Deafness Books

Whether or not you believe in reincarnation or spirit guides or even pre-birth planning, this book has something to teach you. The book helps us look at the negatives in our lives and turn those into positives - especially the negative people we encounter. Instead of harping on the negative lessons our parents (or anyone) gave us, we can thank them for being examples of how to and how not to be. It's a complete flip from the negative to the positive. I felt like a tremendous load had been lifted after I finished the book. Again, even if you don't believe in mediums, reincarnation, etc., you can still learn from this book. Give it a try.

If you have unanswered questions about why some of your relationships didn't work out, or why certain things seem to just "happen" to you, read this book! You will get a better understanding of how we chart our lives, prior to incarnation, in order to learn the lessons our soul needs to grow and perfect. Robert Schwartz does a wonderful job of researching!

The author is very humble in his approach to his subject. He, along with the reader, is in 'learning mode'. He takes a back seat to the real people and their real stories and is as awed by the information provided by psychics and channelers as we are. I will be using this book as a reference and will also be recommending it - highly - to others. For someone who has long believed in reincarnation and the healing it offers, I know what is important is the effect of what we believe. We accept that God exists but it is the extent of our faith which gives us strength and hope. Why scoff at the fact/concept of reincarnation, at the idea we've led many lives and even chosen the people, the events - beforehand - in them? A famous personage once opined that it is a miracle we've lived even one life. WE are not just 'one-hit wonders'; we have so many songs in our repertoire.
This book is so beautifully written and arriving at the last page was like leaving an old friend or ending a wondrous journey. I look forward to the next one and have emailed the author to share with him how much I loved his book. The heartbreaking stories, the insights and wisdom from the channelers allows us to feel a little bit more powerful, a little bit more knowledgeable and yes, even more humble to the greatness of our spiritual universe.

With my mother dying I had a lot of questions about the journey of souls. This book is packed with a lot of wonderful information and gave me a sense of calm and made me felt more accepting of situations and people in my life.

One of the most important books I have ever read. This book confirmed to me many things that I have always inherently felt to be true, but more than that, it has helped me see life and the people in it from a much more elevated perspective. I cannot stress how amazing it is. I am re-reading it once again. I hope the author writes another very soon.

This is the first time that I felt compelled to write a review. I found this book honest, entertaining, soul searching and amazing. Josh really lets you see who he is and doesn't hide his emotions or short comings. He provides insights into coping with his deafness and also reveals how he experiences that world. His journey in Africa is unbelievable except, of course, it is true. I would highly recommend this book.

I found Josh Swiller's riveting and beautifully written account of his Peace Corps service in Eastern Africa impossible to put down. Swiller weaves insight about deafness brilliantly into his story, giving the reader an insider's perspective on being deaf in any and every possible situation. As the mother of a present Peace Corps Volunteer, I couldn't help but imagine how Josh's mother might have been feeling during his two years in Africa. What did she know about his experience? Was she able to communicate with him? Did he protect her by not divulging details of the danger? While he doesn't tell the reader much about his mother in his book, I found myself wondering about her beyond the book. And...I have continued to think deeply about his experience long after reading his final words. I'm ready to read whatever Swiller publishes next!

I love this book. I've recommended it to just about everyone I've spoken to since I finished it. It is a wonderful memoir. It is hard to put down, and it's incredible to reflect on.

Read it.

As a Psychotherapist, I would recommend this book to anyone with a hearing problem or anyone who has a child with a hearing problem. I also would recommend it to anyone who needed to be inspired by the human spirit and to see that the limits of our coping capacities are beyond anything we can imagine.

Josh Swiller's account of his Peace Corps years is a wonderful insight into how he coped with volunteering in an African village as a young deaf man. It is a real page turner. A 5 star read!

For those of us who have experienced the loneliness, embarrassment, and stress of hearing or speech defects in our professional and social lives, Kiril Sokoloff's book is a deeply moving description of his personal suffering and its impact on his marriage and family. His description of his dear fathers speech problems, and the letter he would like to have written to him to express his love and understanding, moved me to tears as did many other incidents described in this remarkable book. Despite the sadness and pain this book is ultimately the story of one mans triumph over adversity to become one of the most respected and widely read individuals in the financial world today. Thank you Kiril for your example to us all.

