The international phenomenon and winner of the German Book Prize. “A devastating novel about war, love, and the art of survival” (Marie Claire). Julia Franck’s unforgettable English-language debut, The Blindness of the Heart is a dark marvel of a novel by one of Europe’s freshest young voices—a family story spanning two world wars and several generations in a German family. In the devastating opening scene, a woman named Helene stands with her seven-year-old son in a provincial German railway station in 1945 amid the chaos of civilians fleeing west. Having survived with him through the horror and deprivation of the war years, she abandons him on the station platform and never returns. The story quickly circles back to Helene’s childhood with her sister Martha in rural Germany, which came to an abrupt end with the outbreak of the First World War. Their father is sent to the eastern front, and their Jewish mother withdraws from the hostility of her surroundings into a state of mental confusion. As we follow Helene into adulthood, we watch riveted as the costs of survival and ill-fated love turn her into a woman capable of the unforgiveable. “Enthralling, richly imagined and remorseless.” —The New York Times Book Review “Spellbinding . . . The young woman at the center of Julia Franck’s acclaimed novel The Blindness of the Heart ranks among the most haunting characters to be found in European fiction about twentieth-century horrors . . . At times, the novel feels more like an eyewitness account than historical fiction.” —Vogue “Disturbing, original, and brilliant.” —Guardian (Best Books of 2009)

My Heart Is Not Blind: On Blindness and Perception is a collection of stunning portraits of blind and visually impaired people taken by photographer Michael Nye. Each image is accompanied by an intimate story told by the subject concerning his or her experiences and unique perspective. The causes of vision loss range from genetic predispositions (retinitis pigmentosa) or disease (glaucoma) to external circumstances such as accidents (struck by a train) or violence (gunshot wound). The people in this diverse group differ not only in their particular conditions and losses but also in their cultural and socio-economic backgrounds. Taken as a whole, however, the accounts of adapting to changing modes of perception are bound by a common theme of resilience, revealed in shared reactions and unexpected insights. The subjects depicted in My Heart Is Not Blind share their experiences and unique perspectives in a personal narratives that accompany their respective portraits. Most speak of the transition from sight to vision loss, and how that has changed—and not changed—their ability to perceive the surrounding world. Some question the classification of blindness as a disability. One participant proposes that blindness may, in some ways, even aid in perception, musing, “if you can always see the sun, you can never discover the stars.” My Heart Is Not Blind offers a window into the world of the blind and visually impaired, revealing surprising similarities and fascinating differences alongside compelling accounts of survival, adaptation, and heightened understanding. The collection invites us to reconsider what we think we know about blindness in order to gain a deeper understanding of vision and perception.

Amid the chaos of civilians fleeing west in a provincial German railway station in 1945, Helene has brought her seven-year-old son. Having survived with him through the horrors and deprivations of the war years, she abandons him on the station platform and never returns. This is a tale of hope, loneliness and love; of a life lived in terrible times; the story of a family, an era, and a fascinating woman. 'This is a great big silence-breaker of a novel, a laser beam into the German darkness from a writer who, one feels, has a great deal more to say' Evening Standard 'Admirable...inspired and haunting' Times Literary Supplement 'Franck's command of the language of misery and loss is awesome, but so is her gift for describing the warmth of burgeoning life when things are going right' The Times 'A rich, moving and complex novel... Julia Franck may well have written a great novel' Scotsman 'The Blind Side of the Heartis a masterpiece, in an exquisite translation by Anthea Bell' Arts & Book Review

Stories of blind people who use creativity and determination to live the life of their dreams. Also includes lists of resources for advocacy, rehabilitation, recreation, and support systems for the blind.

As a child, Ever Lee Hairston faced one disappointment after the other. A product of share-cropping parents and raised on one of the biggest plantations in the South, Ever allowed those disappointments to diminish her self-confidence and sully her self-esteem. Not to mention, that for years, the young Ever hid a terrible secret, which she hadn’t told anyone – not her family, her friends, her teachers, and as she got older, even her employers. Ever Lee didn’t want to accept that she was slowly losing her eyesight. As darkness began to envelop her, and inspired by the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Ever eventually decided to stop feeling sorry for herself and face her fears. Through two turbulent marriages, a host of setbacks, and a life that was getting harder and harder to manage, Ever encountered defeats, but was determined not to be defeated. Now, decades after she lost her eyesight, her powerful story is one of inspiration and ambition....and helping others realize their lives have purpose as they reach their full potential in spite of any obstacles in their paths.

This book takes you entirely on a new journey of a young mind, who'll be exploring his age old ideas with the current times. On other hand, this also prefers matured emotions that remain unexpressed to the loved ones. Why do you wait? Do move silently into the journey of narrations.