Planet of the Blind

Planet of the Blind by Stephen Kuusisto

****** Top Marks

This is a fantastic book.  It is Stephen Kuusisto's autobiography, it is wonderfully written with really interesting comparisons.  It is called Planet of the Blind because he feels that he doesn't fit in anywhere.  His blindness was caused by being born prematurely and the incubator was too oxygenised.  Although he can see something; colours and movement, his mother and father refused to accept that he was more blind than not and thus Stephen Kuusisto found himself not belonging to either the sighted world or the blind world. 

He is so positive and through his writing you completely immerse yourself in his life and see the world as he sees/saw it.  The enthusiasm to make things work for him, and as he states, he tried to pass as a sighted person and ran ahead with confidence; mercilessly bullied by students and teachers; there is plenty to relate too.  I would recommend this very highly, not only for its incredible dev factor but also because he writes so beautifully.