The Country of the Blind

A Memoir at the End of Sight

By: Andrew Leland

Narrated by: Andrew Leland

Length: 7 hrs and 47 mins

Publisher's summary

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

“The Country of the Blind is about seeing—but also about marriage and family and the moral and emotional challenge of accommodating the parts of ourselves that scare us. A warm, profound, and unforgettable meditation on how we adjust to new ways of being in the world.” —Rachel Aviv, author of Strangers to Ourselves

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, such that he now sees the world as if through a narrow tube. 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.

Thought-provoking and brimming with warmth and humor, The Country of the Blind is a deeply personal and intellectually exhilarating tour of a way of being that most of us have never paused to consider—and from which we have much to learn.

©2023 Andrew Leland (P)2023 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

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

“Leland provides both fascinating capsule histories of the topics he’s pondering, as with a survey of the disability rights movement, and searching glimpses into his own existential struggle to understand what it means for him to be blind . . . When the author gets personal, he does so with such honesty and vulnerability that by the end, readers will understand when he concludes, ‘The process of retinal degeneration has turned out to be one of the most generative experiences of my life’ . . . Emotional but never sentimental, this quest for insight delivers for its readers.” —Kirkus

“This is such a gorgeous book. Andrew Leland manages to deftly balance the personal, historical and political as he documents—documents is too sterile a word; he gently sings about—his becoming blind. There is a great nonfiction book here about the history of blindness and the pioneers who have built a world of access and empowerment. But crucially, Leland weaves into that larger tapestry the deeply touching story of how he, his wife Lily, and his son Oscar face their myriad new challenges—with open minds and abundant wit, and always fearlessly together.” —Dave Eggers, author of The Circle and A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius

"Andrew Leland writes about his own gradual blindness using cultural histories and the politics of disability to upend what we assumed we knew. It’s one of the year’s best.” —The Chicago Tribune, “52 Books for Summer 2023”

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.

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.

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.

Excellent Exploration of Blindness

This is a thoughtful and thought provoking exploration of blindness. While the author engages his personal experience, he situates it as one of many experiences of blindness and as culturally and temporally shaped. The anecdotes from many other blind and sighted individuals nuances and situates his own foray into the country of the blind. While a memoir, this book is also a cultural history of blindness and the more recent disability rights movement. Leland doesn't shy away from tensions and paradoxes within individuals or within the blind community. As a lifetime citizen of the country of the blind, this book resonates withtruth and nods at my own experiences while acknowledging the differences in the author's own life. I highly recommend.

his humanity, his engagement with his loss as well as trying to be aware of more.

really engrossed in his experience. Helped me rethink my own limited visual loss from MS.

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.