Play Book Tag discussion

2.5 stars rounded up to 3 for the first part. I think my criticism applies only to the audio edition because they chose to include Michael Hingson's own lecture at a meeting and the interview with Larry King in the audio. I'm not sure how they would have included this in print. My problem is that it was mostly a rehash of the story I'd just finished listening to and it took an addional 1/3 of the audio. By the time it came to an end, I was frustrated.

The first 2/3rds of the story was well done. Michael and his dog Roselle are in the first building hit during 9/11. It was insightful to hear what it had been like in the building not knowing what was happening. They were just about 15 floors below the first impact. Michael describes how the building actually lean quite a few degrees to the side before returning to a mostly upright position. They had over 70 flights of stairs to descend. At one point Michael's blindness was actually helpful to those around him.

Hingson is, for obvious reasons, a strong advocate for blind rights. He flips back and forth during the telling of their descent to stories of his own life. His parents were amazing, they didn't follow the suggestion of putting him in a school for the blind, rather they supported his efforts to live as normally as possible. He was born premature and received too much oxygen as was the practice in the '50s, causing his complete blindness from infancy.

As a very capable blind person, he is frustrated by people who underestimate the abilities of the blind. I've been thoroughly educated by the book and hope to never make the faux pas described by Michael in his dealings with sighted (or light-dependent) people.

Just skip the audio's ending and you have an enjoyable read/listen.