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

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 talks about the importance when his work was praised and read aloud by Irene McKinney

 

At about 59:35, Pete highlights the anecdote from the book where James missed his first class meeting, and James details the experience 

 

At about 1:03:00, James responds to Pete’s questions about James asking for help, and James expounds on ideas of independence 

 

At about 1:07:00, James reflects on a telling scene from the book involving his mother

 

At about 1:09:30, the last chapters with some triumphs are discussed, as plot spoilers are (mostly!) avoided as James talks about deciding to write the book

 

At about 1:13:00, James describes some parallel stories that are featured at the end of the book, particularly a Dustin Hoffman/Tom Cruise scene from Rainman

 

At about 1:17:50, Pete highlights the ease of the ending, and the two talk about their shared love of hoops

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The intro song for The Chills at Will Podcast is “Wind Down” (Instrumental Version), and the other song played on this episode was “Hoops” (Instrumental)” by Matt Weidauer, and both songs are used through ArchesAudio.com.

    Please tune in for Episode 113 with Nicole Santa Cruz, a former Los Angeles Times staff writer and lead reporter for the Homicide Report. She now works as a  @ProPublica reporter, writing about underserved communities and inequality in the Southwest.  The episode will air March 18.

    This episode is the fourth of five this week. On Monday, March 21, there will be a drawing for a $100 gift card to bookshop.org. In order to enter the drawing:

1. DM Pete on Twitter by Monday at 8am PST with the five code words that are contained (one per episode) within each day’s podcast. 
2. Retweet any five tweets that have episode links for Episodes 109-113, with Ben Guest, Bryce Hedstrom, Taylor Byas, James Tate Hill, and Nicole Santa Cruz, respectively.