Author: Brian Thompson
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 276
Book Description
Two old college buddies contemplate hiking the Appalachian Trail. The problem is, one of them is severely vision impaired and his ability to follow a simple footpath is in serious question. They decide to first try an overnight hike in Arkansas; an unmitigated disaster. Upon their return, one fellow's wife declares he is too old fat and blind to be crashing about in the woods. The other's wife notes how lucky they are to have learned their lesson before attempting anything as seriously challenging as the Appalachian Trail. Humiliated, their dignity in tatters, (and perhaps not the fastest learners), they decide to go anyway. This is their story, traveling America's greatest footpath; the places, the people, the history.
Blind Man Walking
Author: Brian Thompson
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 276
Book Description
Two old college buddies contemplate hiking the Appalachian Trail. The problem is, one of them is severely vision impaired and his ability to follow a simple footpath is in serious question. They decide to first try an overnight hike in Arkansas; an unmitigated disaster. Upon their return, one fellow's wife declares he is too old fat and blind to be crashing about in the woods. The other's wife notes how lucky they are to have learned their lesson before attempting anything as seriously challenging as the Appalachian Trail. Humiliated, their dignity in tatters, (and perhaps not the fastest learners), they decide to go anyway. This is their story, traveling America's greatest footpath; the places, the people, the history.
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 276
Book Description
Two old college buddies contemplate hiking the Appalachian Trail. The problem is, one of them is severely vision impaired and his ability to follow a simple footpath is in serious question. They decide to first try an overnight hike in Arkansas; an unmitigated disaster. Upon their return, one fellow's wife declares he is too old fat and blind to be crashing about in the woods. The other's wife notes how lucky they are to have learned their lesson before attempting anything as seriously challenging as the Appalachian Trail. Humiliated, their dignity in tatters, (and perhaps not the fastest learners), they decide to go anyway. This is their story, traveling America's greatest footpath; the places, the people, the history.
Crashing Through
Author: Robert Kurson
Publisher: Random House Trade Paperbacks
ISBN: 0812973682
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 330
Book Description
Mike May spent his life crashing through. Blinded at age three, he defied expectations by breaking world records in downhill speed skiing, joining the CIA, and becoming a successful inventor, entrepreneur, and family man. He had never yearned for vision. Then, in 1999, a chance encounter brought startling news: a revolutionary stem cell transplant surgery could restore May’s vision. It would allow him to drive, to read, to see his children’s faces. But the procedure was filled with gambles, some of them deadly, others beyond May’s wildest dreams. Beautifully written and thrillingly told, Crashing Through is a journey of suspense, daring, romance, and insight into the mysteries of vision and the brain. Robert Kurson gives us a fascinating account of one man’s choice to explore what it means to see–and to truly live. Praise for the National Bestseller Crashing Through: “An incredible human story [told] in gripping fashion . . . a great read.” –Chicago Sun-Times “Inspiring.” –USA Today “[An] astonishing story . . . memorably told . . . May is remarkable. . . . Don’t be surprised if your own vision mists over now and then.” –Chicago Tribune “[A] moving account [of] an extraordinary character.” –People “Terrific . . . [a] genuinely fascinating account of the nature of human vision.” –The Washington Post “Kurson is a man with natural curiosity and one who can feel the excitement life has to offer. One of his great gifts is he makes you feel it, too.” –The Kansas City Star “Propulsive . . . a gripping adventure story.” –Entertainment Weekly NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE
Publisher: Random House Trade Paperbacks
ISBN: 0812973682
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 330
Book Description
