Invisible: A Memoir [Deckle Edge] [Hardcover]

Hugues de Montalembert (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 12, 2010

The impressionistic memoir of an artist who was blinded in a sudden act of violence, leading to a profound meditation on what it means to see and be seen“You live in a city like New York. You read the papers. You look at the television. But you never think it will happen to you. It happened to me one evening.” One summer night in 1978, Hugues de Montalembert returned home to his New York City apartment to find two men robbing him. In a violent struggle, one of the assailants threw paint thinner in Hugues’ face. Within a few hours, he was completely blind.Eloquent and provocative, Invisible moves beyond the horrific events of that night to what happened to Hugues after he lost his sight: his rehabilitation, his solo travels around the world, and the remarkable way he learned to “see” even without the use of his eyes.Without a trace of self-pity, Hugues describes his transition from an up-and-coming painter to a blind man who had to learn to walk with a cane. His status changed in the eyes of other people as their reactions ranged from avoidance to making him their confidant. Hugues traveled to faraway places and learned to trust strangers and find himself at home in any situation.Part philosophy, part autobiography, part inspiration, Invisible will change the way readers understand reality and their place in the world.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Blinded in a senseless attack in his New York home in 1978, de Montalembert, then a filmmaker and painter, was violently forced out of his intensely visual world. In this raw memoir, more a brainstorming session than a narrative, he approaches his new life with stunning directness, navigating the environs of Manhattan and, not much later, Bali and Greenland, with precocious new confidence and ability. He's also painfully honest about the affects of his blindness, refusing the comfort of standard tropes about spirituality but finding wonder in the kindness of absolute strangers, isolation from those closest to him, and other un-thought-of moments of triumph and despair stemming from the way his condition affects his closest relationships. A French-born artist, de Montalembert will draw inevitable comparisons to Jean-Dominique Bauby (The Diving Bell and the Butterfly), and de Montalembert's effort is certainly a more challenging read, stylistically: broken, brief, at times like a prose poem. It depends on the reader whether this approach makes for a cumulative impact, or just gets tiring. Still, de Montalembert vital, determined voice is worth attending.
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Review

“Luminous and sensual. . . . A journey into the deepest places of the heart.”

—Geraldine Brooks

“Invisible has a purity, a clarity that is truly inspiring.”

—Los Angeles Times

“Invisible puts questions of life and suffering into sharp focus, without sanctimony or sentimentality.”

—Newsweek

“An artist whose lack of sight hasn’t diminished his lust for life. . . . de Montalembert displays admirable candor and biting wit.”

—Kirkus Reviews

“de Montalembert’s vital, determined voice is worth attending.”

—Publishers Weekly

“Hugues de Montalembert writes beautifully. With a rare and enviable discipline and a becoming modesty, he has distilled what is essential from a life lived through and then beyond (far, far beyond!) misfortune.”

—Kate Braestrup, national bestselling author of Here If You Need Me

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 144 pages
• Publisher: Atria Books (January 12, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1416593667
• ISBN-13: 978-1416593669
• Product Dimensions: 7.2 x 5.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #969,073 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Born in France, Hugues de Montalembert is a painter and photographer who was blinded during a violent assault while living in New York in 1978. He is the author of one previous book in English, ECLIPSE (1985). His story was also the basis of the acclaimed documentary film BLACK SUN (2007). He currently lives in Paris.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Created Deeper Understanding, February 5, 2010

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language lover (Northern CA United States) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Invisible: A Memoir (Hardcover)

This is one of the most powerful books I have read. It is about what is life really about after all, personal strength, the reality of discouragement, facing very challenging change, and the critical importance about believing in one's ability to lead a rewarding life. I have only just finished it, and will wait a little while before returning to read it again. Although the author doesn't gloss over the extraordinary difficulties he has encountered in his thinking about living without sight, I am uplifted and encouraged by him. This is a tremendous little volume, and one I recommend to anyone who is interested in how people summon courage and intelligence to thrive despite life's most difficult suprises.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Visceral moving memoir similar to Styron's Darkness Visible, January 27, 2010

By 

wordsmith - See all my reviews

This review is from: Invisible: A Memoir (Hardcover)

This is an amazing memoir about a painter who was blinded many years ago when burglars attacked him in his New York City apartment. Since then he's traveled the world alone trying to maintain his independence despite his blindness. His writing is very visceral and moving and leaves quite an impact. It reminded me of William Styron's Darkness Visible. I've heard the author on NPR before and he's a great speaker.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the Best Memoirs I have Read, June 27, 2010

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kevin griffith (Columbus, OH United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Invisible: A Memoir (Hardcover)

Read this if you are looking for a break from the typically vapid stuff that passes for memoir these days. This is a beautifully written, fragmented philosophical reflection on what it means to suffer and still have hope, both in yourself and in humanity. Very powerful.