logo
episode-header-image
Jul 2023
47m 38s

The Country of the Blind

ROMAN MARS
About this episode

Andrew Leland grew up with full vision, but starting in his teenage years, his sight began to degrade from the outside in, such that he now sees the world as if through a narrow tube. Soon—but without knowing exactly when—he will likely have no vision left. In this episode, Andrew takes us through the fascinating history of alternative reading technologies designed for blind people and discusses his fantastic new book The Country of the Blind, which is out today!

The Country of the Blind

Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of 99% Invisible ad-free and get exclusive access to bonus episodes. 
Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus.

Up next
Jul 8
Food Deserts
How did millions of Americans end up living in neighborhoods where finding fresh food is harder than ever, and why is the problem by design, not accident? The answer rests in a major policy shift that fundamentally altered the American food landscape.Food DesertsIf you're new to ... Show More
38m 15s
Jul 1
Open Borders
An immigration reporter’s chance encounter in the desert reveals how borders shape our actions, our beliefs, and the way we see the world around us.Open BordersIf you're new to the show (thanks Apple Podcasts!) here are some favorite episodes to get you started:Freedom House Ambu ... Show More
29m 9s
Jun 24
The Titanic's Best Lifeboat
A century-old shipwreck, a sea of glass, and the lifeboats that were never meant to save you.The Titanic Was The Lifeboat Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of 99% Invisible ad-free and a whole week early. Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visi ... Show More
33m 17s
Recommended Episodes
Oct 2023
Blindness isn't a tragic binary — it's a rich spectrum | Andrew Leland
When does vision loss become blindness? Writer, audio producer and editor Andrew Leland explains how his gradual loss of vision revealed a paradoxical truth about blindness — and shows why it might have implications for how all of us see the world. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/ ... Show More
7m 37s
Jul 2023
Blindness isn't a tragic binary -- it's a rich spectrum | Andrew Leland
When does vision loss become blindness? Writer, audio producer and editor Andrew Leland explains how his gradual loss of vision revealed a paradoxical truth about blindness -- and shows why it might have implications for how all of us see the world. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com ... Show More
6m 14s
Nov 2022
Vision
And at last I see the light. In episode 64 of Overthink, Ellie and David discuss vision in the second installment of their ongoing series on the five senses. They discuss the prevalence of visual metaphors for knowledge, and why sight has historically been the most privileged of ... Show More
56m 11s
Oct 2021
A focus on spectacles
If you had to name the innovations that have transformed human civilisation, you might suggest the printing press or the Internet, but the humble pair of spectacles has also revolutionised the way many of us experience the world. It's said that an astonishing three quarters of th ... Show More
39m 43s
Nov 2020
Accessibility and Computer Vision - #425
Digital imagery is pervasive today. More than a billion images per day are produced and uploaded to social media sites, with many more embedded within websites, apps, digital documents, and eBooks. Engaging with digital imagery has become fundamental to participating in contempor ... Show More
1 h
Oct 2023
How Do We Read?
How does reading work in the brain? It’s a question that has fascinated scientists for years. Could braille - the system of raised dots that blind and low vision people use to read - be the key to understanding how it works? We talk to writer Andrew Leland (“The Country of the Bl ... Show More
27m 32s
May 2023
Louis Braille, génie jusqu’ au bout des doigts - Le récit
Durant l'été 1812, à Coupvray en Seine-et-Marne, Louis Braille, âgé de 3 ans, se crève un œil en manipulant un outil de son père. Rapidement, l'œil crevé et infecté contamine son 2ème œil et il devient totalement aveugle. Il inventera un système d'écriture tactile à l'usage des p ... Show More
28m 28s
Apr 2017
Subconscious
Geoff Lean was in a coma for a month, during this time he could hear and feel everything but it wasn't until he woke up from the coma that he realised he had also unconsciously absorbed visual information through his eyes. Aleks investigates Blindsight, one of the most curious ph ... Show More
27m 59s
Mar 2022
A Personal Tour of Modern Irish History
Fintan O’Toole was born in Dublin in 1958, the same year that T.K. Whitaker, a member of the Irish government, published an influential report suggesting that Ireland open its doors economically and culturally to the rest of the world. O’Toole’s new book, “We Don’t Know Ourselves ... Show More
51m 46s
Apr 2022
Fiction About Lives in Ukraine
While a steady stream of disturbing news continues to come from Ukraine, new works of fiction highlight the ways in which lives there have been transformed by conflict. On this week’s podcast, the critic Jennifer Wilson talks about two books, including the story collection “Lucky ... Show More
48m 48s