book faced out in the New - Non-fiction section at the Rye Free Reading room, I was hesitant to reach for it. Jim Abbott and I share an uncommon experience (no, it's not pitching a major league no-hitter): living life without a right hand. I wasn't sure what his take on it would be - I'm still not sure after 60+years what my take on it is. But I picked up the book and began to read the introduction - when I read the question his pre-K daughter put to him on Dad's Day at pre-school however, I was hooked: "Daddy, do you like your little hand?"

Tough question. Abbott essentially spends the next 300 pages attempting to answer the question. As I have. We are marked by it. We must live with it and its associations, insults and challenges (Captain Hook!, Were you always left-handed? Shoe-tying, brassiere un-doing). Imperfect made me think about my life. It also made me somewhat relieved that much of what I've experienced wasn't unique - the book is filled with 'aha- moments, tears and laughs that may perhaps only be appreciated by those with disabilities - but I believe that anyone who has encountered hardship or challenges in life will be inspired by Abbott's accomplishments, no matter how many hands they have - and I believe that's Abbott's point - it is the big things that truly matter - love, family, and friends.


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