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Connecting Dots
A Blind Life
Contributors
With Wendell Jamieson
Formats and Prices
Price
$15.99Price
$20.99 CADFormat
Format:
- ebook $15.99 $20.99 CAD
- Hardcover $30.00 $39.00 CAD
- Audiobook Download (Unabridged) $27.99
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At the age of four, Joshua Miele was blinded and badly burned when a delusional neighbor poured sulfuric acid over his head in a crime that shocked New York. It could have ended his life, but, instead, Miele—naturally curious and a born problem solver—not only recovered but thrived, finding increasingly inventive ways to succeed in a world built for the sighted. At first reluctant to even think of himself as blind, he eventually embraced his blindness and became a committed advocate for disability and accessibility. Along the way, he grappled with drugs and addiction, played bass in a rock band, worked for NASA, became a guerilla activist, married the love of his life, and had two children.
Miele introduces us to an extraordinary cast of characters, from his lovingly quirky family, to his rock-and-roll buddies and romantic loves, to the devoted teachers and brilliant colleagues whose encouragement and collaboration supported him. He also chronicles the development of revolutionary accessible technologies and his role in shaping them, including screen readers, tactile maps, and audio description. Connecting Dots delivers a captivating first-person perspective on blindness and disability as incisive as it is entertaining and, ultimately, triumphant; in 2021 Miele won a MacArthur “Genius” award for his work. His story demonstrates the normality of blindness as he lives, loves, invents, raises a family, and takes pride in his blind identity. Interweaving tales of invention and independence with humor, struggle, and achievement, this is the story of one ordinary blind life with an indelible impact.
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“An instant classic. Like its author, Connecting Dots is brilliant but approachable; irreverent without losing touch with the seriousness of his subject; and accessible in every sense of the word. Miele's funny, moving, and absorbing account of his life and work demonstrate the truth behind the proverb about innovation and necessity: disabled people are the true mothers of invention.”Andrew Leland, author of The Country of the Blind
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“This is not a single book, but several wonderful books wrapped up into one. It’s a science book, a romance, a riveting history of the disability movement, a book about New York, an advice book. And, of course, it’s a memoir—fascinating, honest, and inspirational in a delightfully un-sappy way.”A.J. Jacobs, author of The Know It All and The Year of Living Constitutionally
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“This is the story of a singular life, one shaped by violence but also by a devoted family, dedicated teachers and an array of fellow blind people who refused to accept the limitations imposed on them by others.”Georgina Kleege, author of More Than Meets the Eye: What Blindness Brings to Art
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“Josh’s journey—from acid-burn survivor to MacArthur Genius—is raw, honest, and unexpectedly funny. I couldn’t put it down, finishing it in a single flight. His storytelling connects dots, literal and figurative, in a way that’s utterly brilliant.”Mike May, Paralympian and subject of Crashing Through
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“Josh Miele gets up close and personal into his life as a blind kid who grew to become a MacArthur ‘Genius.’ His extraordinary journey, teeming with resilience, adaptability, and innovation resonates deeply with my own blindness experience.”Lachi Music, singer-songwriter and founder and CEO of RAMPD
- On Sale
- Mar 4, 2025
- Page Count
- 288 pages
- Publisher
- Grand Central Publishing
- ISBN-13
- 9780306832802
