WHALE EYES

In this memoir, an outgrowth of his documentary of the same title, Emmy-winning filmmaker Robinson recounts how he changed others’ perceptions of his disability.

Born with anomalous retinal correspondence, a form of strabismus that prevents his eyes from focusing simultaneously, Robinson found reading a time-consuming “obstacle course.” Worse than the shame of falling behind his classmates was when strangers stared at his outward-turned eyes, feelings captured in pointed notes and Rea’s cartoon illustrations. When Robinson reached middle school, his architecture professor mother took time off to home-school him and his dyslexic older brother. Under her tutelage, Robinson discovered helpful reading strategies—and a passion for documentary films, which ultimately led to his studying film at Duke University. In 2021, the New York Times published his autobiographical short film, Whale Eyes (titled after his own term for his condition), affirming visually disabled people and enabling nondisabled people to better understand Robinson—and themselves. Robinson (who presents white) candidly explores numerous topics, including disability tropes, privilege, and ways to turn “out-trigue”—the discomfort we feel with the unfamiliar—into empathetic connections. Myriad interactive visuals immerse readers in Robinson’s perspective. Backgrounds switch from white to black, sentences spiral, and words and letters scatter across the pages, which often need to be turned sideways or upside down. Unfortunately, these effects may overwhelm some neurodivergent or print-disabled readers, reducing the very connections Robinson strives to make.

Frank, unusual, and insightful.