Book Talk with Q&A: Beautiful Lives by Stephen Unwin

Stephen Unwin is an experienced theatre and opera director, writer and teacher. His second son Joey is severely disabled, and Stephen is a campaigner and lecturer for the rights of people with learning disabilities. In this talk, Stephen discusses his new book Beautiful Lives: How We Got Learning Disabilities So Wrong (Wildfire, 2025). Described by reviews as 'a profoundly affecting book that also provides a manifesto for the future', and 'a book that should be compulsory reading for every politician and every GP', Beautiful Lives blends thorough research on the history of 'learning disabilities' with the author's deeply personal reflections on his relationship with his son Joey.