Library Thursday: 26th September 2013

Six Percent. Down's Syndrome: My Photographs, Their Words 
Graeme Miller

This is a book of black and white documentary photographs by photographer Graeme Miller of Photohonesty in collaboration with Down's Syndrome Scotland. The book was published to mark World Down Syndrome Day in March. The photographs are accompanied by small amounts of text from the subjects. The book presents intimate and at times poignant images of a number of families.

Pandora Summerfield, CEO of Down's Syndrome Scotland, explains the title in her introduction

Six Percent, is taken directly from statistics presented by the UK Cytogenetics register which show that of all the pregnancies diagnosed as being Down Syndrome, 6% result in a live birth, 91% are terminated and a further 3% of babies are miscarried, or die at birth.

Well worth a look.


Open the gates for stories about disability

Robert Hoge, The Drum/Ramp Up, 19th September 2013

Around one-fifth of the population has some form of disability, but rarely does it feature in literature. We must encourage storytellers to engage with themes about disability. It's time to tear down that wall ...  

• What are your favourite fiction titles featuring characters who have disabilities?

starecase, issue 2

The second issue of online magazine starecase has just been released in several formats, and its website launched.