June 14, 2004
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Blindsided – Lifting a Life Above Illness: A Reluctant Memoir
I heard this book being discussed on some TV show or other and ordered it from the library. The author is Richard Cohen, a former senior producer for CBS News and CNN, 3-time Emmy Award winner, and recipient of numerous honors in journalism. He is married to Meredith Vieira, host of the women’s talk show The View. More importantly, he was struck by MS in his 20′s, effectively blinded by this disease, and then had to endure two bouts with colon cancer in the 90′s. You would think the book would be a downer, but the reason it drew me was that I’m always looking to examine ways that people find to surmount any of the myriad stresses we face in life so that I can incorporate them into my own journey. This is a fairly small book, big print, fast read, but so far I’m only at the beginning and what I’m observing is that this is a person who has goals, a family history of MS with good role models in his father and grandmother who took the disease calmly, and of course a certain amount of privilege. I can’t help but wonder if the book would have received the same attention were it written by a poor, unattractive, black woman. Nevertheless, I am intrigued to find out how he makes it from age 25 through the following 30 years of his life to now. My guess is it will be with a combination of gutsiness and zen.
Deep Thought: I think a new, different kind of bowling should be “carpet bowling.” It’s just like regular bowling, only the lanes are carpet instead of wood. I don’t know why we should do this, but my God, we’ve got to try something!
Today I am grateful for: Lions
Comments (8)
I doubt Cohen’s book would have received as much attention were he not married to Meredith Vieira (I saw the two of them on 20/20 about 6 months ago discussing his illness–but I assumed that was mainly becuase of the connection between Vieira and Barbara Walters. In any case, it’s a remarkable story & their interview was riveting & I’m sure the book is good.
I dunno…… A good story is a good story no matter of the background of the individual. What, for example, about Harriet Tubman?
Absolutely – I’m just saying that it may be more likely for this story to get told if the person has some connections.
c’est vrai. had it have been written by a poor black woman it might not have been published, much less publicized. nevertheless…if there were good things to be shared then that’s something too. wheat and chaff. take what you need and leave the rest, that’s my motto these days.
and yes yes yes to carpet bowling. i might actually have a chance at knocking something down then!
I’ve read good reviews about this book & am planning on reading it eventually. I do agree that it’s probably gotten more publicity because of his connection, though.
I don’t know if race and sex would limit the publication likelihood any more but being unconnected and poor sure might.
–Glad you liked my poem.
carpet bowling? easier? hopefully!!! lol!
Written by a poor black woman, no chance to be published, unless perhaps she stumbled into someone in publishing somehow in New York. Connections drive publlishing – especially these days. That doesn’t lessen this book, but it sure limits voices in print.
And as for your question on my site: been. yes.