Thirty Years of Me
by Adam Hayes (now Burden)
Adam shares with refreshing honesty and integrity his incredibly courageous journey towards fulfilling his lifelong dreams within his autobiography, ‘Thirty Years of Me.” Written to inspire others., this fascinating story of a man who has faced incredibly moving struggles but has been determined to overcome them and help others, is truly awe-inspiring and enlightening. I can honestly say that spending time reading about the life of Adam, whose humour is addictive, truly lightened my heart.
Reviewer: M.N.
Adam looks to remove the clouds so that people see the able-bodied person merely represented by a frustratingly badly behaved body that isn’t doing what it’s told to do.
Thirty Years of Me is an adult memoir by DJ and Sports Coach Adam Burden (nee-Hayes), who has Cerebral Palsy. In this memoir, Adam guides the reader through the first thirty years of his life. We learn about his upbringing and time at Treloar School and College, his first job as a Boccia coach and his quest to live independently. As biographies written by people with Cerebral Palsy are somewhat hard to come by, Thirty Years of Me makes for a refreshing read. Adam not only describes the difficulties he faces due to his Cerebral Palsy but goes into great detail about how he overcomes them, providing invaluable advice for his readers.
This memoir also honestly approaches what it means to be a disabled person living in today’s society. Adam discusses the importance of accessibility for all and his belief in using education to change people’s perceptions about disability. His continued mental strength in the face of adversity was inspiring, and the chapters where he detailed his close relationships with family and friends were particularly heartwarming. At times, reading this book feels like speaking to a friend, making it a great read for disabled and able-bodied adults alike.
Reviewer: theuntidybookshelves
