Leonard Kriegel

Leonard Kriegel (born May 25, 1933) is an American author and self-proclaimed "cripple."

Kriegel was born in the Bronx and contracted polio at the age of 11, leaving him confined to steel braces and crutches shortly after. His first book was The Long Walk Home (1964). Kriegel has received both Guggenheim and Rockefeller Fellowships and three of his books have been New York Times Notable Books of the Year. His writing ranges from essay, stories and novels.