UP AND RUNNING: The Jami Goldman Story

In 1987, Goldman, a 19-year-old college student, was trapped in her Chevy Blazer with a friend, Lisa Barzano, for 11 days during a blizzard on a deserted Arizona road. They lived to describe this experience only because a man and his son, out snowmobiling, decided to investigate what they thought was an abandoned car. When they were first reported missing, the young women's frantic families urged Arizona law enforcement authorities to launch a statewide search, but officials delayed for a week, insinuating that the two were runaways (they had actually been driving home for Christmas and took a wrong turn). Although Barzano lost several toes, Goldman had to have both legs amputated below the knee. This well-written, inspiring description of Goldman's physical and emotional rehabilitation includes a wealth of information on prosthetic devices. Encouraged by her loving family, Goldman began running competitively against other disabled athletes on "cheetah legs" (specialized running prosthetics). Goldman, writing with Cagan (who has co-authored with Joan Lunden and Grace Slick), effectively makes the point that many amputees end up in wheelchairs because of a health care system that will not pay for state-of-the-art prosthetics. Photos not seen by PW. (Oct.)