Mike May spent his life crashing through. Blinded at age three, he defied expectations by breaking world records in downhill speed skiing, joining the CIA, and becoming a successful inventor, entrepreneur, and family man. He had never yearned for vision. Then, in 1999, a chance encounter brought startling news: a revolutionary stem cell transplant surgery could restore May’s vision. It would allow him to drive, to read, to see his children’s faces. But the procedure was filled with gambles, some of them deadly, others beyond May’s wildest dreams. Beautifully written and thrillingly told, Crashing Through is a journey of suspense, daring, romance, and insight into the mysteries of vision and the brain. Robert Kurson gives us a fascinating account of one man’s choice to explore what it means to see–and to truly live. Praise for the National Bestseller Crashing Through: “An incredible human story [told] in gripping fashion . . . a great read.” –Chicago Sun-Times “Inspiring.” –USA Today “[An] astonishing story . . . memorably told . . . May is remarkable. . . . Don’t be surprised if your own vision mists over now and then.” –Chicago Tribune “[A] moving account [of] an extraordinary character.” –People “Terrific . . . [a] genuinely fascinating account of the nature of human vision.” –The Washington Post “Kurson is a man with natural curiosity and one who can feel the excitement life has to offer. One of his great gifts is he makes you feel it, too.” –The Kansas City Star “Propulsive . . . a gripping adventure story.” –Entertainment Weekly NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE
Blind Courage
Author: Bill Irwin
Publisher: Appalachian Trail Conference
ISBN: 9780941539869
Category : Sports & Recreation
Languages : en
Pages : 204
Book Description
The author, blinded by a rare eye disease, recounts his experiences hiking with his guide dog, Orient, from Georgia to Maine on the Appalachian Trail and describes how his faith helped sustain him along the trail
Publisher: Appalachian Trail Conference
ISBN: 9780941539869
Category : Sports & Recreation
Languages : en
Pages : 204
Book Description
The author, blinded by a rare eye disease, recounts his experiences hiking with his guide dog, Orient, from Georgia to Maine on the Appalachian Trail and describes how his faith helped sustain him along the trail
Blind Man's Bluff: A Memoir
Author: James Tate Hill
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
ISBN: 0393867188
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 158
Book Description
A New York Times Editors' Choice A Washington Independent Review of Books Favorite Book of 2021 A writer’s humorous and often-heartbreaking tale of losing his sight—and how he hid it from the world. At age sixteen, James Tate Hill was diagnosed with Leber’s hereditary optic neuropathy, a condition that left him legally blind. When high-school friends stopped calling and a disability counselor advised him to aim for C’s in his classes, he tried to escape the stigma by pretending he could still see. In this unfailingly candid yet humorous memoir, Hill discloses the tricks he employed to pass for sighted, from displaying shelves of paperbacks he read on tape to arriving early on first dates so women would have to find him. He risked his life every time he crossed a street, doing his best to listen for approaching cars. A good memory and pop culture obsessions like Tom Cruise, Prince, and all things 1980s allowed him to steer conversations toward common experiences. For fifteen years, Hill hid his blindness from friends, colleagues, and lovers, even convincing himself that if he stared long enough, his blurry peripheral vision would bring the world into focus. At thirty, faced with a stalled writing career, a crumbling marriage, and a growing fear of leaving his apartment, he began to wonder if there was a better way.
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
ISBN: 0393867188
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 158
Book Description
A New York Times Editors' Choice A Washington Independent Review of Books Favorite Book of 2021 A writer’s humorous and often-heartbreaking tale of losing his sight—and how he hid it from the world. At age sixteen, James Tate Hill was diagnosed with Leber’s hereditary optic neuropathy, a condition that left him legally blind. When high-school friends stopped calling and a disability counselor advised him to aim for C’s in his classes, he tried to escape the stigma by pretending he could still see. In this unfailingly candid yet humorous memoir, Hill discloses the tricks he employed to pass for sighted, from displaying shelves of paperbacks he read on tape to arriving early on first dates so women would have to find him. He risked his life every time he crossed a street, doing his best to listen for approaching cars. A good memory and pop culture obsessions like Tom Cruise, Prince, and all things 1980s allowed him to steer conversations toward common experiences. For fifteen years, Hill hid his blindness from friends, colleagues, and lovers, even convincing himself that if he stared long enough, his blurry peripheral vision would bring the world into focus. At thirty, faced with a stalled writing career, a crumbling marriage, and a growing fear of leaving his apartment, he began to wonder if there was a better way.
