
Connecting Dots
A Blind Life
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Narrated by:
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Greg D. Barnett
About this listen
The extraordinary memoir of a scientist who became blind at a young age—how he navigates his experience and channels his genius into decades of cutting‑edge work in accessibility—packed with humor, adventure, and insights on life and disability.
At the age of four, Joshua Miele was blinded and badly burned when a delusional neighbor poured sulfuric acid over his head in a crime that shocked New York. It could have ended his life, but instead, Miele—naturally curious, and a born problem solver—not only recovered, but thrived. Throughout his life, Miele has found increasingly inventive ways to succeed in a world built for the sighted, and to help others to do the same. At first reluctant to even think of himself as blind, he eventually embraced his blindness and became a committed advocate for disability and accessibility. Along the way, he grappled with drugs and addiction, played bass in a rock band, worked for NASA, became a guerilla activist, deconstructed and reconstructed myriad technologies, and married the love of his life and had two children. He chronicles the evolution of a number of revolutionary accessible technologies and his role in shaping them, including screen readers, tactile maps, and audio description.
Connecting Dots delivers a captivating first-person perspective on blindness and disability as incisive as it is entertaining, and ultimately triumphant: In 2021 Miele won a MacArthur “Genius” award for his work in accessibility. His story demonstrates the normality of blindness as he lives, loves, invents, raises a family, and takes pride in his blind identity. It also introduces us to an extraordinary cast of characters, from his loving if eccentric family, to his rock-and-roll buddies and first loves, to the devoted teachers and brilliant colleagues whose encouragement and collaboration supported his success. It’s a riveting romp, interweaving tales of invention and independence with humor, struggle, and achievement —the story of one ordinary blind life with an indelible impact.
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What listeners say about Connecting Dots
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- David
- 03-06-25
Compelling story of a blind man’s life well lived
I read the entirety of this book in a single sitting. Josh‘s experience up blindness, and his brilliant creative mind is remarkable.
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- Katherine Mahshie
- 04-05-25
Fascinating story of resilience
This story because it’s 100% true serves as a reminder to all of us that adversity doesn’t have to be a limitation. I absolutely loved how the book was written and learning about Josh‘s life. The worst part about this audiobook was the presentation. I could not focus on anything except for the sharp inhales that the narrator did when reading this book. It’s too bad because the story is fantastic and I believe the person who read it ruined it.
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- crm
- 03-09-25
Outstanding book!
Outstanding book! Great narration. Fantastic story! Learned so much about people with disabilities. Overall wonderful book and story!
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- WNC Steve
- 04-07-25
Beautifully told story of an incredible life of extraordinary experiences.
One of the best books I’ve listened to. I was deeply connected to the author’s life story from beginning to end.
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