I Sight: The Power of Perception

By: James Eliol Mercer

Harrowing and deeply personal, I Sight: The Power of Perception is a memoir detailing the journey of author James Mercer as he comes to the realization that he suffers from a rare genetic eye disorder, one that deteriorates with time and threatens to leave him fully blind by middle age.

Starting in early childhood, Mercer recognizes he is different from his peers; his parents never let him stay out past sundown, and often in low light or bright light conditions, the world becomes an indecipherable blur. With adolescence comes a better understanding of his sight deficiency, but it also creates a greater divide between Mercer and other "normal" teenagers, who can freely go to school dances and to local nightly hangouts, getting to experience a freedom Mercer may never know. This memoir tells a story of how disability can bring fear, shame, and isolation, but through the love of family and true friends, one can find acceptance and joy.

About the Author

James Eliol Mercer lives in Conception Bay South, Newfoundland, Canada with his wife Valerie. Together they have two children and four grandchildren. Mercer is registered as a legally blind person with the Canadian National Institute for the Blind.

Mercer has one other published work, Eliol: A True Story, which tells the true story of the brutal murder of his great-grandfather in 1883.