Kiril Sokoloff has written an incredibly honest story, chronicling his journey from self-consciousness and a sense of unworthiness to a personal transformation embracing the power of compassion, gratitude, and love. This is not a "self help" book drawing inspiration from others, but a powerful story of self-examination, self-acceptance, and ultimately self-love arising from the pain of his own life experiences. It is a moving reminder of the power within us to rise above our personal demons and embrace the richness of life.

Kiril Sokoloff's "Personal Transformation" is a real blessing. There is no other way for me to describe this amazing book. "Personal Transformation" touched my heart in a way that few books can or do. It is very difficult for me to put my thoughts about this remarkable book into words. Words do not even begin to capture the love Mr. Sokoloff shares with us. His heart-wrenching tale of darkness to light should be required reading for Business and Wall Street executives as well as all those in search of The Truth. We should all be extremely grateful to Kiril for sharing his heart and mind with us. "Personal Transformation" is a timely reminder that where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Kiril Sokoloff's book is a powerful and poignant sharing of his life-altering experience of losing his hearing as an adult. It is deeply personal and most moving. He willingly relates in detail the gamut of his emotions when confronted with this crisis. His description of the isolation and loneliness that came to pervade his everyday life in ordinary situations was a revelation to me. I can only admire his courage and determination to cope with, deal with, and live with his deafness. This volume can provide inspiration for any of us.

Kiril Sokoloff's Powerful story of his life and the tribulations he has gone through to achieve peace with himself, is one of the most awsome books I have ever read.
It should be required reading for anyone looking for more meaning in his life, I for one am sending it to my four children.
It can not fail to help anyone who is fortunate enough to read it.
What a terrific and inspiring experience!
Barrant V. Merrill
Gulf Stream, Fl.
33483

The children in my classroom are learning ASL from me. I have many books and books/cds or videos about it. This book is great because children can look at and get the infomation without the sign, it can be read and use as a normal picture book. There are pictures of each item and next to it the sign for it. So they can learn about it on there own without a teacher always having to say "this is the sign for dog". Also they are signs for every day things which I think helped bring interest to the students in my young preschool classroom. There are better books out there for teaching ASL but this book is a great one to have that can be use as a non ASL book and ASL alike. I liked it so much I have gotten it for family members to use with their children.

My 2 1/2 year old son hasn't mastered the English language yet so we're teaching him sign language, which he has picked up on wonderfully. This book is great with wonderful pictures and how to diagrams. He loves this book and it's easy to understand.

I TRUELY ENJOYED THIS BOOK. IT IS A HANDY QUICK REFERENCE BOOK TO KEEP IN YOUR VEHICLE ALONG WITH THE LITTLE ONE AS i DO WHEN ME AND MY GRADSON TAKE A DRIVE, WHETHER IT B TO THE STORE , PARK OR LONG DISTANCE TRIP. IT'S A HANDY GREAT LITTLE BOOK.

Use this book (alone or in conjunction with a book like "Baby Signs") to communicate with your baby long before they can speak. We started signing when my son was 8 mos old. He learned the signs very quickly and being able to make us understood what he wanted eliminated temper tantrums almost immediately - until he was 2 that is! When he started to talk, he continued signing for a while but then stopped using them on his own. I HIGHLY recommend signing with ALL babies - regardless of whether or not they have developmental issues.

Cheerful picture with illustrations. Highly recommended. My daughter love this book.

Like most people, as you get older your hearing gets worse and worse but you place the blame on the movie makers or the failure of people not speaking loud enough. This book gives excellent information and advise on hearing loss. Some of the information on hearing aids is a little dated but you can find that with a little research on the internet. My new hearing aids from America Hears are fantastic. I can even hear the birds chirping again.

Covers the subject clearly. Recommend for anyone who is having hearing problem and doesn't know where to turn.

Kudos to clinical audiologist Richard Carmen for assembling this all-star cast of experts. I found this affordable, accessible volume to be loaded with interesting and practical information for us hard of hearing. Audiologists and scientists discuss the psychology and management of hearing loss, and new hearing technologies, and answer lots of questions: What causes ringing in the ears? How do aging, drugs, and noise affect hearing? What are the varieties of hearing aids now available? What cool new hearing assistance technologies might improve my life?

What a book this is. When I found out that I was going to need hearing aids I was thrilled and scared to death. How was this really going to change my life? Well this book (both editions) helped ease my fears. With the group of experts that the author brings together many questions are answered and one realizes that they are not alone. One thing that I found was that although the second edition was improved, some of the articles in the first edition that were deleted from the second was very helpful also; Great book(s)!

This book covers so many topics in such an empathetical way -- extremely well written. This book will help you if you know you are losing your hearing and are downright scared/nervous about seeking help. Understanding the hearing loss is important. This is not just for the person who has suffered hearing lose and needs help, but also for the rest of the family who needs to support and help as well. This book really cannot go recommended enough!Some of the greatest scientists/audiologists that there is have come together to share in good basic English to help. Exceptional!!

I bought the book because I found out my great grandparents were deaf and that my great grandmother was from Chilmark on Martha's Vineyard. The book was very interesting although I didn't learn much about my particular relatives.

This is the right attitude toward the deaf people in Martha's Vineyard back in the 17th and 18th centuries. I only wish it was true in USA and elsewhere today but it isn't.

This book also talk of people that aren't deaf, were using sign language to talk to each other - for example, from one boat to another or from the cliff down to the beach or because the high wind was drowning out their voices. I can think of many examples that people can use sign language today. Scuba diving sign language is so limited so why not use ASL? A person can tell a minister of an emergency problem quickly from the back of the church without having to go up to whisper in his ear. One could 'talk' to another person in the next building without opening windows. (Windows can't be opened in some office buildings) I could go on and on.

Today, parents are using sign language with their babies (not deaf). Some researchers are saying that it enhances language, cognitive, and social-emotional development. However, I am sure that at the same time, there are some parents of deaf babies, are being told not to use sign language. There are few schools that are pro-oral. Those deaf babies need sign language even more. Where are their language and social-emotional development?? This is irony and sharp contrast to this book. This book prove that all deaf babies need to be exposed to sign language everyday by comparing the Vineyard Deaf people to the Mainland Deaf people.

I am keeping this book to show others because it does support my view of point on the education for the deaf.

I read this book a couple of years ago after reading Oliver Sack's book "Seeing Voices". I read many books each year and I must agree with the other readers here in stating that this is one of the books that has stuck with me. The sense of community and integration encountered by the deaf people on Martha's Vineyard are truley lessons to us all on acceptance and normal treatment of disabilities. I only wish it had a follow up edition.

There are about 10 books I've read in my life that are vivid years later. This is one of those. We're given the chance to see what it might be like to live in a place without prejudices about people being different because of something like deafness. I learned a tremendous amount about deafness, sign language, and life on a New England fishing island community in bygone years. Don't miss this wonderful book.

"Everyone Here Spoke Sign Language" is a look at the effect of a large deaf population on Martha's Vineyard. Though a dry read at times, this book gives an interesting look at how for once in the history of deaf culture the *hearing* adapted for the deaf instead of vice versa. While most people might assume that the large deaf population would force a hefty amount of deaf people to adapt to hearing life, the opposite was actually true; the brilliance of Martha's Vineyard was that nearly all hearing people knew sign language to some degree.

The book analyses cultural impact of the large deaf population within the Vineyard's communities, which was biologically caused by the genetic predisposition for deafness. The book, largely written like an anthropological study, focuses on both physical and cultural aspect of the deafness in the communities. However, the most interesting implications within the book are those discussing deaf and hearing interrelations.

I have only just caught up with this book 14 years after it was published. Kisor is very good on how he managed a life as a deaf person who operates orally in a hearing world, and manages to be quite tactful in dealing with the subject of the Deaf -- people who use sign language. He is perhaps more tactful than he really should be in discussing the ignorance of a lot of educators of the severely hearing-impaired and the rather patronizing "poor-you" attitude they often take.

I can say this because I have only a little more hearing than Kisor -- and for the same reason, meningitis at the age of 3. I am ten years older than he but remember well some of the stages he describes so accurately and honestly. Like him, I was lucky in my early teachers and in being kept away from schools for the deaf.

It does need to be said that cognitive psychologists and students of child language have learned a great deal about child language development since Kisor and I were children and even since his book was published in 1991. Their progress dates from Noam Chomsky's destruction of behaviorist notions of language almost 50 years ago. I hope very much that things have changed significantly in the education of the deaf and severely hearing-impaired.

With luck, students will recognize that Kisor is describing a bygone era. But it is an era that was and is still well worth describing.

I read this book for an ASL class in college and wow. This book is great. An amazing autobiography written by a deaf man, Henry Kisor who has managed to exist in a hearing world as a deaf man strictly by lip reading. He has been a journalist and this is amazing to me. A wonderful story written in the point of view of a deaf man and his lifelong journey to success and living in the hearing world. Reading this book has made me take a look at my life and made me feel as if I could do anything.

I read this book back in 93 when I had just lost my hearing. I was 14 and dealing with suddenly becoming deaf. Most books about Deafness are written by physicians, or parents of the deaf, or children of the deaf, and not by the deaf themselves. Kisor's stories about lipreading and growing up and just being Deaf were wonderful for me to read. It gave me hope... if he is totally Deaf and can accomplish that much, then I, with a little bit of hearing left, certainly should be able to. I would certainly recommend this book to anyone deaf who is oral, anyone late deaffened, or anyone just interested in reading about the trials and joys of a hearing loss.

What should our attitude be towards the deaf? Kisor gives us good insight with his memoir which is beautifully, sensitively and humorouly written. Some would term him an outcast to both the deaf culture and the hearing culture, since he lipreads and doesn't sign. Can't possibly be happy because he can't fully participate in hearing world, he's missing so much. But Kisor disagrees.

He achieved more than most hearing, having accumulated great English language skills. He demonstrates with the rare book written about deafness from a deaf author. His title is fascinating, since it is from story regarding his five-year old son and the nuances lipreading has trouble discerning.

Yes, improvements have happened and will continue with behavioral psychology and deafness, but here the spirit of the human inside is spoken of, something that no program can really guarantee success, but determination, help and support will aid.

This marvelous memoir contributes much to this cause. It is a most wonderful read for all interested in what a deaf person in a hearing world might be going through, especially the emotional strains deafness brings with it. Much to be gleaned here.

I read this book back in 93 when I had just lost my hearing. I was 14 and dealing with suddenly becoming deaf. Most books about Deafness are written by physicians, or parents of the deaf, or children of the deaf, and not by the deaf themselves. Kisor's stories about lipreading and growing up and just being Deaf were wonderful for me to read. It gave me hope... if he is totally Deaf and can accomplish that much, then I, with a little bit of hearing left, certainly should be able to. I would certainly recommend this book to anyone deaf who is oral, anyone late deaffened, or anyone just interested in reading about the trials and joys of a hearing loss.

When we learned our second daughter had mild to moderate hearing loss in both ears, I was filled with so many emotions and confusion. From the moment I started reading this book, I couldn't put it down. It was nice to be able to relate to someone's else's story and it helped put my emotions and fears into perspective. It helped me see the bigger picture in all of this. I have since recommended it to the speech and developmental therapists that work with our daughter and they have added it to their school's library. We were lucky enough to catch our daughter's hearing loss right at birth and thanks to this book, are better educated and aware of what to expect and questions to ask.

I really enjoyed this book. I ordered it as soon as my infant son was diagnosed with a mild-to-moderate hearing loss and it proved to be a valuable resource for us. It was a great introduction into the world of audiologists, hearing aids, ENTs, etc. I highly recommend this book for the initial diagnosis period, when you need to understand all you are about to deal with.

I've been trying to get my parents and grandmother to wear hearing aids for decades -- all to no avail. They say that hearing aids don't work and they'd be embarrassed by the looks. So when I came across this book, which describes in close, interesting and lively detail everything you need to know about different types of hearing loss, how hearing aids work, the strengths and weaknesses of various assistive devices, the importance of hearing to proper language and social development, and most importantly, the emotional aspects of hearing loss for both parents and children, I knew this was the book for me. No matter that this is meant for parents of young children; the information is useful to anyone who knows anyone hard of hearing, and the writing intimate and engaging even if you don't. After reading the book, I understand better some of the old attitudes and social constraints that keep my family from taking responsibility for their own health -- and now I have the facts (and a long list of inspirational stories!) that will give them the courage to get the help they need.

This book explains to parents of hearing impaired children the various procedures and types of devices developed to meet the needs of these children. In concise language that the laymen can understand, this story gives accurate information regarding the use of hearing devices and some of the problems that may arise from their use. It also presents to the professionals the feelings and needs of the parents, The author uses both humor and pathos to describe the many problems faced by both the parents of hearing impaired children and the professionals who work with them.

I wish this book had been available when my son was diagnosed with a mild to moderate hearing loss 12 years ago. It is very informative and provides great information. I had found it difficult to find information regarding the hard of hearing child when my son was first diagnosed. It is also wonderfully comforting to read the experiences of other parents - it made me realize that I certainly was not alone. I bought an extra copy and gave it to my son's hearing itinerant so she could share it with other families.

Anyone with hearing loss will identify with the content of David Myer's book. Very inspirational!

This book is very nice and a valuable source. However, there are some things you ought to know before buying it.

The book is very subjective in the sense that it is written in diary form. The author basically tells you about his experiences with hearing loss. Fortunately, he does have insightful comments with regard to hearing loss.

This book both made me sad and happy at the same time.

The account of this guy made me very happy that there are others out there who do understand what I'm going through, like I'm not alone or just antisocial. Deaf IS an important issue when communicating and relating to others.

Sad because for the first time I fully realized how real this is for me. I just can't keep ignoring it. I need to understand that there are things I must do to become more functional out there as a hard of hearing person.

Why 4 stars?

Well, the book isn't exactally written by a professional advisor on hearing issues. He is a psychologist who happened to be hard of hearing. And as far as I know he does not have a speciallity in hearing therapy or such. What I'm saying is that you should read the book as a valuable testimony from someone's experience, not as a professional help source.

It is important to have this kind of book, because there are people who need to know there are others going through similar experiences. Yet, it is very important you understand this is still a very subjective book.

He also mentions that he is a teacher and all the big time problems he has in his class and conferences. It sure most be hell for him, still what about people who hadn't even had an education to teach and who need to work in even way more demanding (for the hearing impaired) workplaces because they had not had other choices.

Again, the book is good, but keep in mind it is just the very personal account and not a professional source to help you overcome deaf or hard of hearing problems.

This book is wonderful and useful in a variety of ways. It deserves all of the praise it has earned. The chapter "Aids and Advice" contains a helpful subsection, "Advice for Friends and Family Members" that is invaluable. Tips such as "invite us to a quiet place," "get our attention," "face the light and face us," "rephrase," "create a context," and "speak slowly" are essential for successful communication with people with hearing loss since, for many people with hearing loss, lip-reading is necessary or at least desirable.

Wearers of hearing aids become particularly vexed by, for example, noisy restuarants. This is because most hearing aids still amplify all sounds without prejudice - the words you want to hear (the signal) along with the crash of dishes three tables away (the noise). Add curtainless windows, uncarpeted floors, background music, and ever-increasing decibel level of voices competing to be heard, and you get a very noisy place. Myers explains this in good detail. He then shares his wonderful fantasy : respite from the "noisy world" of most restaurants and coffee shops via a chain of acoustically thought-out tea rooms and coffeehouses named "A Quiet Place." He quotes various studies and surveys that have shown that a great many restaurant patrons object to excessive noise.

Myers offers some great trivia, such as the fact that umpires' hand signals were invented in 1892 by William Hoy, the major leagues' first deaf player. In addition, Myers cites the works and writings of others (whom he names) - Oliver Sacks, linguist William Stokoe, Alexander Graham Bell, for example - leading his reader further into this interesting field, should one wish to read on. He also mentions, though not in much detail, some current research and developments, using lay person's terms. There is an appendix of resources for the hard of hearing, and an index. No bibliography, unfortunately.

A great book and thoroughly worthwhile.

This book has so much to offer for the hearing-impaired and their families. I almost skipped over it because it is the author's story of losing his hearing as an adult. My son was diagnosed at age 4 1/2. I am so glad that I decided to read it! Myers offers a wealth of technical information along with an impressive list of internet resources. Perhaps the most important aspect of the book is the emotional insight in dealing with hearing loss. I definitely learned to be more patient with my son after reading this book. I visited the author's website and emailed him about his helpful book. He even emailed back with more suggestions for my son!

If you have loss of hearing, the prose and memoirs by Dr. Myers will be profoundly familiar. You will find yourself sitting and listening to this friend as he shares secrets you seldom discuss with anyone. The author offers rich experiences in roller coaster rides of emotion. He is insightful, humorous, sensitive, revealing, encouraging--and often painfully honest. You feel his torment and elation, and through it, not only come to know the author, but clearly more about living with hearing loss.

An excellent recommendation for those with hearing loss, and professionals who desire to learn more about the experience.

Dr. Myers leaves you anxiously waiting for his next book. . .

Richard Carmen, Au.D. Clinical Audiologist, Sedona AZ rcarmen27@yahoo.com [and Editor/Author, "The Consumer Handbook on Hearing Loss & Hearing Aids: A Bridge to Healing," Auricle Ink Publishers, 1998]

Aesock's Travels is a bilingual novel for young adults age 7-10, presenting the same story in both English and Spanish, under one cover. All one has to do is flip the book over to read the other language. Young Benjamin and Olivia embark on an amazing, magical adventure with Aesock, a mysterious creature with an affinity for finding lost socks. The crisp, clean prose is exciting, and provides a simple yet wondrous adventure in this story that is as engaging for adults striving to learn either English or Spanish as a second language as it is for young people.

Chances are you've never thought of your socks as remotely connected to royalty. They're...well...socks. They cover your feet. They keep your shoes from rubbing blisters. That's about it.

Get ready for all previously held notions about socks to disappear once you read Gretchen McMasters' creative tale, Lights, Camera, Edison! For one thing, remember how you "lost" your socks and then months later "found" them? Uh-huh. That's not what happened.

But we're veering off the subject, and the mystery of the disappearing socks will become clear -- though secondary to the story -- once everyone reads this book.

Aesock, the hero of this tale, is the Prince of Static Island. Think sock puppet with glasses. Likely you won't find Static Island on current maps, but don't be concerned. Aesock knows where he's from and what he's about. He comes to the aid of a dejected Benjamin at exactly the right time, when Benjamin feels as if his young life is over because his science project failed in front of the whole class. He brings dejection home with him, dragging it down to the basement laundry room where he can mope alone.

Except he's not alone, which he discovers when a pile of laundry starts talking to him. First he thinks his sister Olivia is playing a trick on him, but when she arrives in the basement, too, the laundry pile keeps talking.

Soon Benjamin and Olivia meet Aesock and before you can say "There's a hole in my sock!" they are off in his time-travel machine (bearing a strong resemblance to a laundry basket). Aesock takes Benjamin and Olivia on a trip backwards, where they meet an important historical figure. One who is missing a sock, by the way.

During their jaunt, which is over almost before they leave (don't try to figure it out), Benjamin sees how key determination is to all big achievements. And McMasters manages to slide in a history lesson.

This clever book, the first in the Aesock's Travels series, is about 160 pages, but divide that by two. You have your choice of reading it in English or Spanish, all in one book.

Not only a fun way to introduce history, but a great way to slide into a discussion about self-doubt. "Do you really want to give up?" Aesock asks.
Delightful and informative. An excellent book for story circle.
Carolyn Harris, MS
School Psychologist

After a failed science project seven-year-old Benjamin Barber retreats to his home's basement. He and his nine year-old sister, Olivia, are taken by surprise when the laundry pile suddenly comes to life.


From Static Island has emerged a sock laden creature with supreme static cling, Aesock. After Benjamin reveals his desire to become someone as important as Thomas Edison, Aesock invites the children for a journey back in time.


They board a ship or hamper in this case. Complete with captain's wheel, colorful sail and more. It doesn't take long before they are on their way, traveling, to meet a young Edison.


Gretchen McMasters has written a wonderful book that children will surely enjoy! Not only is this a great tale of adventure, but teachers English or Spanish will also want to use this book as a learning tool, especially for children with short attention spans. Younger children will adore having this adventurous tale read to them.


Aesock is well written, captivating, unique and its eye-catching cover are sure to be a big hit everywhere!


For other upcoming books in the series or lesson plans visit: aesock.com


Reviewed by Betsie