*The following review for Falling Forward with Style or Cerebral Palsy Survival Guide (Humorous Edition) by Ben Carrier includes Amazon affiliated links. As an Amazon affiliate I earn a commission on qualifying purchases.

Author Ben Carrier documents his experiences “tripping, slipping, and face-planting his way through life with cerebral palsy since the 1970s” in Falling Forward with Style or Cerebral Palsy Survival Guide (Humorous Edition). The memoir delivers on the humor through fun and unique imagery. Although, Carrier’s book goes beyond the laugh out loud moments to provide a relatable read infused with valuable life lessons.

Before going any further, I must admit to some bias. Carrier does mention yours truly in the book. In chapter 21 “Hallways, Hazards, and Hospital Life” Carrier takes the reader on a detour from his experiences working in a hospital as a Patient Registration Lead to mention “the YouTube moment—where all important revelations happen.” The driver behind that impactful moment? My exercise montage video, “If Rocky Balboa had cerebral palsy…”

Carrier explains how my video influenced his arm wrestling endeavors writing, “Zachary lit a fire in me. Between his motivation and my own growing strength, I doubled down. I trained harder. Entered more competitions. Eventually? I became the Wisconsin State Amateur Champion.”

Knowing my video helped to make such an impact leaves me feeling fulfilled. Creating my bias. Nevertheless, as we delve deeper into my review for Falling Forward with Style you should recognize on your own the laughs and lessons Carrier induces through his book. Relatability may depend upon your situation.

Filling in the Venn Diagram

In a way reading about someone’s life presents as an unfinished Venn diagram. Everything the author shares acts as the start point data. Then while you read along, you assess and filter the information via your personal experiences. Differences go in your own circle. Commonalities, or relatable aspects, fill the overlapping part.

For example, in the “Introduction” Carrier notes his specific cerebral palsy (CP) diagnosis to be spastic diplegia. Carrier describing how the condition affects him, “My legs are the main troublemakers. I move like a wind-up toy that’s been dropped a few times—functional, but definitely quirky.”

Like Carrier, I have spastic CP. Fill in a point in the metaphorical Venn diagram’s overlapping area. However, CP mainly affects half my body (right side), making my specific diagnosis spastic hemiplegia. A point to list in my own Venn diagram circle.

While cerebral palsy affects our movements differently, I still related to the experiences Carrier shared. Such as the compulsion to apologize, covered in chapter 9 “Sorry About This Chapter.” If only everyone possessed a friend like Todd who used sarcasm to discourage Carrier’s continuous apology tour. We could all probably benefit from hearing, “You’re not sorry. You just think you’re a burden when you’re not.”           

More Valuable Insights

Whether connected to another Todd story or Carrier reflecting on other life experiences, Falling Forward with Style contains valuable life lessons spread across the book’s 24 chapters. Albeit Chapter 8 “Short Bus, Long Days” where Carrier recalls spending the afternoon with Todd in Todd’s pool learning, “Having CP meant my body didn’t always get the memo. But that day, I got a better message: the right people will never make you feel broken.”

Or, tackling perseverance in chapter 10 “Wrestling with Reality” writing, “Even when the only thing I ever pinned was my own hope. Deep down, I understood something. Winning isn’t always about defeating someone else. Sometimes, it’s about not letting yourself give up.”

The valuable insights continue in chapter 17 “The Struggle,” where Carrier connects negative moments with something positive. Coming to the realization, “Life isn’t about having it all figured out. It’s about showing up, doing your best, and occasionally getting crowned ‘Uncle of the Year’ by a couple of kids who think you’re cooler than you probably are.”

Laughing While You Learn

Based off the quotes shared to this point from Falling Forward with Style, you should get a sense for Carrier’s humor. I know I literally laughed out loud multiple times reading Carrier’s memoir. Like, in chapter 15 “Nights at the Poison Plant” when Carrier recounted his job making rat poison saying, “My job? Keeping the rats and mice from inheriting the Earth, because obviously, they were plotting something nefarious.”

That humorous vibe also extends to the way Carrier describes his CP. His fearlessness for laughing at himself shows in chapter 6 “Gravity, Gravel, and My Gorgeous Mug” when Carrier compares his balance to “the balance of a Jenga tower in a wind tunnel.”

Meanwhile, Carrier’s description of growing older with cerebral palsy contained the same colorful personality. Writing in chapter 23 “The Creakening,” “My hamstrings filed for early retirement at 47. My back started writing passive-aggressive Yelp reviews about my posture. And my balance? It ghosted me like a bad Tinder date if I knew what a Tinder date was.”       

Making Your Owen Assessment about Falling Forward with Style

Clearly, this review for Ben Carrier’s Falling Forward with Style indicates I quite enjoyed the read. Finding relatability to my own experiences with cerebral palsy. Simultaneously, soaking in the valuable life lessons scattered throughout the book. Falling forward laughing all the way.

Again though, I possess a bias. Swayed by the kind words Carrier said about me in his memoir. Nonetheless, if any quotes from Falling Forward with Style used in today’s review made you smile, chuckle, or break out into full laughter, you will enjoy Carrier’s book. So, go ahead and check out the book on Amazon.

Or, did you already checkout Falling Forward with Style? If yes, comment below and share what you thought about Carrier’s memoir.

Until next time, remember. Don’t blend in. Blend out!

-Zachary