A Long Way From Blair Street

When polio steals Jeanne’s mobility as a toddler in 1928, her family assumes the girl is bound for an uneventful life unable to leave the comfort and safety of her small town in Pennsylvania. They didn’t realize they were up against the force of Jeanne’s unwavering grit and formidable spirit. Based on the true life of Jeanne Gildea, “A Long Way From Blair Street” follows the wondrous life of a disabled woman who undergoes a radical surgery, faces the odds, moves to Washington D.C., and triumphs despite her limitations. Decades before female empowerment became the movement we know today, Jeanne navigates difficulties—both small discomforts and more tectonic disruptions—of working in a male-dominated industry. She’s content—mostly—but also longs for the love and passion she sees in the movie posters she collected as a young woman.This biographical novel explores themes of family dynamics and expectations, self-fulfillment, and the will to overcome. Through the lens of twentieth century America, “A Long Way From Blair Street” is a coming-of-age story whose central lesson is acceptance and the power of never giving up.