The Country of the Blind

A Memoir at the End of Sight

By: Andrew Leland

Narrated by: Andrew Leland

FINALIST FOR THE PULITZER PRIZE

Named one of the best books of the year by: THE NEW YORKER • THE WASHINGTON POST • THE ATLANTIC • NPR • PUBLISHERS WEEKLY • LITHUB

"Fascinating...The great strength of this memoir is its voracious, humble curiosity." - The Atlantic, The 10 Best Books of the Year

A witty, winning, and revelatory personal narrative of the author’s transition from sightedness to blindness and his quest to learn about blindness as a rich culture all its own.

We meet Andrew Leland as he’s suspended in the liminal state of the soon-to-be blind: he’s midway through his life with retinitis pigmentosa, a condition that ushers those who live with it from sightedness to blindness over years, even decades. He grew up with full vision, but starting in his teenage years, his sight began to degrade from the outside in. Soon— but without knowing exactly when—he will likely have no vision left.

Full of apprehension but also dogged curiosity, Leland embarks on a sweeping exploration of the state of being that awaits him: not only the physical experience of blindness but also its language, politics, and customs. He negotiates his changing relationships with his wife and son, and with his own sense of self, as he moves from his mainstream, “typical” life to one with a disability. Part memoir, part historical and cultural investigation, The Country of the Blind represents Leland’s determination not to merely survive this transition but to grow from it—to seek out and revel in that which makes blindness enlightening. Brimming with warmth and humor, it is an exhilarating tour of a new way of being.

©2023 Andrew Leland (P)2023 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

“[Leland’s] education in navigating the world without his eyes is an entry point into a fascinating cultural history of blindness. The great strength of this memoir is its voracious, humble curiosity; throughout, Leland treats losing his vision as just as much an opportunity as a foreclosure.”—The Atlantic, “10 Best Books of the Year”

“After reading Andrew Leland’s memoir, The Country of the Blind, you will look at the English language differently . . . [Leland’s] prose is jazzy and intelligent . . . Leland rigorously explores the disability’s most troubling corners . . . A wonderful cross-disciplinary wander.”—The New York Times Book Review

“Heart-wrenching . . . Leland’s voice is wry, thoughtful, and vulnerable . . . Perhaps the memoir’s greatest gift is the way it compels the sighted reader to confront not only the paradoxes of blindness but the paradoxes of vision as well.”—The Los Angeles Review of Books

Informative and moving

Mr. Leland’s story is moving, but what I most appreciated was the accessible and engaging exploration of blindness history as well as his clear explanation of current technologies. Married to a blind person for over 20 years, I am surrounded by discussions of blindness-related issues and I was delighted to learn much new information.

Amazing memoir.

Beautifully and thoughtfully written. Taking a walk at somebody else's shoes for an excellent read.

final chapter was the most helpful

A bit too much history not enough coping. with reality. it would help to share more about how he adapted.

Fantastic journey

This was a great journey into the world of blindness, and Andrew observes and takles many thoughts and topics that I had myself in my own vision loss journey. Very well written and well read, and it was great getting to hear about his encounters with a few of my close friends in the community. A great read for anyone interested in the history of the Blind Movement, is seeking camaraderie while exploring blindness themselves, or want a new perspective on disability if it's not something they've contemplated before.

Phenomenally human and honest memoir

I LOVED this book. I read it because I have a family member becoming blind with RP, but I think I would have loved it just as much if I did not. The author is so honest and open about so many dimensions of the human experience. I feel a debt of gratitude to the author, Andrew, for allowing me to bear witness to the complexity and depth of his experience. I hope this book will be widely read and help lessen the gulf between those of us whose vision is fully intact and those who have become blind. Particularly, between me and my loved one. Thank you, Andrew, you're a great author, and I hope you will write another book!

A spectacular and heartfelt, incredibly researched, work of art!

If you are blind, sight, impaired, or love, someone who is, this book is for you! And if you are interested, in learning more about the world, we live in, Leland’s unique perspective and riveting discourse well open your eyes to what is possible.

Great takes on deep questions

beautiful book. he gives a great history of blindness and the disability movements. deep exploration into the sociological, political and personal emotional aspects of vision loss.

Excellent mrmoir 💥💥💥💥💥

I listened for a memoir class and loved it! I love the emotion, the depth of character, the way the author brings you along the story of his blindness progression with humor and grace. I learned a great deal. Fantastic narration.

Loved everything about this fascinating story

Really great listen of an intriguing story about someone going blind - what it feels like and all the myriad decisions one has to make about life. Read very well by the author! I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this book to anyone.

Review of the book

I think the book is very informative about RP written by a person that actually has RP and will be a great book for spouses of people with RP to read and get a better understanding of what we go through