My Left Foot - Christy Brown

An autobiography written by Irish writer Christy Brown, My Left Foot tells the story of how both Christy and his family cope with his physically debilitating condition cerebral palsy. Christy is born with the condition and it is very quickly apparent that he does not have the same motor skills as his brothers and sisters. Although he has little control over his movement and speech, his brain is lively and alert. In a time when very little was known about cerebral palsy, He learns how to use his left foot to communicate with the world.

It is written in a very simple style and shows how faith and belief in both others and oneself can make a life changing difference. Although his family face huge financial difficulties, this never stops them from providing for Christy and making him an equal in the family.

I especially like his vivid descriptions of his family life and the way his mother is portrayed. Even though she is in the background, he feels as though they both "feel half of what the other one felt".

I would recommend this to anyone who likes autobiographies, inspiring life stories and also to anyone interested in learning more about cerebral palsy and its effects. My Left Foot was made into an Oscar winning film in 1989 starring Daniel Day Lewis, directed by Jim Sheridan.