Learning to Be Blind

About this episode

Andrew Leland shares his experience of preparing for blindness by attending a special school for blind people.

When Andrew Leland was a teenager he learned he had a rare disease that would cause him to become blind by the time he reached middle age. He recently decided to prepare by attending a special school for blind people. You can read Andrew’s essay for the New Yorker, “How to Be Blind” here: https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-weekend-essay/how-to-be-blind And you can find Andrew’s new book, The Country of the Blind here: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/635964/the-country-of-the-blind-by-andrew-leland/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

People in this episode

Host: Joel Stein

Guest: Andrew Leland

Topics covered

• blindness
• personal journey
• education
• disability
• literature

Keywords

• blindness
• Andrew Leland
• New Yorker
• The Country of the Blind
• disability education

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: New Yorker, Penguin Random House

Products: The Country of the Blind

Books & works: How to Be Blind

More episodes of Story of the Week with Joel Stein

• David Remnick on the Stories That Shape Our Time · June 4, 2026 · 51 min
• From Medal of Honor: James Fleming’s Impossible Vietnam War Rescue · May 27, 2026 · 31 min
• Introducing Shaping Sounds: Stevie Wonder, DEVO, the Synth Revolution and My Life Behind the Music · May 19, 2026 · 15 min
• Jane Fonda: Hollywood Rebel, War Activist and Fitness Pioneer | From Big Lives · April 6, 2026 · 42 min
• Decoding Psychedelics with Dr. Grace Blest-Hopley from Decoding Women's Health · January 27, 2026 · 48 min
• Revisiting: The Surprising, Queer History of the 1974 Oscars Streaker · March 9, 2024 · 38 min