Selections from Across Two Novembers: A Bibliographic Year

By David L. Faucheux

About the Book

Friends and family. Restaurants and recipes. Hobbies and history. TV programs the author loved when he could still see and music he enjoys. The schools he attended and the two degrees he attained. The career that eluded him and the physical problems that challenge him. And books, books, books: scores of them quoted from or reviewed. All in all, an astonishing work of erudition and remembrance.

Preface to This Edition

An Amazon reviewer described my 2017 book, Across Two Novembers: A Year in the Life of a Blind Bibliophile, as reminiscent of that famous diary kept by Samuel Pepys. While surprised and truly flattered, I wondered if subconsciously he was giving me some advice. Pepys wrote a masterful account of nearly a decade in his life. But who reads long nowadays? Hence this abridgement. I hope this glimpse of my year with only the highlights included will give you a taste, yet be as satisfying as the original, unabridged version.

From the Afterword of Across Two Novembers

I wanted to craft a love letter, a valentine, to books, and to tell you a bit about me and my world. I suspect that I wrote this journal to make sense of my life, asking what would happen next. Would I leave anything as a legacy when I’m gone?

From a Reviewer

“Thank you, David Faucheux, for your spirit and tenacity, your lovely writing, and this inspiring journal.” —Priscilla Cummings, author of 23 young adult novels

David L. Faucheux was named Audiobook Reviewer of the Year for 2018 by Library Journal. He lives in Lafayette, Louisiana.

• Language: English
• Publisher: David L. Faucheux
• Release date: Mar 15, 2019
• ISBN: 9780463501177

Book preview

Praise for

Across Two Novembers:

A Year in the Life of a Blind Bibliophile (2017)

I just finished David Faucheux's Across Two Novembers. I enjoyed its quirkiness as it wound through a variety of topics, not least the intersection between blindness, chronic illness, food, and the Louisiana zeitgeist. I also enjoyed the editor's notes.

—Peter Altschul, author of Breaking Barriers: Working and Loving While Blind and Breaking It Down and Connecting the Dots: Creating Common Ground Where Contention Rules

Across Two Novembers struck me as the most genuine depiction of life from the blind side that I have read.

—Part of the review written by Deborah Kendrick, a well–known freelance writer, columnist, and advocate for blind people, that appeared on AccessWorld, part of the American Foundation for the Blind

From the very beginning of Faucheux's book, with its touching dedication to the author's guide dog, Nader, who once helped chase away some of life's aloneness, to the very end of this one–year journal, readers will find their emotions stretched and eyes opened to what life is like for a person without sight. Superbly written, Faucheux's account details the daily ups and downs he faces as a blind man with honesty, insight—and oftentimes, a delightful dose of humor.

His many book reviews included in the book are full of brightly written and insightful comments. The quotes he sprinkles throughout his journal are stellar, including this one from Way of the Peaceful Warrior: A Book That Changes Lives, by Dan Millman: The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new. Thank you, David Faucheux, for your spirit and tenacity, your lovely writing, and this inspiring journal.

—Priscilla Cummings, author of 23 children's books, including the young adult novels Blindsided, A Face First, and the Red Kayak series.

I love reading memoirs and journals because through them I get to enter the worlds of interesting people. David Faucheux's Across Two Novembers is no exception. He calls himself a blind bibliophile, to which I'd add foodie and local lore aficionado. Because of his disabilities, his life might seem circumscribed to some. He has chosen to go deep, read widely, and bloom where he's planted. If I had to pick an interesting conversationalist to be stranded on a desert island with, I'd pick David because of his breadth of knowledge. But just skip the desert island and settle in to read Across Two Novembers.

—Katherine Schneider, Ph.D., author of Occupying Aging: Delights, Disabilities, and Daily Life

Across Two Novembers takes the reader on an incredible journey, exploring the superhighways of such topics as education of the blind and politics, and along the pathways of such things as friendships and good food. The author discusses his blindness with candor and a lack of self–pity. He presents his daily life with its triumphs and frustrations, liberally mixed with his observations of things going on in the world beyond the one in which he lives.

Each chapter can be read and enjoyed on its own, thus relieving the boredom that often creeps in when one undertakes to read a lengthy work of nonfiction. It is the kind of book that can be placed on the bedside table to be picked up, digested by sections, and put down again, leaving the reader satisfied, knowing that next time, he or she will find something different on the next day of the author's life.

