Planet of the Blind
A Memoir by Stephen A. Kuusisto, 1998Born premature in 1955, Stephen's incubator had too much oxygen. He was left with just enough sight to permit denial. To his friends, teachers, strangers, Kuusisto was a person with poor sight, not a blind person. But Kuusisto struggled with reading, shopping and crossing streets. Depressed, he abused alcohol and other drugs.
Finally, Kuusisto grew up and accepted that he is blind. He learned how to use a cane. While learning to use a cane, he became interested in the mobility he would gain with a guide dog. At Guiding Eyes, Corky and Kuusisto made a good team. Eventually they returned to Guiding Eyes as employees.
The last bit on Kuusisto's narrative, in which he learns to be blind, is the most interesting, but it takes up only a small part of the book. While covering his early life, Kuusisto dwells on the unpleasant parts instead of writing about how he accomplished what he did. He skips over his time as an adjunct professor almost entirely.
Question: Can a whole(as in unfragmented) life be led without confrontation of disability?
Happy reading.
: 1:27 PM
