Do You Remember the Color Blue?: The Questions Children Ask About Blindness

She explains how she lost her sight completely in her mid twenties because of a mysterious disease causing blood vessels in her retinas to bleed. Sally doesn't gloss over the grieving she went through and the difficulties she faced, and the need for constant concentration even now. But the book has an optimistic tone, explaining how she met her husband on a blind date (she notes with irony), and how her life as a wife, mother, writer and even gardener is very fulfilling.

There are interesting insights how blind people function in a sighted world, e.g. accessing information through Braille, talking books or the Optacon (optical-tactile converter), travelling with a cane or guide dogs, cooking, choosing clothes, and much else. She even discusses her visit to a school for deaf kids and whether it's better to be blind or deaf, and the effect of blindness on her religious faith (increasing it) and that of her loved ones (the opposite effect).


Learn About Blindness   October 10, 2000
Andrew Smith (NJ)
11 out of 13 found this review helpful

Author Sally Hobart Alexander does remember the color blue because she lost her sight completely at age 26. In this book, she answers 13 questions children have asked her about going blind. Alexander's honesty and wit discussing how she met her husband, ways her two sighted children played tricks on her and how she handles day to day activities, allows the reader to understand how a blind person lives a happy, fulfilling life. A good choice for a 4th or 5th grader. Included in this book is an activity, "What does it feel like to be blind?" also a note about blindness, a list of resources and an index. The black and white photographs of Alexander, her family and innovative gadgets are set on black, white or gray backgrounds.


A Parallel Universe   April 7, 2000
15 out of 15 found this review helpful

You know that you're not supposed to be nosey and ask questions about someone's disability. But Sally Hobart Alexander, the author of this book, travels around the country giving talks to people about her experience with her blindness. She invites, and receives, a lot of questions from children and teens, and in this book she tries to answer some of them. In some respects, it is a very satisfying book, because it calls attention to the millions of little details of ordinary life that usually require eyesight. How do you know what's in the refrigerator? How do you know what clothes match? Many of us don't consider that you need to face the person you are talking to, or where to extend our hands for a handshake. Because Alexander was not born blind (she lost her sight gradually over two years, when she was in her twenties), she is aware of all of the differences, and she is generous in sharing her experiences. But this is not just a book about the details of living without sight. This book also shares some of the emotional experience of losing vision--the frustration, disappointment, and anger Alexander had to work through. And then the positive feelings of triumph, as she learned that happiness and success do not depend on the ability to see with your eyes. Basically an upbeat, interesting story, I found the writing a little weak. But I would recommend this book strongly for anyone who is struggling with any kind of disability, or anyone who is simply curious about blindness, because it is truly inspirational and frank.