Touch the Top of the World
Author: Erik Weihenmayer
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 9780452282940
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 364
Book Description
The incredible bestselling book from the author of No Barriers and The Adversity Advantage Erik Weihenmayer was born with retinoscheses, a degenerative eye disorder that would leave him blind by the age of thirteen. But Erik was determined to rise above this devastating disability and lead a fulfilling and exciting life. In this poignant and inspiring memoir, he shares his struggle to push past the limits imposed on him by his visual impairment-and by a seeing world. He speaks movingly of the role his family played in his battle to break through the barriers of blindness: the mother who prayed for the miracle that would restore her son's sight and the father who encouraged him to strive for that distant mountaintop. And he tells the story of his dream to climb the world's Seven Summits, and how he is turning that dream into astonishing reality (something fewer than a hundred mountaineers have done). From the snow-capped summit of McKinley to the towering peaks of Aconcagua and Kilimanjaro to the ultimate challenge, Mount Everest, this is a story about daring to dream in the face of impossible odds. It is about finding the courage to reach for that ultimate summit, and transforming your life into something truly miraculous. "An inspiration to other blind people and plenty of us folks who can see just fine."—Jon Krakauer, New York Times bestselling author of Into Thin Air
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 9780452282940
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 364
Book Description
The incredible bestselling book from the author of No Barriers and The Adversity Advantage Erik Weihenmayer was born with retinoscheses, a degenerative eye disorder that would leave him blind by the age of thirteen. But Erik was determined to rise above this devastating disability and lead a fulfilling and exciting life. In this poignant and inspiring memoir, he shares his struggle to push past the limits imposed on him by his visual impairment-and by a seeing world. He speaks movingly of the role his family played in his battle to break through the barriers of blindness: the mother who prayed for the miracle that would restore her son's sight and the father who encouraged him to strive for that distant mountaintop. And he tells the story of his dream to climb the world's Seven Summits, and how he is turning that dream into astonishing reality (something fewer than a hundred mountaineers have done). From the snow-capped summit of McKinley to the towering peaks of Aconcagua and Kilimanjaro to the ultimate challenge, Mount Everest, this is a story about daring to dream in the face of impossible odds. It is about finding the courage to reach for that ultimate summit, and transforming your life into something truly miraculous. "An inspiration to other blind people and plenty of us folks who can see just fine."—Jon Krakauer, New York Times bestselling author of Into Thin Air
No Barriers
Author: Erik Weihenmayer
Publisher: Macmillan
ISBN: 125008878X
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 480
Book Description
Bestselling author Erik Weihenmayer, who Jon Krakauer calls “an inspiration,” tells the epic story of his latest adventures, including solo kayaking The Colorado River.
Publisher: Macmillan
ISBN: 125008878X
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 480
Book Description
Bestselling author Erik Weihenmayer, who Jon Krakauer calls “an inspiration,” tells the epic story of his latest adventures, including solo kayaking The Colorado River.
A Sense of the World
Author: Jason Roberts
Publisher: Harper Collins
ISBN: 0061979945
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 526
Book Description
He was known simply as the Blind Traveler -- a solitary, sightless adventurer who, astonishingly, fought the slave trade in Af-rica, survived a frozen captivity in Siberia, hunted rogue elephants in Ceylon, and helped chart the Australian outback. James Holman (1786-1857) became "one of the greatest wonders of the world he so sagaciously explored," triumphing not only over blindness but crippling pain, poverty, and the interference of well-meaning authorities (his greatest feat, a circumnavigation of the globe, had to be launched in secret). Once a celebrity, a bestselling author, and an inspiration to Charles Darwin and Sir Richard Francis Burton, the charismatic, witty Holman outlived his fame, dying in an obscurity that has endured -- until now. A Sense of the World is a spellbinding and moving rediscovery of one of history's most epic lives. Drawing on meticulous research, Jason Roberts ushers us into the Blind Traveler's uniquely vivid sensory realm, then sweeps us away on an extraordinary journey across the known world during the Age of Exploration. Rich with suspense, humor, international intrigue, and unforgettable characters, this is a story to awaken our own senses of awe and wonder.
