Book excerpt: Not Just Polio recounts the remarkably full and enjoyable life of the author, Richard Lloyd Daggett. The narrative includes an honest and sometimes frank account of living with a signifi cant disability. It is more than the story of a devastating illness. It also chronicles the life of a young person growing up in middle class America during the 1940s and 50s. He presents a clear and comprehensive view of his experience with polio. Every episode he reviews is stimulating and told with candor. His ability to attain the equivalence of a college education, despite being physically unable to enter the classroom, is a subtle but strong display of his strength. The vision and determination which became evident during this long challenge were, without a doubt, significant elements which enhanced his effectiveness as an advocate to improve the welfare, comfort, and safety of the severely disabled patients who lacked adequate resources.