Vision

A Memoir of Blindness and Justice

De: David S. Tatel

Narrado por: John Lescault, David S. Tatel

A memoir by one of America’s most accomplished public servants and legal thinkers—who spent years denying and working around his blindness, before finally embracing it as an essential part of his identity.

David Tatel has served nearly 30 years on America’s second highest court, the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, where many of our most crucial cases are resolved—or teed up for the Supreme Court. He has championed equal justice for his entire adult life; decided landmark environmental and voting cases; and embodied the ideal of what a great judge should be. Yet he has been blind for the past 50 of his 80-plus years. Initially, he depended upon aides to read texts to him, and more recently, a suite of hi-tech solutions has allowed him to listen to reams of documents at high speeds. At first, he tried to hide his deteriorating vision, and for years, he denied that it had any impact on his career. Only recently, partly thanks to his first-ever guide dog, Vixen, has he come to fully accept his blindness and the role it's played in his personal and professional lives. His story of fighting for justice over many decades, with and without eyesight, is an inspiration to us all.

©2024 David Tatel (P)2024 Little, Brown & Company

The courts and their role in democracy...

David Tatel presents a thoughtful, articulate, and nuanced view of the ways the current conservative majority SCOTUS has set aside judicial precedent and created new theories of interpretation which have led to rulings gutting the rights of women and allowing states to enact laws making it harder for many people to vote. His years as a lawyer and judge allowed him direct participation in major civil rights cases. His concern for the lack of sound judicial reasoning by the current SCOTUS is also my concern. Their recent decisions will have profound and far reaching negative consequences for our democracy and our world. We should all be concerned and we should all get more educated, informed and involved in fighting for more fairness and equal protection for everyone.

Wonderful book

I found David Tatel’s book to be completely engaging. It felt both expansive and personable, demonstrating how legal issues and ideas affect individual human lives. Judge Tatel’s intellect, clarity, values, warmth, and humor, appear throughout every chapter.

Do not assume anything about blindness

This work was written in a way I will learn from and treasure. As we’ve heard from a famous basketball coach, “never give up”, David Tatel never gave up.

An excellent story of a great man’s life

Excellent and inspiring on so many levels. Deeply moving while simultaneously educational. An amazing combination

eye opening

I won't pretend I knew much about the judiciary but, Justice Tatel was able to make it to where even a laymen like me can understand. I enjoyed the story from start to finish and if you are at all interested in politics, left or right, you will probably learn from this book. Don't write him off cause he's a "liberal" judge.

Powerfully engaging listen, will not disappoint

What a pleasure this was to listen to, I will most likely listen again and definitely recommend it to others. It was a bit alarming to hear what’s becoming of our highest court.

Every American should read this.

David Tatel is a beautiful writer. This memoir taught me so much about our legal system, in a very understandable and interesting way. In addition, his personal journey with becoming blind from RP is both universally human, and super human.

Great Memoir

I read this for a book club discussion focused on disabilities. Judge Tatel’s story is thought provoking and inspiring. I love book clubs because I learn from the perspectives other members have reading the same material. In this book, I thought he wasted so much energy on hiding his deteriorating sight from friends, classmates and colleagues. But in our discussion, I came to appreciate that it is a decision each person should make about what to share with whom, and that decision should be respected.
The story is also one of love and devotion he shares with his wife Edie and his guide dog Vixen.
I am also interested in legal issues and Judge Tatel shares his judicial approach that is a best practice that can be applied in many decision making situations, no matter the role.

Great legal history and memoir

Wonderful honest memoir. I enjoyed every word. I think he could write another book about vixen and Edie’s and David ‘s new life with her. Thank you

A wonderful and inspiring listen, a clear and compelling story

Thank you for sharing your challenges and triumphs. I have RP and so many of your tales and tells made me laugh at my own similar denials and laughable attempts tto be normal. Your gracious and kind demeanor is a great gift.

Also thank you for your voice on our judicial system and the challenges we face with our Supreme Court. It is worth the effort to save our precious democracy and the gift it bestows on our continued freedoms.