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| The Books of Barbara and Hy Brett |
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Friendships In The Dark 
FRIENDSHIPS IN THE DARKA Blind Woman's Story of the People & Pets Who Light Up Her World by Phyllis Campbell Hardcover, 204 pages, $18.95 ISBN 0-9636620-4-X [ Buy ] A pet lover's paradise! Phyllis Campbell's dogs and cats will light up your world too! Available in paperback from St. Martin's Press! All About Friendships in the DarkBorn blind on a tiny Virginia farm at the height of the Great Depression, Phyllis Campbell never realized that she was poor, for she was surrounded by a loving family and a menagerie of pets that filled her world with joy.As far back as she can remember, there have been people and pets who have brought light into her life. Friendships in the Dark is the warm, unforgettable story of those people, and, especially, of those pets. You'll meet them all--from Mouser, the patient kitten who let a blind child take her for perilous rides in a rickety wagon, to Lear, the gallant, loving Labrador who devoted his life to serving his blind mistress and broadening the horizons of her world. Praise for Friendships in the Dark"An appealing and instructive new memoir.... Friendships is a warm record of trials met and affections reciprocated. It's an authentic spirit raiser.... A wise and powerful book..."The Virginian-Pilot "Compelling ... a 'feel good' book, uplifting in the way that Helen Keller's life story is. Like all worthwhile books, Campbell's memoir expanded my worldview." Shelburne News, Shelburne, Vermont "Friendships in the Dark is a tribute to the people and animals who have been with Campbell on her journey as a blind child, student and author.... With warmth and joy, Campbell reminds us we can have rich, rewarding lives whatever our circumstances." The News Virginian "A candid view of the author's wonderful memories.... If you're looking for something new, something different, something enjoyable, check out Friendships in the Dark." The American Council of the Blind "Interesting to read and very well written.... A book for anyone who enjoys people-watching or who is interested in entering another person's world." Small Press Magazine "Campbell is a courageous woman who is an accomplished musician, a frequent volunteer and an avid advocate for the visually handicapped. Her book is a revelation to the sighted.... Thank you, Phyllis Campbell, for sharing your world." The Roanoke Times "This book is infused with the spirit of love--not that soppy, sentimental stuff of cheap romances, soap operas and third-rate movies--but the real thing: the almost hesitant, unobtrusive, ever-available affection of family, friends, of [Campbell's] husband Chuck, and of many animals.... You will enjoy this beautifully written depiction of a good life, with good people and good animal friends. Make a gift of it...." The Matilda Ziegler Magazine for the Blind Prologue from Friendships in the DarkSince birth I have been totally blind. Yet I have never felt cheated of the rich beauty the world has to give. For as long as I can remember I have reached out to the world around me, giving and taking all the good things life has to offer.This is the story of my world, its mountains of triumph, its valleys of failure, its streams of love. As worlds go, it is a simple one. My mountains bear simple names, known only to those who love me, yet I have climbed them with pride. It is the story of all those who have walked with me--my family, my friends, my teachers--but mostly it is about my animals, especially Lear, that gallant dog who devoted his life to serving me. They will live always in the depths of my memory, animals and people, giving me the blue of peace, the red of joy, and a rainbow of love... About The Author: Phyllis Campbell
"I have never seen my blindness as a handicap," says Phyllis Campbell, and her busy life is proof of it. Daily, she teaches computer skills and music to special students. After hours, when she is not writing, she can be found playing the organ or piano at one of the local churches, doing volunteer work at the Oak Hill Nursing Home and the Virginia Department for the Visually Handicapped, co-editing the newsletter for the Talking Book Center, lecturing at local schools, and teaching creative writing at the Staunton Department of Parks and Recreation.
Campbell is a graduate of Lynchburg College and Dunsmore Business College. Her writing career began at the age of eleven, when she won first prize in a short story contest sponsored by The Search Light, a Braille magazine for young people. Her fiction and nonfiction have been published in national and regional magazines that range from The Christian Herald and Mature Years to The Virginia Psychiatric Journal. She is also the author of From My Kitchen, a recorded book for the blind homemaker. She and her husband live in Staunton, Virginia, with their cat, Lady Gray, who supervises the household with an iron paw and a velvet purr. [ Buy ] |
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