Blindsided

By: Richard Cohen

Narrated by: Richard Cohen

A hopeful look at coping with the ravages of serious chronic illness by an accomplished journalist, a contributing columnist for the New York Times, and former senior producer of the CBS Evening News

Richard Cohen, a veteran journalist, has lived with multiple sclerosis for 30 years. Diagnosed with colon cancer twice in recent years, Cohen chronicles and celebrates a life brimming over with accomplishment and adversity, while struggling for emotional health.

Autobiographical at its roots, reportorial, and expansive, Blindsided explores the effects of illness on raising three children and his relationship with wife Meredith Vieira (host of ABC's The View). He tackles the nature of denial and resilience and the redemptive effects of a loving family, and does so with grace, humor, and lyrical prose.

©2003 Richard Cohen (P)2003 HarperCollinsPublishers, Inc.

Critic reviews

"In this wrenching memoir, he tells how he has for the past 30 years succeeded in his determination to 'cope and to hope'." (Publishers Weekly)
"Ultimately, his is a story of overcoming adversity and not being beaten by it: a traditional-enough theme for a book, perhaps, but still an important one, if told in the right way. It is here." (Booklist)
"Within [Cohen] retains that miraculous strength all humans have....Blindsided is a powerful memoir, tough in the way Cohen's old news bosses would have wanted it to be tough. It doesn't flinch and it doesn't whine. Its tone is more of self-horror than of self-pity." (The New York Times Book Review)

Brilliant!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes. Richard shows, without morbidity, the reality of living with chronic illness, not only for the person with it, but for the people who live with the person with it.

What did you like best about this story?

He is honest about his feelings and feelings of those around him. He is not a victim! He is merely on a journey of BE-ing with himself.

What about Richard Cohen’s performance did you like?

Honesty

new narrator, wonderful book

I also loved this book and wanted to note that the version I downloaded in 2010 has a new narrator (Mr. Cohen only read the intro). This is a brave, honest book. My dearest friend who has lived with MS for 20 years also loved it, and found it to be incredibly inspiring, as did I. It's about living fully with a chronic illness, but also so much more. It's about life, choices, careers, marriage, so many of the things which make a truly compelling memoir. I rarely take the time to recommend a book (and I've downloaded hundreds) but this one moved me deeply.

Couldn't stop listening...

I tend to be quite critical and harsh when it comes to book reviews. But, I have to say that I adored this book. Maybe it is because I have ms and that this is the first ms-related book I have read (or listened to). But, I was simply unable to stop listening until the book was over. I enjoyed seeing how someone else with ms lived and dealt with situations that I have dealt with or that I will perhaps deal with in the future (even if ms is a very variable disease that affects everyone differently and even if the way I would react to a similar situation might be completely different)



If you have ms, another chronic illness or if you simply enjoy a book that can give one perspective on life (and how lucky someone who has their health truly is) or even if you enjoy biographies I do recommend this book.

BLINDSIDED (ANABRIDGED

As a sufferer myself with MS for ten years, I heartily endorse Richard's view of his journey with the disease - and his attitude with having the array of difficult to descibe symptoms. I used to say, "God is a Jokester to people with Multiple Sclerosis - Sometimes sHe will say " Let's give the patient, oh, I don't know... Urinary incontenence... or maybe some double vision..." Most of all, I loved how Richard described the incipient, almost imperceptible changes in cognition that MS sufferers endure silently. The dream he has at the very end of the book is classic - I have had that very same dream many many times -- I dare say that every MS sufferer has been bestowed that same vision from time to time.

Great writing and awesome story of courage

A story of determination and hope through the struggle of MS. A view of living with MS but also living a wonderful life.

Blindsided

Where does Blindsided rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

It ranks very high in the books I have listened to.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I also have MS. Listening to the book made me realize that other people have the same issues that I have. This is a book for not just people with MS but also for Care-givers. It is a well written book.

Any additional comments?

Worth listening to.

So REAL, RAW & BRAVE! Loved it!

I've been on this same slippery slope since 2000. I LOVE RICHARD FOR WRITING THIS BOOK!! I've read countless MS books, but BLINDSIDED takes the day! So real, so raw, so True!

This book is a great read for MSer's, care giver's & family members. I chose the audio book & I thoroughly enjoyed hearing Richard read his own thoughts & life experiences. I will listen again!

Thank you Rich, 🙋✌️🙏 Misty Persico

An Inspiring Testament...

to the powers and resiliency of the human spirit! If you loved Michael J. Fox's LUCKY MAN, you must read BLINDSIDED, a very personal account of Richard M. Cohen's fortitude in the face of MS and, most recently, two bouts of colon cancer. Celebrity sickness books can be tedious or self-indulgent, but BLINDSIDED is not about celebrity, or even about illness. It is about human dignity and refusing to give up that dignity when life offers you something considerably less palatable than strawberries and cheesecake.

Good for anyone dealing with long term illness

My husband has MS and is having a hard time with it after going blind and breaking his hip.
This book helped him realize what he is feeling and doing was not unusual and he could always do better. This book was great for him as we have no support groups within 150 miles. Thank you Mr. Cohen.

Well written and optimistic!

A very well written book. It left me with a good feeling, that despite living with PPMS, I feel like I can still live a decent life and enjoy it! Well done, Richard!