The Braille Encyclopedia: Brief Essays on Altered Sight

by Naomi Cohn

As befits this daring exploration of a life that defies clear categories and boundaries, Naomi Cohn’s revelatory memoir The Braille Brief Essays on Altered Sight shapeshifts between lyric essay and prose poetry and traverses the divides between lived experience, history, and scientific knowledge. Told in the form of imagined alphabetical encyclopedia entries, this meditation on progressive vision loss examines and illuminates Cohn’s at first halting then avid embrace of braille as part of relearning to read and write as an adult. Using etymology, historical and medical research, and personal vignettes, this abecedarian collection of linked micro-essays and prose poems is both Cohn’s singular story of grieving and refashioning a life built around words and an evocation of the larger discussion of how our society views disability. The Braille Encyclopedia is poignant, playful, and wry, providing a literary reckoning of the technical and emotional aspects of facing the loss of sight.

Genres: Nonfiction, Essays, Disability, Memoir

150 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 23, 2024

Reviews

[T.J. Price · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful and lyrical memoir told in abcedarian entries, intertwining memory with poetry. Gorgeously written, and told with a fierce love for reading and language. These essays convey vibrant discourse on the act of seeing, opening new avenues of thought with ontological questions of perception and perceiving that go far beyond the visual sense itself. It is told honestly, bluntly, and narrated by a unique voice as humorous as it is lyrical. The details are stunning: the author has a knack for including seemingly-granular minutiae in each entry, but always links it deftly to the theme at hand, sometimes surprisingly.

For example, from the entry "Awl," I learned that Louis Braille blinded himself at an early age in his father's workshop, an accident involving the titular implement (or perhaps serpette, the history is unclear, a fact which is included later on) — but it is at the close of this brief essay when the author remarks "Is it an accident that my tool for making hand-punched braille is so much like an awl?" that I felt a strange deepening sensation, and had to catch my breath.

So yes, it's billed as an "encyclopedia," but you've never read an article in an encyclopedia that strikes you quite like these do. The closest thing I can think of that evokes this same strange blend of musing, beautiful poetry, and memoir, is H is for Hawk, by Helen MacDonald, or perhaps The Blessing: A Memoir, by Gregory Orr. The printing of the book is also beautiful: not only is the title is in raised braille font on the cover, but the press (Rose Metal Press, whose prior The Rose Metal Press Field Guide to Writing Flash Fiction: Tips from Editors, Teachers, and Writers in the Field has also been a favorite of mine) also provides an explanation in the end-pages for the font used, specifying that it was chosen due to its optimal readability.

Just an all-around beautiful book. Highly recommended.

It also made me want to learn how to read braille.

[Lora Arbrador · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a most unusual book - I'm calling it poetic prose. "Braille Encyclopedia" has allowed me to enter into the psyche and heart of a person with very limited vision, i.e., blind. Naomi Cohn neither complains about her fate nor puts on an inauthentic positive spin. It just is and the is-ness of it is very moving - not in a sappy way, but it allows me to enter her experience through her artistry. Plus, I've always been curious about braille and I learned so much about braille - both scholarly information and Cohn's personal experience with it. The far-reaching prompts that the encyclopedia format dictates, encourages Cohn to explore peripheral and adjacent topics, yet not stray from the central theme of vision loss. This is a book to savor and visit from time to time.

[Anna Forest · Rating 5 out of 5]

I usually can't stand books about blindness because all so far have completely failed to capture my experience as a blind person. I went into this book with low expectations, but actually found it to be quite beautiful. There was no inspiration porn or stereotype of incompetence or overexplaining for a sighted audience. It was just this woman living her very normal life while navigating vision loss. Throw in the unique format of an encyclopedia and essays that sound like poetry, and I'm hooked. This is one I would read again.

[Jared Wahlgren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Liking this so far! A true story about losing your vision and a word history / lexicon about Braille and how the senses are tested. Poems are alphabetical. The cover has risen lettering like on an ATM. A great snippet into the history of how we as humans respond to disability and how we can learn from & use this to benefit others.

[Rebekah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the undeserved privilege of being a hanger-on in Jess Franken’s First Pancake Club where Naomi Cohn finished up a handful of these essays. The complete work is a sensory delight, and I felt like I was getting delicious updates from a dear friend.

[Ji Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Braille Encyclopedia is a thoughtful read that explores perception and human connection in a subtle way. It might seem like a niche topic, but it’s quite engaging, with the author bringing depth and sensitivity to the story. It’s not fast-paced, but its tone makes it meaningful and memorable.

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

So excited to be publishing this!

[Seana · Rating 5 out of 5]

My review of this book for Escape Into Life is here:

https://www.escapeintolife.com/book-r...

[Kerry · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 stars.