Most of them had talking watches or use devices like iPhones to tell time. The most fascinating thing that happened to me that evening was that most of the youth had never seen a Braille watch. While there, I talked about technology and read segments of Thunderdog about some of the technology I used. I once spoke to a group of blind youth and their parents in Lincoln, Nebraska. The younger kids especially seem to be fascinated by Braille. The younger audiences wanted me to read Braille so they could see a blind person actually reading.
I told appropriate detail (depending on the age group involved) about my 9/11 story. I actually conducted several presentations in which I discussed and read parts of Thunderdog. Last fall I spoke at a school in Palm Beach, Florida. Would you share some notable experiences you’ve had at some of the events you’ve participated in? While people seem to enjoy the reading part of the book, they seem to much more prefer me telling stories and interacting with them during what usually turns out to be long Q&A sessions. It works! I have spoken to many schools, libraries and other organizations. I usually read a bit of Thunderdog during every speech that I give.
What do you think of the Community Reads structure as a literary event format?
One of my favorite sections of Thunderdog is a section near the end of the book titled “Guide Dog Wisdom.” Many people have asked permission to reprint this section of the book, and audiences love it when I read this section near the end of many of the speeches I give. Recently I created a short video for meeting planners that includes a segment showing me riding a bike. People are especially fascinated to learn that a blind person can ride a bicycle. One of my favorite chapters to teach people about blindness is Chapter 4: “Hearing the Coffee Table,” in which I describe how I listen to navigate and get around. I wrote Thunderdog: The True Story of a Blind Man, his Guide Dog, and the Triumph of Trust at Ground Zero, to teach people about blindness and blind people, what happened to me on 9/11, and to show people that we can survive in the most extreme circumstances. In one sens e, the whole book is a teachable moment. What are some of the “teachable” moments in your book that make it work well for a Community Reads program?
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