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Karla M (Mass.)
Great Read
I think this book was really well written and loved the authors wonderful sense of humor and ability to draw you into his life. After reading you really have a great appreciation for the sense of sight and how hard it can be without it. I feel like the author really makes the story accessible for any reader.
Mary H. (Phoenix, AZ)
Aptly Titled
If you don't know someone is disabled and they give you no indication of that, are all things still equal?. I found J.T. Hill's memoir upsetting at times because he struggled so much with such ordinary tasks, like shopping for groceries, because he didn't want people to know that he was visually impaired. Often I laughed out loud at his explanation of a situation, such as not knowing a classroom had been changed because he failed to read the note on the door. J.T. possesses a marvelous sense of humor with which he can rationalize his judgement about what others interpret about him. One very special passage for
…more me was his thought on given the choice between help and not being someone who needed help, he always preferred the later. Not without trepidation he entered the world of the sighted on a daily basis convincing himself that he was just another individual going about his business. (less)I enjoyed this memoir about a young man who began to go blind as a teenager and his journey through his teenage to young adulthood years. He spent many years trying to hide his disability and eventually came to terms with it. The author does a great job describing how he tries to conceal his vision impairment and how he dealt with it. He seemed to have adapted fairly well to his daily routines. I liked his dating tips for those in denial. It was sad to me the way he often felt isolated due to his disability. He was fortunate to have several understanding friends. I'm glad he met Lori who was a great partner for
…more him and helped him accept his vision impairment. (less)A sometimes humorous and always poignant story that will hold your attention to the very end. This is a tale of a boy who becomes a man as he makes his journey through life and at the end finds himself. James T. Hill became officially blind as a teenager with a rare hereditary condition that gradually took his sight almost completely away. As he navigates how to be a "normal" teenager and later how to fit in with the college life and beyond his personal adventures are fun, bittersweet and finally fulfilling. It takes a few falls and challenges before he dares to see himself and thus the world at large. I would
…more definitely recommend this to any book club and will recommend it to many of my reading friends. (less)James Tate Hill tells his story of losing his sight as a teenager and having to navigate high school, college and graduate school as a person with a disability. He is often his own worst enemy, rejecting any type of assistance or empathy. His writing style is a bit erratic. He shifts from first-person to second-person and it's unclear why. And there are rough segues that can make for confusion. But his personal journey will raise your understanding of people who face challenges with their vision.
Donna W. (Wauwatosa, WI)
Blind Man's Bluff
This was a good book, and an interesting look into the life of a handicapped person. It was written with self deprecating humor, and was easy, and quick to read. The author has a good style of writing, and he let me see into his world. I felt the pain he went through as he was growing up, and the difficulty he continues to go through on a daily basis.
I was attracted to the character, and interested in his life experiences, but at times I felt his writing jumped around too much from one time frame to another. I would just get into one event, when he would unexpectedly go to another event. Certain events could
…more have been fleshed out more, but it didn't take away from the feel of the memoir. A talented writer, and I would be interested in future books. (less)I just finished this book and cannot stop thinking about it. The author told his story with such honesty that you feel as if he is truly telling his story for the first time. His story is real, raw, funny and heartbreaking. It is a quick read and worth every word.
Karen R. (Columbus, OH)
Blind in more than one way
I am an eye doctor so was excited to read this. I especially enjoyed reading about the author's experience being tested, and then receiving his diagnosis. I was disappointed JT refused to accept, acknowledge, and move forward with his disability. The book was well written, easy to read. I hope JT will write another memoir about accepting his disability.
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