This is a book well worth reading and giving as a gift to the book lovers in your life. Do we dare hope we'll see more from this author?

—Phyllis Staton–Campbell, author of Who Will Hear Them Cry and Where Sheep May Safely Graze

This book is proof that the most mundane events are not boring when they are filtered through an engaging mind and told by an expert storyteller. David Faucheux has an encyclopedic knowledge of the world, and his intellect shines through each sentence. His storytelling gets across that even waiting for buses, cabs, and transit services can turn into potentially earth–shattering events for a blind person. I highly recommend Across Two Novembers to anyone who wants to understand how intellect and determination, plus a good sense of humor, can overcome anything.

—Anthony J. Fonseca, Ph.D., author of Proactive Marketing for the New and Experienced Library Director: Going Beyond the Gate Count and Hooked on Horror: A Guide to Reading Interests in Horror Fiction

David Faucheux's book has already garnered praise from the disability community; one only needs to direct a browser to his Web page, and an impressive collection of reviews is there for the reading. It is, therefore, this reviewer's intention to state that he is a writer first and foremost; his blindness is part of his overall identity and influences the prose, but it surely does not define who he is and how much he has accomplished thus far.

The style is refreshing; the narrative is compelling. Reading about how other blind writers who are word lovers overcome the print barrier is a testament to our adaptability. If you read this book for no other reason than to find out how we embrace literature without the benefit of sight, you won't be disappointed.

—Ann Chiappetta, M.S., Author of Upwelling: Poetry and Follow Your Dog: A Story of Love and Trust

A Year in a Remarkable Life

Across Two Novembers runs from late 2013 to late 2014. Faucheux writes about his daily life: a busy mix of cooking and other hobbies, visiting friends and relatives, communicating with a wide range of acquaintances through his computer, and above all, reading. Faucheux enjoys a wide range of reading (using both braille and recorded books) and discusses them in an informal, conversational style which is very appealing. I've already read many of the books he mentions, and have made notes of a number of others that I intend to seek out now that he's told me about them.

Those who read Across Two Novembers may pick it up out of curiosity sparked by its subtitle: A Year in the Life of a Blind Bibliophile. As they read, they'll find their curiosity will give way to liking and respect for a man who contributes much to our world.

—John D. Cofield, Amazon Top 500 reviewer

Like Reading an Entertaining Column, Day by Day!

I was asked to review this book by its author. BUT, after reading a sample, I knew I needed to own it. The author is NOT some precious 'antiquarian' connoisseur; he is a professional librarian with an interest in acquiring important reading. David Faucheux offers, in effect, an interesting series of columns in the form of journal entries covering a year, idiosyncratically, from November to November. One of my favorite Amazon reviews of this book notes the 'delicacy' of the author's prose style. That word is apt: things of much significance are said on the page, but only some of the caloric content of the author's favorite foods is 'heavy.'

Readers looking for a literate and friendly voice for a 'visit' now and again will be well−served by this book. The scope of subjects ranges well beyond considerations of 'sight−impairment' and limited mobility. The author is an avid fan of his local NPR station(s), and the breadth of his interests would qualify him as an interesting NPR correspondent. Trivia fans will appreciate his love affair with Jeopardy! If you love the culture of southwestern Louisiana, the Lafayette area and its iconic foods are evoked. The author tells quite a bit about ingredients and flavors in his favorite dishes from this multi−cultural area (which, after the fall of Vietnam, includes a good admixture of Asian influences), but the word 'recipes' is misused in reference to this work. Precise instructions must be found elsewhere.

In the end, this is a book for book lovers. Many books are 'called out' from the author's reviews for a major bibliographic list. Many book lovers will recognize our own quirks, or quirks akin to our own, in this celebration of intellectual diversity. I also found it to be as important for people with disabilities as the Civil Rights classic, Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man, proved to be for African American males and writers.

