This is a review of Drew Batavia's memoir. Drew wrote most of this before his death
in 2003. It was recently completed as he had requested by his brother, Mitchell Batavia,
whose insights and commentary enrich our knowledge of Drew and his contributions.
Drew lived with a C2-3 spinal cord injury, acquired when he was 16 years old and working
at a summer camp in upstate New York. He was a health services researcher, attorney,
government worker, professor, husband, father, and friend. His life was a life of
determination and accomplishment. A memoir has been defined as “how one remembers
one's own life.”
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This is vividly true of Drew's memoir, in which he shares his memories about spinal
cord injury, rehabilitation, politics, health policy, employment, colleagues, love,
friendship, and family. Drew had a sharp mind, sharp wit, and sharp tongue. His memoir
contains his blunt opinions on many topics, including presidents and politicians in
general. It is engaging and informative, and, for those who knew Drew, a poignant
reminder of how smart he was, how much fun he was, and how unique he was in many ways
beyond his spinal cord injury. As Drew said, “For the last 30 years, I have not gone
to a public place or event in which I have not been part of the show.”(pxiv)To read this article in full you will need to make a payment
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Reference
Vidal G. Palimpsest: a memoir. New York: Penguin; 1995.
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© 2016 by the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine
