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Touch the Future: A Manifesto in Essays
A revelatory collection of essays on the DeafBlind experience, and a manifesto on the power and untapped potential of touch.
Born Deaf into an ASL-speaking family and blind by adolescence, John Lee Clark learned to embrace the possibilities of his tactile world. He is on the frontlines of the Protactile movement, which gave birth to an unprecedented tactile language and a way of life based on physical connection.
In a series of paradigm-shifting essays, Clark reports on seismic developments within the DeafBlind community. In “Against Access,” he interrogates the prevailing advocacy for “accessibility” that re-creates a shadow of a hearing-sighted experience. In the National Magazine Award–winning “Tactile Art,” he describes his relationship to visual art and encounters with tactile sculpture. He advocates for “Co-Navigation,” a new way of guiding that respects DeafBlind agency, and offers a brief history of the term “DeafBlind.” As warm and witty as he is radical and inspiring, Clark welcomes readers into the exciting Protactile landscape and celebrates the hidden knowledge that can be gained through touch.
Born Deaf into an ASL-speaking family and blind by adolescence, John Lee Clark learned to embrace the possibilities of his tactile world. He is on the frontlines of the Protactile movement, which gave birth to an unprecedented tactile language and a way of life based on physical connection.
In a series of paradigm-shifting essays, Clark reports on seismic developments within the DeafBlind community. In “Against Access,” he interrogates the prevailing advocacy for “accessibility” that re-creates a shadow of a hearing-sighted experience. In the National Magazine Award–winning “Tactile Art,” he describes his relationship to visual art and encounters with tactile sculpture. He advocates for “Co-Navigation,” a new way of guiding that respects DeafBlind agency, and offers a brief history of the term “DeafBlind.” As warm and witty as he is radical and inspiring, Clark welcomes readers into the exciting Protactile landscape and celebrates the hidden knowledge that can be gained through touch.
194 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 17, 2023
21 people are currently reading
1781 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
May 29, 2025
I've tried to write this review many times, I don't feel articulate enough to express how I feel about this collection of essays. It's a good collection, the essays are approachable and make valuable points. If you enjoy thinking about language and disability you will probably find a lot to love with this one.
August 25, 2023
Clark's essay collection on the DeafBlind experience touched on this community's history, issues of "access", art and theatre, relationship to deaf and blind communities, and more. Clark is an excellent writer. His voice is original and unfettered. He is also quite funny.
I highly recommend to everyone, especially those (like me) who are very far removed from the DeafBlind experience -- the collection is succinct (read: short), a pleasure to read, and leaves you questioning the prevailing assumptions about being disabled.
I received an advance reading copy of this book through a Goodreads giveaway [August 2023].
I highly recommend to everyone, especially those (like me) who are very far removed from the DeafBlind experience -- the collection is succinct (read: short), a pleasure to read, and leaves you questioning the prevailing assumptions about being disabled.
I received an advance reading copy of this book through a Goodreads giveaway [August 2023].
May 21, 2025
I love reading works by fellow disabled people. I always learn so much about being disabled and my own experiences.
October 1, 2025
Everyone should read this -- a funny, inspiring, spirited reimagining of humanity in general and DeafBlind in particular.
December 31, 2023
It was a unique read for me. As an educator, I'm always trying to reach a very wide audience. It makes sense that a DeafBlind person should teach DeafBlind children. I agree with this up until they reach a higher level of content. Then subject matter experts with a Protactile interpreter should be used. This book encourages me to think and to check my privilege as a sighted hearing person.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 8, 2024
Everyone should read this book even if you know things about disability. Clark's writing is both elegant and incisive. It says the things other people are afraid to say and it dares to go forward with a new way of communicating that has transformed his community and might just end up changing the world if we let it.
January 28, 2025
I feel conflicted on this one. I would definitely recommend it, but I have some criticisms as well. I can tell that the essays were written separately and then gathered in to a book, because there is some redundancy especially in part 1.
However, I still recommend it because John’s wriying about the emergence of Protactile, a language grown from ASL created by and for the DeafBlind, is fascinating. It is fascinating to learn the story of how a language was born and the impact it had on the community. As a disabled person who has often thought about agency and freedom,
I particularly enjoyed how protactile reframes the world for the DeafBlind placing the agency to act and interact in their hands, rather than recieving information only mediated through an interpreter. I also learned that well meaning access measures can get in the way of the DeafBlind community.
I think the strongest sections were sections 3 and 4. I particularly like the essays co-navigation, tactile art, no stage, my dream house, a fable, reading environments, and throw out the table.
In reading environments, John talks about the limited number of contemporary poetry books embossed in to braille and how that impacts him as a poet (he has the most access to poetry where the copyright has expired). In throw out the table, he shares his answer from a Poetry International online round table and has some of his most incisive writing in the book on many of the DeafBlind community being poets and the ways in which inclusion can feel like a farce. Also in a fable the witty retelling of the fable of the blind men with the elephant, that totally turns it on its head!!!
It’s also clear that his writing has been paradigm shifting in moving the community forward. For example, his writing about what theatre for the DeafBlind would be like directly lead to grassroots productions and grants being funded. This reminds me of Tricia Hersey’s writing in Rest is Resistance. She talks about reclaiming dream space and how we first have to imagine a different future in order to bring it into being. To see this unfurling in his book is a bit like magic. It gives me hope that my wild dreams of an accessible future aren’t so crazy.
However, I still recommend it because John’s wriying about the emergence of Protactile, a language grown from ASL created by and for the DeafBlind, is fascinating. It is fascinating to learn the story of how a language was born and the impact it had on the community. As a disabled person who has often thought about agency and freedom,
I particularly enjoyed how protactile reframes the world for the DeafBlind placing the agency to act and interact in their hands, rather than recieving information only mediated through an interpreter. I also learned that well meaning access measures can get in the way of the DeafBlind community.
I think the strongest sections were sections 3 and 4. I particularly like the essays co-navigation, tactile art, no stage, my dream house, a fable, reading environments, and throw out the table.
In reading environments, John talks about the limited number of contemporary poetry books embossed in to braille and how that impacts him as a poet (he has the most access to poetry where the copyright has expired). In throw out the table, he shares his answer from a Poetry International online round table and has some of his most incisive writing in the book on many of the DeafBlind community being poets and the ways in which inclusion can feel like a farce. Also in a fable the witty retelling of the fable of the blind men with the elephant, that totally turns it on its head!!!
It’s also clear that his writing has been paradigm shifting in moving the community forward. For example, his writing about what theatre for the DeafBlind would be like directly lead to grassroots productions and grants being funded. This reminds me of Tricia Hersey’s writing in Rest is Resistance. She talks about reclaiming dream space and how we first have to imagine a different future in order to bring it into being. To see this unfurling in his book is a bit like magic. It gives me hope that my wild dreams of an accessible future aren’t so crazy.
November 9, 2023
Whoa. What a paradigm-shifting, eye-opening, enlightening and enlarging book. While this is an extremely focused and convincing manifesto for the Protactile language of the DeafBlind, it is also (for one hearing and sighted) a kind and startling alert about other ways of intelligence, and has deep resonances for how we should co-navigate with all people. (Also, as an aside from a person who writes, made me think so much about the relationship between writer, reader and characters, the kind of space and respect an honest reading requires--see the paragraph about apprehending a room, below.) I really admired Clark's collection of poetry, HOW TO COMMUNICATE, and was moved by the combination of humor, exasperation, history and facts, the ability to move unpredictably, the way the essays found their own shapes.
“Here I stop them. ‘Why are you telling me, telling me, telling me things? Your job isn’t to deliver this whole room to me on a silver platter. I don’t want the silver platter. I want to attack this room. I want to own it, just like how the sighted people here own it. Or, if the room isn’t worth owning, then I want to grab whatever I find worth stealing. C’mon, let’s start over. What we’ll do is start to touch things and people here, together, while we provide running commentaries and feedback to each other.”
(John Lee Clark, “Against Access” in TOUCH THE FUTURE)
“The solution was to assign each of us a sighted companion. Such teachers made it possible for us to sit apart and for the classroom teacher to stand in front of us. They made us hearing and sighted by proxy. Even though we were in constant contact with our special teachers, the pair of us made of a tidy unit that could and did stand apart. It also made for a most inspiring sight, the self-sacrificing teacher laboring as our only link to the world. It’s not a miracle unless there’s a miracle worker.”
(“Distantisim")
“How am I supposed to find anyone if everyone runs away from me?”
(“Distantism")
“Here I stop them. ‘Why are you telling me, telling me, telling me things? Your job isn’t to deliver this whole room to me on a silver platter. I don’t want the silver platter. I want to attack this room. I want to own it, just like how the sighted people here own it. Or, if the room isn’t worth owning, then I want to grab whatever I find worth stealing. C’mon, let’s start over. What we’ll do is start to touch things and people here, together, while we provide running commentaries and feedback to each other.”
(John Lee Clark, “Against Access” in TOUCH THE FUTURE)
“The solution was to assign each of us a sighted companion. Such teachers made it possible for us to sit apart and for the classroom teacher to stand in front of us. They made us hearing and sighted by proxy. Even though we were in constant contact with our special teachers, the pair of us made of a tidy unit that could and did stand apart. It also made for a most inspiring sight, the self-sacrificing teacher laboring as our only link to the world. It’s not a miracle unless there’s a miracle worker.”
(“Distantisim")
“How am I supposed to find anyone if everyone runs away from me?”
(“Distantism")
February 18, 2025
I'm not deaf or blind, but I found this book to be very enlightening. I only came across it because I just finished The Sign for Home by Blair Fell and he mentioned this author in the book's closing comments. I've never had an interaction with a DeafBlind person, and the odds are that I never will, but I love learning new things. I loved how he explained that throwing a blindfold and earplugs on a sited and hearing person isn't a great simulation of what life is like for a DeafBlind person. I'm glad that the Deaf Strong Hospital exists; what a great tool. I enjoyed the explanation of how the word DeafBlind, with its correct spelling, came about. I was blown away to hear about his ideas for plays that are specifically for the DeafBlind. When he described his experience at A Christmas Carol, I was a little jealous. The concept of incorporating "you are" is genius! I wish that every DeafBlind person who wants to experience a play like that would be able to. I'm so happy to learn that DeafBlind people are advocating for themselves. It's sad that touching others is considered so taboo in our society. I'm glad that the community is standing up for what they need and how they need it. It's sad to know that seeing a DeafBlind person navigate their environment makes sighted people uncomfortable-to the point that they interfere. I now understand that they must be allowed to fumble their way through. How else will they get information on their own? Co-navigation sounds so much better than being led around everywhere and not being allowed to do anything for yourself.
My four-year-old grandson isn't deaf or blind. He is very shy though. After getting a brief introduction to what haptics is all about, I found myself trying it out. I took my grandson to storytime at the library. All the other kids were up front by the teacher and singing along. He was silently sitting in between my legs. When they started the Itsy Bitsy Spider and he wasn't miming the actions like the other kids, I acted it out on his back. Such a cool way to communicate and feel more included!
My four-year-old grandson isn't deaf or blind. He is very shy though. After getting a brief introduction to what haptics is all about, I found myself trying it out. I took my grandson to storytime at the library. All the other kids were up front by the teacher and singing along. He was silently sitting in between my legs. When they started the Itsy Bitsy Spider and he wasn't miming the actions like the other kids, I acted it out on his back. Such a cool way to communicate and feel more included!
April 17, 2024
So glad to have read this and to continue getting educated by the disability community. Clark is clear and uncompromising. I’m excited to learn more about Protactile.
General comment on books of essays: I am excited for books of reused content to be brought together more gracefully. IIRC this contained both previously published works and new stuff. I feel like that is on the rise, and sometimes things fit together seamlessly and sometimes the content is…uneven. If you’re publishing collected essays, just say so rather than trying to unite things under a flag and pretend they were meant for that purpose to start with. It works relatively well here in terms of content, but the unevenness shows in the style and structure - I assume the previously published essays were for widely different publications. As I said, this is increasingly common. I’d love for editors and authors to put in a little more work in making a cohesive book…and consider whether we really need this exact writing published (or re-published) in book form.
General comment on books of essays: I am excited for books of reused content to be brought together more gracefully. IIRC this contained both previously published works and new stuff. I feel like that is on the rise, and sometimes things fit together seamlessly and sometimes the content is…uneven. If you’re publishing collected essays, just say so rather than trying to unite things under a flag and pretend they were meant for that purpose to start with. It works relatively well here in terms of content, but the unevenness shows in the style and structure - I assume the previously published essays were for widely different publications. As I said, this is increasingly common. I’d love for editors and authors to put in a little more work in making a cohesive book…and consider whether we really need this exact writing published (or re-published) in book form.
February 20, 2025
This is a very enlightening book. John Lee Clark introduces the emerging Protactile language and argues for a reframing of disability accessibility. He posits that DeafBlind individuals desire more than access to sighted/hearing spaces where "'inclusion' feels like a farce. These are invitations to fit in, not offers to include...it's only the parts of us that can pass they'd like to have, not the whole of who we are or our worlds" (181). I liked chapters "Metatactile Knowledge," which describes a DeafBlind tactile understanding of the world and the reversal of what Clark calls "distantism" as more people learn the possibilities of touch in communication/sensory input. I also enjoyed "Of Masks and Blindfolds" and "Tactile Art."
December 4, 2024
This is a very provocative book. Anyone can gain insight into the DeafBlind community by reading it but I think most readers will be related to the DeafBlind community. Because of that, I think it's strange that the book's print is rather small. Nonetheless, despite the awkwardness of using magnifiers this book is worth a read because of the author's unique perspective. Protactile is still a rather young but growing movement. Even experienced ASL interpreters that I know don't know what protactile is. If you are interested in learning about protactile, I suggest this website: https://www.protactilelanguageinterpr...
April 9, 2024
This is the book I’ve been waiting for.
These essays by John Lee Clark make the case for DeafBlind people setting the agenda and making decisions about what access means for them, since the current ways of doing things regularly fail them. Clark is one of the creators of ProTactile, a form of signing derived from American Sign Language, but growing apart with usage within a community.
As the author of the reference text on sign language interpreting, (1986), reading this book makes me want to rewrite several chapter of my book!
These essays by John Lee Clark make the case for DeafBlind people setting the agenda and making decisions about what access means for them, since the current ways of doing things regularly fail them. Clark is one of the creators of ProTactile, a form of signing derived from American Sign Language, but growing apart with usage within a community.
As the author of the reference text on sign language interpreting, (1986), reading this book makes me want to rewrite several chapter of my book!
October 27, 2024
I am so very glad I read this book. The author is DeafBlind. He tells the story throughout the book of a way of encountering the world which all would benefit from. What if plays were interactive. A play not in a theater, but in a house inviting you to move from space to space, interacting with the space and the actors. The author invites us to more thoroughly engage with our world so we can truly encounter not only the world, but ourselves. It’s brilliant and beautiful. I loved it.
December 23, 2023
DNF
I got about 3/4 of the way through and decided that was enough. I read this book to enlighten myself on how it feels to be DeafBlind. While I did learn a bit about being DEAFBLIND I felt that the book was more a primer on DEAFBLIND folks themselves and how they should move forward in the world in a new way of touching and feeling without censure.
I got about 3/4 of the way through and decided that was enough. I read this book to enlighten myself on how it feels to be DeafBlind. While I did learn a bit about being DEAFBLIND I felt that the book was more a primer on DEAFBLIND folks themselves and how they should move forward in the world in a new way of touching and feeling without censure.
Read
June 24, 2025An energetic introduction to a new (to me) language and its linguistics. I feel different…and differently now :)
An excellent suggestion from Fremont branch of the Seattle Public Library for the "Disability" square on the 2025 Summer Book Bingo card.
An excellent suggestion from Fremont branch of the Seattle Public Library for the "Disability" square on the 2025 Summer Book Bingo card.
March 22, 2024
“There are so many accommodations that seem necessary because what is attempted is fitting in.” This book is a beautiful hand grenade, and I want to read everything John Lee Clark that he lets me read.
May 18, 2024
This is an extremely interesting collection of essays by a DeafBlind person. The way that DeafBlind experiences the world is eloquently put by this author, and it opens up new ways of thinking about communication, perception and experience.
Read
September 9, 2024Protactile asserted itself as a language in which one person cannot speak alone, in which another body is required, in which four articulators conspire to agitate the universe. (pp. 38)
Brilliant, brilliant. I love being DeafBlind. How sensuous our worlds are!
January 14, 2026
Truly grateful for this book’s existence. As a hearing sighted learner of ProTactile, I’m constantly having to reshape and rethink what I already know as an ASL interpreter. This won’t be my only read.
December 6, 2023
4++
Clark has crafted a fascinating and compelling collection of essays about DeafBlind (DB) language, culture, art, and experience. Very highly recommended.
Clark has crafted a fascinating and compelling collection of essays about DeafBlind (DB) language, culture, art, and experience. Very highly recommended.
January 20, 2024
Essays by deafblind author John Lee Clark who opens our eyes (bad pun) to living through tactile experiences and how we can change environments to accommodate them, not the other way around.
April 7, 2024
Fascinating!
October 8, 2024
I read only a few essays in this collection, and Clark is a fantastic writer. Going in, knowing he is blind made me question how exactly this book would work, but indeed, it worked.
November 12, 2024
Definitely worth a read! I'm glad I stumbled across a review of this in the MN Star Tribune.
Read
April 16, 2025SO GOOD!!! slightly repetitious in places but whatever. an amazing essay collection and one of my favorite books of the year so far
September 5, 2025
SO much to think about!! Bold, demanding, funny, and delightful all at the same time. I want to touch the future too!!
January 2, 2024
OK, this collection of essays by a DeafBlind writer kind of blew my mind! I had no idea there was a new language and movement called Protactile which is 100% tactile-based! His concept of “Co-Navigation,” which is a new way of thinking about guiding for DeafBlind people that respects a DeafBlind person’s agency, is radical and inspiring!
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews