First Light: A Journey Out of Darkness

Matthiessen, Lucas

ISBN 10: 1956763317 / ISBN 13: 9781956763317

Published by Arcade Publishing, 2023

About this Item

Gently used with minimal wear on the corners and cover. A few pages may contain light highlighting or writing, but the text remains fully legible. Dust jacket may be missing, and supplemental materials like CDs or codes may not be included. May be ex-library with library markings. Ships promptly!

Seller Inventory # DBV.1956763317.G

Bibliographic Details

• Title: First Light: A Journey Out of Darkness
• Publisher: Arcade Publishing
• Publication Date: 2023
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1956763317
• ISBN 13: 9781956763317
• Binding: Hardcover
• Condition: good

About this title

Synopsis

A deeply felt literary memoir of one man’s journey to redemption through vision loss, alcoholism, and the burden of a family legacy.  

Born to the author Peter Matthiessen, young Lucas traveled through life believing himself a disappointment to his famous father. From an early age, Lucas was exposed to the fanciful ideas of his parent’s group of renowned bohemians as well as to their addictive pastimes. Within the shadow of his father’s professional success came another source of darkness—the deterioration of Lucas’s vision from retinitis pigmentosa. With blindness looming imminently, Lucas spirals downward, unsure of how to turn his degree in English Literature into a job and relying more and more on alcohol. As Lucas’ drinking and eyesight worsen, so too do his interpersonal relationships and first career in publishing.

First Light is a memoir of loss and learning. By pulling himself out of addiction and accepting that he will lose his sight completely, Lucas transitions from being “the son of” someone famous to an individual with his own strong sense of self. Despite continued personal tragedies, Lucas develops a second sight that is aimed inward, laying his triumphs and failures bare.

With great honesty, Lucas Matthiessen creates a vivid portrait of self-destruction and rebirth, which is, above all, a vision of hope.

About the Author

Lucas Matthiessen was a retired social worker and mental health program administrator. He received a BA in English Literature from Columbia University and a Master's degree in Social Work from New York University. Prior to losing his vision, he was an associate editor at The Paris Review, Quest magazine, and Penguin Books. He also served on the Board of Directors of the Guide Dog Foundation from 2009–2022.