Publisher: Harper Collins
ISBN: 0061979945
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 526
Book Description
He was known simply as the Blind Traveler -- a solitary, sightless adventurer who, astonishingly, fought the slave trade in Af-rica, survived a frozen captivity in Siberia, hunted rogue elephants in Ceylon, and helped chart the Australian outback. James Holman (1786-1857) became "one of the greatest wonders of the world he so sagaciously explored," triumphing not only over blindness but crippling pain, poverty, and the interference of well-meaning authorities (his greatest feat, a circumnavigation of the globe, had to be launched in secret). Once a celebrity, a bestselling author, and an inspiration to Charles Darwin and Sir Richard Francis Burton, the charismatic, witty Holman outlived his fame, dying in an obscurity that has endured -- until now. A Sense of the World is a spellbinding and moving rediscovery of one of history's most epic lives. Drawing on meticulous research, Jason Roberts ushers us into the Blind Traveler's uniquely vivid sensory realm, then sweeps us away on an extraordinary journey across the known world during the Age of Exploration. Rich with suspense, humor, international intrigue, and unforgettable characters, this is a story to awaken our own senses of awe and wonder.
Grandma Gatewood's Walk
Author: Ben Montgomery
Publisher: Chicago Review Press
ISBN: 1613747217
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 292
Book Description
Winner of the 2014 National Outdoor Book Awards for History/Biography Emma Gatewood told her family she was going on a walk and left her small Ohio hometown with a change of clothes and less than two hundred dollars. The next anybody heard from her, this genteel, farm-reared, 67-year-old great-grandmother had walked 800 miles along the 2,050-mile Appalachian Trail. And in September 1955, having survived a rattlesnake strike, two hurricanes, and a run-in with gangsters from Harlem, she stood atop Maine's Mount Katahdin. There she sang the first verse of "America, the Beautiful" and proclaimed, "I said I'll do it, and I've done it." Grandma Gatewood, as the reporters called her, became the first woman to hike the entire Appalachian Trail alone, as well as the first person—man or woman—to walk it twice and three times. Gatewood became a hiking celebrity and appeared on TV and in the pages of Sports Illustrated. The public attention she brought to the little-known footpath was unprecedented. Her vocal criticism of the lousy, difficult stretches led to bolstered maintenance, and very likely saved the trail from extinction. Author Ben Montgomery was given unprecedented access to Gatewood's own diaries, trail journals, and correspondence, and interviewed surviving family members and those she met along her hike, all to answer the question so many asked: Why did she do it? The story of Grandma Gatewood will inspire readers of all ages by illustrating the full power of human spirit and determination. Even those who know of Gatewood don't know the full story—a story of triumph from pain, rebellion from brutality, hope from suffering.
Publisher: Chicago Review Press
ISBN: 1613747217
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 292
Book Description
Winner of the 2014 National Outdoor Book Awards for History/Biography Emma Gatewood told her family she was going on a walk and left her small Ohio hometown with a change of clothes and less than two hundred dollars. The next anybody heard from her, this genteel, farm-reared, 67-year-old great-grandmother had walked 800 miles along the 2,050-mile Appalachian Trail. And in September 1955, having survived a rattlesnake strike, two hurricanes, and a run-in with gangsters from Harlem, she stood atop Maine's Mount Katahdin. There she sang the first verse of "America, the Beautiful" and proclaimed, "I said I'll do it, and I've done it." Grandma Gatewood, as the reporters called her, became the first woman to hike the entire Appalachian Trail alone, as well as the first person—man or woman—to walk it twice and three times. Gatewood became a hiking celebrity and appeared on TV and in the pages of Sports Illustrated. The public attention she brought to the little-known footpath was unprecedented. Her vocal criticism of the lousy, difficult stretches led to bolstered maintenance, and very likely saved the trail from extinction. Author Ben Montgomery was given unprecedented access to Gatewood's own diaries, trail journals, and correspondence, and interviewed surviving family members and those she met along her hike, all to answer the question so many asked: Why did she do it? The story of Grandma Gatewood will inspire readers of all ages by illustrating the full power of human spirit and determination. Even those who know of Gatewood don't know the full story—a story of triumph from pain, rebellion from brutality, hope from suffering.
