And There Was Light

And There Was Light is the autobiography of Jacques Lusseyran, a French resistance fighter who became blind at age seven. The memoir recounts his childhood in Paris, his adaptation to blindness, and his experiences during World War II. After losing his sight in a school accident, Lusseyran discovered an inner form of vision and developed heightened sensory awareness. His account details his education at regular schools, his social relationships, and his determination to live a full life despite his disability. The narrative follows Lusseyran through the German occupation of France and his involvement in the French Resistance movement during World War II. The story encompasses his leadership role in an underground network and his subsequent arrest by the Gestapo. This memoir explores the nature of perception, the resilience of the human spirit, and the presence of light in darkness. Through Lusseyran's experiences, the text examines how physical limitations can lead to unexpected spiritual and sensory discoveries.

Readers praise Lusseyran's detailed sensory descriptions that help them understand his experience of blindness and resistance work. Many note the book's spiritual and philosophical insights about finding inner light and meaning through adversity. The memoir's accounts of the French Resistance resonate with readers interested in WWII history. Readers highlight the author's optimistic perspective despite extreme circumstances. Multiple reviews mention being moved by his lack of self-pity and his focus on what he gained rather than lost through blindness. Some readers find the first half about childhood more engaging than the later resistance/war sections. A few note the writing style can be dense or overly philosophical at times. Ratings: Goodreads: 4.3/5 (2,100+ ratings) Amazon: 4.7/5 (280+ ratings) Common reader quote: "This book changed how I think about disability and human potential." Critical review: "Beautiful message but the narrative meanders in the second half." - Goodreads reviewer

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🔹 Jacques Lusseyran became completely blind at age 7 from a school accident, yet went on to lead a major French Resistance network during World War II when he was just a teenager. 🔹 The author could detect colors and light even after becoming blind, describing it as an "inner light" that helped him navigate the world and read people's true intentions. 🔹 At age 19, Lusseyran was arrested by the Gestapo and survived 15 months in Buchenwald concentration camp, where he helped maintain morale among fellow prisoners by reciting poetry from memory. 🔹 The book's original French title was "Et la lumière fut," published in 1953, and it didn't appear in English until 1963, after which it remained largely unknown until its rediscovery and republication in 2014. 🔹 Despite his blindness, Lusseyran became a university professor in the United States, teaching French literature at Western Reserve University (now Case Western) and later at the University of Hawaii.