A Sense of the World | Frequently Asked Questions

Is this for real?
How much of the book is true?
Was he really blind?
How did he become blind?
How did he travel?
How do we know he went where he said he went?
Was Holman as nice a person as you make him out to be?
Did he really circumnavigate the globe?
Is the book available in audio format, in large print, or braille?
Why is there no index? Or no maps?
Has new information come to light since the book's publication?

Is this for real?
Yes. James Holman (1786-1857), also known as The Blind Traveler, is a well-documented historical figure. He is cited in the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica and numerous other authoritative references. [top]

How much of the book is true?
A Sense of the World is a work of nonfiction. As the introduction states: "All facts, description, and even dialogue in these pages are drawn entirely from the historical record. This story may at times seem improbable, but it is true." While I've had to interpret the facts, occasionally ascribing motives or making original connections based on my research, I've created nothing out of whole cloth. Holman's story, it seemed to me, was so remarkable it demanded to be presented without embellishment. [top]

Was he really blind?
Yes, completely. When his eyesight failed, it did so catastrophically. There was an episode in 1820 when he thought he was experiencing light flashes in one eye, but these proved transitory. At no point did he ever experience vision again. [top]

How did he become blind?
He lost his sight at the age of 25, apparently as the result of an illness. The precise nature of the illness was never satisfactorially diagnosed during his lifetime, and can't be diagnosed definitely 150 years later. But it does appear to have been an auto-immune disorder, manifested earlier as severe, debilitating rheumatic inflammation. [top]

How did he travel?
In as solitary a manner as possible. He made a point of not taking on traveling companions, and was frequently compelled to shake off the well-meaning attentions of others. He would, however, occasionally hire people to assist in his transit. In his attempted crossing of Siberia, he employed a driver to operate his cart. When he rode on horseback through southern Africa, he hired an eight-year-old native boy to ride alongside on an untethered horse. In his later years, he also hired youths to guide him through the streets of London. But this appears to have been a safety measure, a nod to the increasing recklessness of street traffic, rather than a substitute for his own sense of direction. [top]

How do we know he went where he said he went?
Independent confirmations of his movements are abundant. We know he penetrated as far into Siberia as he claims, since there is extant correspondence from him postmarked from Irktusk. His exploits in Tasmania, Australia, Egypt and the Holy Land were reported in newspapers at the time. His presence in China, Italy, France, Serbia and elsewhere was described in the memoirs of others. His journeys to Africa, Brazil, Ceylon, India and China all involved documented passage on specific ships at specific times. These factors, combined with the fact that not even his staunchest critics imputed the factuality of his first-hand observations, make it highly unlikely that his travels were inaccurately represented in his accounts. [top]

Was Holman as nice a person as you make him out to be?
Some people seem to wish that A Sense of the World exposed more of Holman's foibles. In the words of one reviewer, "But what of the vices? Was Holman, perhaps, a bit garrulous? Or self-important?" To which I can only answer: If he was, nobody seems to have documented it.

In writing this book, I incorporated every single piece of information about Holman that I could find. Had there been a contemporary account describing him in negative terms, I would certainly have included it. As to exposing his foibles, I didn't shy away from pointing out the errors he made in his writing, or from observing that he wasn't above gestures calculated to invoke sympathy.

The fact of the matter is that Holman was described by his contemporaries as "much esteemed and loved," with a personality "eminently calculated to command respect and conciliate attachment." To impart a darker side to his character would have been catering to contemporary tastes in biography, and would have required outright speculation, if not fabrication. I felt it was appropriate to stick with the historical record. [top]

Did he really circumnavigate the globe?
Yes; that's never been in dispute. Holman's last published work was, in fact, entitled Voyage Round The World. However, a few reviews of A Sense of the World have commented that his circumnavigation did not seem to be complete. This may have been based on a typo in the first edition of the book, in which a single word ("Indian Ocean" rather than "Southern Ocean") creates the impression that Holman, upon leaving Australia, doubled back rather than continuing around the world. It's been corrected in subsequent editions. Also, future editions will include maps, which I hope will make it easier to follow Holman's travels. [top]

Is the book available in audio format, in large print or in braille?
Yes! I'm happy to say that the book has recently been published in audio format and large print. Please see the contact page for more details. [top]

Why is there no index? Or maps?
You're probably reading an early hardcover edition. Such things must now be planned and paid for by the author--something I didn't know when I turned in the manuscript. I've since drafted my own maps, which are online here, and were included in most paperback editions. [top]

Has new information come to light since the book's publication?
Not much relating to Holman himself. If anyone comes across any further citations of him, I'd love to hear about it. However, I am grateful to readers who've pointed out some of the typos and errata that slipped past the editors and myself in the first printing: Mozart died in 1791, not 1796. The lawsuit "Jardynce verus Jardynce" is an aspect of Bleak House, not Dombey and Son. These have already been corrected in subsequent printings and editions. [top]