Then Like the Blind Man
Author: Freddie Owens
Publisher: Createspace Independent Pub
ISBN: 9781475084498
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 330
Book Description
A storm is brewing in the all-but-forgotten backcountry of Kentucky. And, for Orbie Ray, the swirling heavens may just have the power to tear open his family's darkest secrets. Then Like The Blind Man: Orbie's Story is the enthralling debut novel by Freddie Owens, which tells the story of a feisty wunderkind in the segregated South of the 1950s, and the forces he must overcome to restore order in his world. Evocative of a time and place long past, this absorbing work of magical realism offered with a Southern twist will engage readers who relish the Southern literary canon, or any tale well told. Nine-year-old Orbie has his cross to bear. After the death of his father, his mother Ruby has off and married his father's coworker and friend Victor, a slick-talking man with a snake tattoo. Now, Orbie, his sister Missy, and his mother haven't had a peaceful moment with the heavy-drinking new man of the house. Orbie hates his stepfather more than he can stand; a fact that lands him at his grandparents' place in Harlan's Crossroads, Kentucky. Orbie grudgingly adjusts to life with his doting Granny and carping Granpaw, who are a bit too keen on their black neighbors for Orbie's taste, not to mention their Pentecostal congregation of snake handlers. And, when he meets the black Choctaw preacher, Moses Mashbone, he learns of powers that could expose his father's murderer. As a storm of unusual magnitude descends, Orbie happens upon the solution to a paradox at once magical and quite ordinary. But will it be enough? Equal parts Hamlet and Huckleberry Finn, it's a tale that's rich in meaning, socially relevant, and rollicking with boyhood adventure. The novel mines crucial contemporary issues, as well as the universality of the human experience while also casting a beguiling light on boyhood dreams and fears. It's a well-spun, nuanced work of fiction that is certain to resonate with lovers of literary fiction, particularly in the grand Southern tradition of storytelling. PUBLISHERS WEEKLY WRITES: In an American coming-of-age novel, the author presents a stunning story with clarity and historical accuracy, rich in illuminating the Appalachian culture of the time period. It is 1959 and Orbie, aged 9, is forced to spend the summer with his grandparents in Harlan, Kentucky, rather than travel to St. Petersburg, Florida, with his mother, sister, and step-father Victor. Instead he will live in a two-room cabin with his share-cropping grandparents, no friends, and nothing to do. Such is the set-up of the story of a young boy from Detroit who learns about racial tolerance, religion, and the meaning of betrayal and love. As the summer progresses there are flashbacks to Obie's tragedy, pain, and misunderstanding that help to illuminate the reasons for his fears and uncertainties. The reader learns these lessons with Orbie, gaining knowledge and understanding of the segregated South. This story educates and brings history alive, depicting American union labor practices and the racial prejudices that were so prevalent in the 1950's. ABNA Publisher's Weekly Reviewer THE MIDWEST BOOK REVIEW WRITES: The weight of the world was never meant for the young. "Then Like the Blind Man: Orbie's Story" tells the story of nine year old Orbie as the death of his father pushes him off from his mother as she marries a man he can't get along with. Living with his grandparents, Orbie learns much of the world, his parents, and faith. With much of faith and learning, "Then Like the Blind Man" is a strong addition to general fiction collections with a focus on coming of age tales. John Taylor Reviewer KINDLE NATION WRITES: Reminiscent of To Kill a Mockingbird, this "sensitive and gripping" coming-of age story evokes backcountry Kentucky in the troubled 1950's in prose that's spare yet lyrical -- a "special" novel worthy of joining the ranks of an illustrious Southern literary tradition.
