{"product_id":"it-wasnt-meant-to-be-perfect-a-memoir-hardcover","title":"It Wasn't Meant to Be Perfect: A Memoir - Hardcover","description":"\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/reportcopyrightinfringement.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eReport copyright infringement\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eGaelynn Lea\u003c\/b\u003e (Author)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eFolk musician, Broadway composer, and disability advocate Gaelynn Lea's warm, funny, poignant memoir is a love letter to every kind of body, to music, and to making it work--inviting us to embrace all of life's experiences with heart and determination \u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e Gaelynn Lea was born with Osteogenesis Imperfecta. Her parents were loving, cash-strapped theater kids, and she grew up racing about in her first electric wheelchair, having adventures with her siblings, and handing out playbills at her parents' dinner theater shows. Transfixed by an orchestra performance in 5th grade, Gaelynn was determined to play the cello. When her shortened limbs made playing the instrument challenging, she employed a familiar tactic: adapting. \u003ci\u003eWhat if she held a violin upright in her wheelchair, like the world's tiniest cello?\u003c\/i\u003e That \u003ci\u003ewhat if \u003c\/i\u003ewas the key that unlocked her lifelong music career. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e After winning NPR Music's Tiny Desk Concert in 2016, Lea became a full-time touring musician--and that's when she began to truly struggle with the inaccessibility of the music world. Out of necessity, she became a dedicated advocate and activist, pushing back against the prevailing stereotypes, assumptions, and barriers with her own gently defiant style. Lea's warm, funny, deeply-felt memoir addresses love and faith, sexuality and mortality, the frustration and the joy of difference. She shows how disability inspires and enables unique and indispensable contributions to the world, and reminds readers to think creatively, fight for what they love, and savor the journey.\u003ch3\u003eAuthor Biography\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eGaelynn Lea \u003c\/b\u003eis a composer, musician, and disability rights advocate. Since winning NPR Music's Tiny Desk Contest in 2016, she has captivated audiences around the world with her haunting original songs and traditional fiddle tunes. Gaelynn has collaborated with Michael Stipe, The Decemberists, and Wilco. In 2022, Gaelynn composed an original score for Macbeth on Broadway, starring Daniel Craig and Ruth Negga. She later released an album featuring these compositions, titled \u003ci\u003eMusic From Macbeth. \u003c\/i\u003eMusic aside, Gaelynn Lea is a sought-after public speaker about disability culture, inclusion, and accessibility in the arts. She was awarded a Disability Futures Fellowship in 2024. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 304\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1.2 x 9.5 x 6.5 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e April 14, 2026\u003c\/div\u003e\n            ","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52029363749165,"sku":"9781643756431","price":28.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0938\/3185\/6429\/files\/5bey_LNhm29781643756431.webp?v=1777467039","url":"https:\/\/ishookbooks.com\/products\/it-wasnt-meant-to-be-perfect-a-memoir-hardcover","provider":"iShook Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}