—James Ellsworth, Amazon Top 1000 reviewer

Interesting Observations of Life. Simple, Yet Profound

Across Two Novembers is a surprising book. It takes events that the author might consider mundane and transforms them into delicate commentaries about everything from broad social issues, like how society treats the disabled, down to interesting observations on the local restaurant scene. I found Mr. Faucheux to be a fascinating and compelling writer, with a rare gift for observation, along with an uplifting outlook on life that seems to belie his personal circumstances. While I do not throw around comparisons to great works of literature lightly, Across Two Novembers favorably reminds me of the Diary of Samuel Pepys. David Faucheux is also uncommonly well−read, in an age of instant gratification and short attention spans. I greatly enjoyed this book and recommend it without reservation.

—D. Buxman, Amazon Top 500 reviewer

An enjoyable book that prompts us to enjoy life

David L. Faucheux is a totally blind man who loves books with a passion and perceives more than most people can see. He is a man we learn to admire. He reads many audiobooks and writes reviews for Library Journal. He has written this very well−written, readable book that reads like a novel. It tugs at our hearts and minds as we learn, among much else, about his life, education, triumphs, and frustrations in a sometimes humorous fashion. His experiences and successes cause us to realize that we can overcome our problems as he does and enjoy life as he does. He teaches us to focus on our potentialities. He articulates what he understands about life that teaches us. There is so much that we can achieve, but do not do so. He is not like this. He is a university graduate with an M.A. and is a teacher.

His journal is very thoughtful. Each chapter discusses an event of a different month from November 2013 to November 2014. He shows us that his life is not circumscribed, but full, deep, and far sighted. Although he does not preach to us, and only intends to tell us about his interesting life, his descriptions challenge us who are non–blind readers to realize that we are missing much that he can sense, life that we could sense as well if we only pay attention as he does, that we should recognize that what some people mistakenly consider mundane events can be a joy.

—Israel Drazin, Amazon Top 1000 reviewer

Wonderful book!

I enjoyed this book for a number of reasons. As someone with multiple disabilities, I'm always interested in learning how people deal with their challenges; this book fascinated me because I learned a lot about David's ability to meet challenges head−on, and proactively cope, and, I am sure, conquer them. He loves being out and about with people, and despite having to wait for vans that don't show up, or are too early, or arrive late, he usually gets where he needs to go and does what he needs to do. I always breathed a sigh of relief when he got help crossing those wide streets, and I empathized when he got lost and disoriented; I recall how many times that happens to me and other blind people! Yes, this is a book full of book lists, book reviews, and fond memories of books; but what attracted me most were the day–to–day experiences, the ongoing challenges and details about all the stuff we as people with disabilities deal with in this crazy world. Thank you, David, for this book. I will keep it and treasure it, and I hope many others will do the same.

—Mary Emerson

This is a surprisingly enjoyable read. It is not just a dry account of someone's diary. This author skillfully depicts what life is like on a daily basis for someone who has visual challenges living in a world that is not always sympathetic to differences. Also, he keeps it interesting by incorporating facts about his local area, food excursions, on this day in history accounts, etc. When I finished reading the book, I honestly felt a little sad that I had lost touch with a friend.

—Elizabeth Lindsey

I bought Across Two Novembers because I couldn’t resist its subtitle: A Year in the Life of a Blind Bibliophile. After all, my favorite conversations start with, What are you reading?

Then I was intrigued by the challenges facing a blind person living independently in Louisiana where the lack of public transportation and other amenities makes life difficult for anyone who doesn’t drive a car. Finally, I was just plain nosey about what someone else had been doing on particular days between November 2013 and 2014. I certainly couldn’t remember what I had been doing, so why not coast on someone else’s memories?

Faucheux’s take on all these things was even more entertaining than I’d anticipated. Especially charming are the random tidbits about books I would not learn about from anyone else and descriptions of lunches at restaurants I will never visit. The uncertainties of travel don’t stop him, even when he is stranded after hours by a Paratransit van or when he gets disoriented walking across a five–lane intersection. Whether he is pondering the disappearance of dryer sheets or venting about the lack of suitable jobs for an educated, inquisitive man who happens to be blind, David Faucheux says it with wit and precision. This book is like a good conversation that starts up again every time you open it. David Faucheux is the across–the–hall neighbor we all wish we had, especially when he comes bearing a gift of his fresh–baked gingerbread made with chia seed powder and millet flour.