Publisher: Createspace Independent Pub
ISBN: 9781475084498
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 330
Book Description
A storm is brewing in the all-but-forgotten backcountry of Kentucky. And, for Orbie Ray, the swirling heavens may just have the power to tear open his family's darkest secrets. Then Like The Blind Man: Orbie's Story is the enthralling debut novel by Freddie Owens, which tells the story of a feisty wunderkind in the segregated South of the 1950s, and the forces he must overcome to restore order in his world. Evocative of a time and place long past, this absorbing work of magical realism offered with a Southern twist will engage readers who relish the Southern literary canon, or any tale well told. Nine-year-old Orbie has his cross to bear. After the death of his father, his mother Ruby has off and married his father's coworker and friend Victor, a slick-talking man with a snake tattoo. Now, Orbie, his sister Missy, and his mother haven't had a peaceful moment with the heavy-drinking new man of the house. Orbie hates his stepfather more than he can stand; a fact that lands him at his grandparents' place in Harlan's Crossroads, Kentucky. Orbie grudgingly adjusts to life with his doting Granny and carping Granpaw, who are a bit too keen on their black neighbors for Orbie's taste, not to mention their Pentecostal congregation of snake handlers. And, when he meets the black Choctaw preacher, Moses Mashbone, he learns of powers that could expose his father's murderer. As a storm of unusual magnitude descends, Orbie happens upon the solution to a paradox at once magical and quite ordinary. But will it be enough? Equal parts Hamlet and Huckleberry Finn, it's a tale that's rich in meaning, socially relevant, and rollicking with boyhood adventure. The novel mines crucial contemporary issues, as well as the universality of the human experience while also casting a beguiling light on boyhood dreams and fears. It's a well-spun, nuanced work of fiction that is certain to resonate with lovers of literary fiction, particularly in the grand Southern tradition of storytelling. PUBLISHERS WEEKLY WRITES: In an American coming-of-age novel, the author presents a stunning story with clarity and historical accuracy, rich in illuminating the Appalachian culture of the time period. It is 1959 and Orbie, aged 9, is forced to spend the summer with his grandparents in Harlan, Kentucky, rather than travel to St. Petersburg, Florida, with his mother, sister, and step-father Victor. Instead he will live in a two-room cabin with his share-cropping grandparents, no friends, and nothing to do. Such is the set-up of the story of a young boy from Detroit who learns about racial tolerance, religion, and the meaning of betrayal and love. As the summer progresses there are flashbacks to Obie's tragedy, pain, and misunderstanding that help to illuminate the reasons for his fears and uncertainties. The reader learns these lessons with Orbie, gaining knowledge and understanding of the segregated South. This story educates and brings history alive, depicting American union labor practices and the racial prejudices that were so prevalent in the 1950's. ABNA Publisher's Weekly Reviewer THE MIDWEST BOOK REVIEW WRITES: The weight of the world was never meant for the young. "Then Like the Blind Man: Orbie's Story" tells the story of nine year old Orbie as the death of his father pushes him off from his mother as she marries a man he can't get along with. Living with his grandparents, Orbie learns much of the world, his parents, and faith. With much of faith and learning, "Then Like the Blind Man" is a strong addition to general fiction collections with a focus on coming of age tales. John Taylor Reviewer KINDLE NATION WRITES: Reminiscent of To Kill a Mockingbird, this "sensitive and gripping" coming-of age story evokes backcountry Kentucky in the troubled 1950's in prose that's spare yet lyrical -- a "special" novel worthy of joining the ranks of an illustrious Southern literary tradition.
Thriving Blind
Author: Kristin Smedley
Publisher: Thriving Publications
ISBN: 9781732066403
Category : Family & Relationships
Languages : en
Pages : 146
Book Description
Stories of blind people who use creativity and determination to live the life of their dreams. Also includes lists of resources for advocacy, rehabilitation, recreation, and support systems for the blind.
Publisher: Thriving Publications
ISBN: 9781732066403
Category : Family & Relationships
Languages : en
Pages : 146
Book Description
Stories of blind people who use creativity and determination to live the life of their dreams. Also includes lists of resources for advocacy, rehabilitation, recreation, and support systems for the blind.