Episode 112 with James Tate Hill, Editor at Monkeybicycle , Columnist for LitHub, and Reflective and Acclaimed Writer of Blind Man’s Bluff: A Memoir The Chills at Will Podcast

Episode 112 Notes and Links to James Tate Hill’s Work 
 
    On Episode 112 of The Chills at Will Podcast, Pete welcomes James Tate Hill, and the two discuss much of his childhood, formative years, and postgraduate years as dealt with in his memoir, as well as literary and pop culture icons and tropes around blindness. The two also discuss the advent of his vision loss, ideas of the meaning of nomenclature around vision loss, James’ journey as a writer, and James’ eventual embrace of himself and his vision loss.   

    James Tate Hill is the author of a memoir, Blind Man’s Bluff, released August 3, 2021 from W. W. Norton. His fiction debut, Academy Gothic, won the Nilsen Literary Prize for a First Novel. His essays were Notable in the 2019 and 2020 editions of Best American Essays. He serves as fiction editor for Monkeybicycle and contributing editor for Literary Hub, where he writes a monthly audiobooks column. Born in Charleston, WV, he lives in North Carolina with his wife.
 

James Tate Hill's Website
 
Buy James’ Books
 
"Pseudonym: On vision loss and hiding in plain sight from my high school classmates": From Salon Magazine, 2021
 
Tommy Tomlinson’s Review of Blind Man’s Bluff in The New York Times

At about 2:00, James talks about his childhood in Charlestown, WV, and surrounding areas
 
At about 3:30, James talks about his pop culture interests in his childhood
 
At about 4:40, Pete wonders about James’ early reading and 
 
At about 7:30, James describes the process of losing his vision during his year of high school
 
At about 9:20, James responds to Pete’s question about the before and after memories of his lessened vision
 
At about 11:05, Pete compliments James for his writing ability that brings sympathy (empathy?); James references a few books, like Planet of the Blind by Stephen Kuusisto; There Plant Eyes by Leona Godin, that have dealt with issues of blindness in standout ways
 
At about 14:45, James points to Leona Godin’s analysis of “Cathedral” by Raymond Carver and how he views the story in more recent times; James also points out a poem from Godin’s work that twists the simplistic narrative of Carver’s story
 
At about 17:10, Pete quotes a turning point in James’ admissions that was featured in the book, and James underlines its importance
 
At about 18:20-20:45, James responds to Pete’s question about nomenclature with regards to James’ vision
 
At about 20:55, Pete references Dwight Garner’s complimentary review of Blind Man’s Bluff in The New York Times, especially with regard to James’ likeability 
 
At about 21:20, Pete and James and talk about the book as a “coming-of-age tale,” including with regard to developing technologies
 
At about 28:25, Pete and James talk about the book’s epigraph, using a quote from Michael Chabon’s Wonder Boys, and James shouts out Curtis Armstrong’s stellar audiobook narrating
 
At about 32:50, Pete asks James about the process of writing a memoir and being so open and writing about real people 
 
At about 35:45, Pete cites the Prologue and its echoing last line, and James talks about meanings associated with the line
 
At about 37:25, Pete highlights the book’s narrative structure and asks James about a few chapters written in second person; House of Prayer No. 2 by Mark Richard is cited by James as inspiration
 
At about 43:25, Pete and James talk about Ben Affleck comparisons
 
At about 46:05, the two home in on Chapter 10’s uniqueness and Chapter Three, which was featured in a slightly different form in LitHub as a discussion starter regarding audiobooks
 
At about 49:25, the two discuss the power of writing being read aloud
 
At about 52:30, Pete references the book’s stellar writing about common and everyday occurrences from the book, and James talks about “possibility of choices” and internal and external forces affecting James asking for help
 
At about 57:10, James