—Gwen Roland is the author of Atchafalaya Houseboat: My Years in the Louisiana Swamp and Postmark Bayou Chene

A beautifully written literary memoir. It's a treat for book lovers and food lovers. And as lagniappe, as they say in Louisiana, the book includes numerous fascinating tidbits about Louisiana history.

—David Dvorkin, author of Time for Sherlock Holmes, Budspy, and numerous other books

This is so much more than just a journal—although those parts of the book are quite interesting, sometimes amusing, and often touching. From a blind man who lives alone and who never attained the career he worked so hard toward, you might expect a great big self–pity party, but this is far from that. In addition to the daily journal entries, which are of varying lengths and which evince a wide range of moods and emotions, it's filled with torrents of trivia, tantalizing book reviews, detailed descriptions of local restaurants and their food, touching memories of his maternal grandmother and her skill in the kitchen and at the ironing board, emails from other authors and radio personalities, a long account of a convention for the blind that he attended in Las Vegas in 2014, succinct little snippets of Louisiana history, and much, much more. Given that my paternal grandparents were from Louisiana, there was much here that spoke to me, helping me to recall fond memories of my own. The author even mentions a certain restaurant, Zea's, which is one of my family's favorites. Most impressive of all is the fact that the author not only reads so much, but that he remembers so well what he read. He must have a truly prodigious memory, as well as boundless curiosity. Both of those are on full display in this very impressive and unusual book.

—Leonore H. Dvorkin, author of Apart from You (a novel), The Glass Family (a one–act fantasy play), and Another Chance at Life: A Breast Cancer Survivor’s Journey (autobiography)

If you are a patient, literate reader and love books, food, and trivia and can appreciate the sheer love of life that permeates Faucheux’s pages, then you should give Across a try. I would especially recommend it to librarians and others working with people with special needs, including vocationally related ones. According to the National Federation of the Blind, only 42% of working age adults reporting significant vision loss were employed in 2015. If nothing else, given Faucheux’s intelligence, curiosity, talent, and perseverance, his diary reminds us what we’re missing when even gifted people like him are left in the cold. As a bonus, disability historians in the future may find Across Two Novembers to be a treasure trove.

—David Rothman, founder of TeleRead.org, the oldest English−language website offering general e−book news and views

SELECTIONS FROM ACROSS TWO NOVEMBERS

A Bibliographic Year

David L. Faucheux

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2019 by David L. Faucheux

Cover photograph by Iñaki del Olmo on Unsplash

Editing, cover design, page layout, and e−book conversion

by DLD Books Editing and Self−Publishing Services

DLD-logo-withbooks-Grayscale.gif

www.dldbooks.com

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re–sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please purchase your own copy.

Everything you say should be true,

but not everything true should be said.

—Voltaire (François−Marie Arouet)

French Enlightenment writer and philosopher (1694–1778)

Preface to This Edition

An Amazon reviewer described my 2017 book, Across Two Novembers: A Year in the Life of a Blind Bibliophile, as reminiscent of that famous diary kept by Samuel Pepys. While surprised and truly flattered, I wondered if subconsciously he was giving me some advice. Pepys wrote a masterful account of nearly a decade in his life. But who reads long nowadays? Hence this abridgement. I hope this glimpse of my year with only the highlights included will give you a taste, yet be as satisfying as the original, unabridged version.

Dedication

To my guide dog, Nader: January 27, 1988 to February 23, 1998

We explored most of the 1990s together. I would never have attempted library school without him; he helped chase away some of life’s aloneness.

And to bibliophiles everywhere.

Acknowledgements

I’d like to thank my mother for her ongoing support.

I’d also like to thank the editors, Leonore and David Dvorkin of DLD Books, for working with me on this lengthy and rather complicated book project. They also designed the cover.

Lastly, this journal has been greatly enriched by the many authors whose works, fiction and nonfiction, are mentioned and/or reviewed in the chapters that follow, and the narrators (as well as their production and support staffs) who brought these works to life. I owe each one of you heartfelt thanks.

In several instances, the names of persons mentioned have been changed to insure privacy.

Table of Contents

Preface to This Edition

Dedication

Acknowledgements

Introduction to Across Two Novembers

November 2013

December 2013

January 2014

February 2014

March 2014

April 2014

May 2014

June 2014

July 2014

August 2014

September 2014

October 2014

November