Half a world away from home in 1976, eighteen-year old Anne B. Thomas awakens on the side of a two-lane road paralyzed from the chest down. Fast forward through a rigorous year of physical therapy to when her doctor gives her an ominous warning: “You will live a long time and be a burden on your family for the rest of your life unless you check yourself into a nursing home”.
Anne spends the rest of her life proving that doctor wrong.
This brutally honest memoir follows Anne’s journey as a young woman learning to navigate an inaccessible world to developing a fierce sense of self-worth to becoming a tireless advocate for others. An award-winning storyteller, Anne wrote this memoir to share her adventures, heartbreaks, and triumphs in a life well-lived – one that was Spectacular.
All profits from the sale of this memoir will be donated to The Anne B. Thomas No Bounds Scholarship that supports students with disabilities at The University of New Mexico and CSULB
PRAISE FOR “Was it Spectacular?” by Anne B. Thomas
Was It Spectacular??? Indeed! Sarcastic, irreverent, authentic, empathetic, with a heart that held joy & love, unfathomable hurdles, a curiosity of life, a mind with a library of knowledge, determination to make a difference, years of adventure, “re-inventor” of her life on sometimes seemingly impossible levels, Anne surpasses us all, a survivor in the best sense of the word, like no other. Her memoir, published posthumously, is a testament to the human spirit.
-Paula Teasdale Dukehart
“It was spectacular, it was heroic, it was brave. After an automobile accident alters the course of Anne Thomas’ life, she takes us on a journey of resilience and character, staying true to herself and her aspirations and refusing to let her disability define who she was.”
“In her tireless fight against discrimination, Anne was and continues to be recognized as a leader, and I’m incredibly gratified and proud that her work and legacy will live on.”
-Michelle Lujan Grisham, New Mexico Governor
“Anne Thomas’ story focuses on living life to the fullest through the intentional choice to create memorable life experiences.”
-Mary Nguyen, Director of CSULB Bob Murphy Access Center
This is an extraordinary memoir by my late friend Anne, published posthumously. Anne was a remarkable and amazing person. She was one of the smartest people I ever met, and bold, funny, adventurous, tough, fearless, and possessed of a relentless curiosity about life. All this despite having suffered a profoundly disabling injury when she was only 18. In her memoir she examines every aspect of her life with unsparing honesty and great sensitivity and eloquence. Despite living as a paraplegic and experiencing devastating losses and difficulties along the way, she also had great joys in her life, and at times she could be hilariously funny. I think there are great lessons in this book for everyone. It’s not only the story of a remarkable disabled woman, but the story of a remarkable human being. Through it all, the deep heartbreaks and the ecstatic joys, she always loved life and she gave it her whole heart, holding nothing back. A life well-lived indeed.
Memoir
Was it Spectacular? A Memoir by Anne B. Thomas
Read The First Two Chapters For Free HERE!
Summary
Half a world away from home in 1976, eighteen-year old Anne B. Thomas awakens on the side of a two-lane road paralyzed from the chest down. Fast forward through a rigorous year of physical therapy to when her doctor gives her an ominous warning: “You will live a long time and be a burden on your family for the rest of your life unless you check yourself into a nursing home”.
Anne spends the rest of her life proving that doctor wrong.
This brutally honest memoir follows Anne’s journey as a young woman learning to navigate an inaccessible world to developing a fierce sense of self-worth to becoming a tireless advocate for others. An award-winning storyteller, Anne wrote this memoir to share her adventures, heartbreaks, and triumphs in a life well-lived – one that was Spectacular.
All profits from the sale of this memoir will be donated to The Anne B. Thomas No Bounds Scholarship that supports students with disabilities at The University of New Mexico and CSULB
PRAISE FOR “Was it Spectacular?” by Anne B. Thomas
Was It Spectacular??? Indeed! Sarcastic, irreverent, authentic, empathetic, with a heart that held joy & love, unfathomable hurdles, a curiosity of life, a mind with a library of knowledge, determination to make a difference, years of adventure, “re-inventor” of her life on sometimes seemingly impossible levels, Anne surpasses us all, a survivor in the best sense of the word, like no other. Her memoir, published posthumously, is a testament to the human spirit.
-Paula Teasdale Dukehart
“It was spectacular, it was heroic, it was brave. After an automobile accident alters the course of Anne Thomas’ life, she takes us on a journey of resilience and character, staying true to herself and her aspirations and refusing to let her disability define who she was.”
-Jim Toomey, Syndicated Cartoonist, Sherman’s Lagoon
“In her tireless fight against discrimination, Anne was and continues to be recognized as a leader, and I’m incredibly gratified and proud that her work and legacy will live on.”
-Michelle Lujan Grisham, New Mexico Governor
“Anne Thomas’ story focuses on living life to the fullest through the intentional choice to create memorable life experiences.”
-Mary Nguyen, Director of CSULB Bob Murphy Access Center
This is an extraordinary memoir by my late friend Anne, published posthumously. Anne was a remarkable and amazing person. She was one of the smartest people I ever met, and bold, funny, adventurous, tough, fearless, and possessed of a relentless curiosity about life. All this despite having suffered a profoundly disabling injury when she was only 18. In her memoir she examines every aspect of her life with unsparing honesty and great sensitivity and eloquence. Despite living as a paraplegic and experiencing devastating losses and difficulties along the way, she also had great joys in her life, and at times she could be hilariously funny. I think there are great lessons in this book for everyone. It’s not only the story of a remarkable disabled woman, but the story of a remarkable human being. Through it all, the deep heartbreaks and the ecstatic joys, she always loved life and she gave it her whole heart, holding nothing back. A life well-lived indeed.
– E. J. Evans