Deafness Books

I have just finished reading this book. I have read it cover to cover twice and I will return to it from time to time when I'm working with hearing impaired clients. I have placed it on the shelf with my nursing journals and texts for future reference. I strongly recommend that Health care and education professionals read this book as it is a great reference and learning tool for anyone who works with hearing impaired clients. I would like to see it be required reading for nurses and teachers before graduation. Patricia Ann Morgan Candlish is not only the author of this book but has lived with a child who is "not deaf enough". She tells her story of how it is and was to raise a hard of hearing child. She discusses her personal diffculties in obtaining a diagnosis and her future roadblocks in achieving satisfactory therapy in rural Ontario post diagnosis. This book describes numerous personal experiences from a parents' point of view and would be a wonderful asset to any home or school library. The author portrays in detail, and with humour,I might add the challenges of day to day living with a hard of hearing child. The book is well laid out; each chapter is full of material starting with the stages of grief, incliding denial and anger at being blessed with a "not so perfect baby." As the book progresses she describes the formal and informal testing, the anatomy of the ear, hearing aids, financial stresses and sign languages versus speech reading. She describes the symptoms of hearing loss and indicators for hearing testing from the US National Institute of Health. It goes on to depict the management of temper tantrums, difficulty with education, schools, and basically how to deal with health care and educational professionals. Updated information is also available on teaching aids such as toys, books phones and computers. I would recommend this reading material not only for those working with a child who is hearing impaired, but for those working with the hard of hearing of any age. The information in this book is invaluable to all professionals of heal care and education.

A very worthwhile book. I had a chance to reread your book this summer and I found myself learning even more the second time around.(Actually the third time if you count the manuscript.) I always knew your life was not easy but I didn't know just how difficult it has been. You have not only coped beautifully but managed to produce a very worthwhile work out of all your difficulties that will benefit others. Congratulations. I'm lucky to be your older sister. Your book is so easy to read, even the technical parts. I think it should be required reading for everyone in the education field. I loved the way you interspersed it with pictures. I have always been amazed at how you taught Reid to talk. You done great SIS!

"Not Deaf Enough" (the title is devastating in itself,can be read on at least two levels. The first is obvious. The author, mother of a child with hearing deficiencies, gives the reader an account and the benefit of her and her famly's experiences with the system proved deficient. The advice is practical and focussed and comes from an intelligent, tenacious, loving, resourceful and articulate woman. Candlish pulls no punches and does not pussyfoot around the problem. If you are fortunate enough not to have had a major challnege of this sort in your family, then read the book from the perspective of someone who felt that the outside world should get a return on her and her family's investment. With any luck, this book will inspire others to give help and support to others less fortunate. There should be more books written such as this written so clearly. A third level, of course, is that the book is also a character sketch of someone who is playing the hand that she has been dealt without whining and without asking for a new deal.

This no-nonsense book is filled with practical, useful information. I highly recommend this book to all parents of hard of hearing children.

As the parent of two hard of hearing children, I have read my share of books about deafness. This is one of the best.

Amazon says the book is out of print, but I checked with the publisher ...and they say they have just reprinted it and it should be available soon.

This little book, a nicely translated academic effort that is quite readable, demonstrates the depth of the idea that those who are rendered surperflous are being set up for death. This notion first expressed by Richard Rothstein sweeps across issues of race and nation, and into questions of ablity/disability, perhaps now the most obscured of the social issues that must be addressed by those who seek a more democratic, egalitarian, and civil way of life. The idea that inclusion means ALL, has not reached into the mind-sets of too many on the left, an odd circumstance since many fine efforts like the text at hand show that the old saw, An Injury to One only Goes Before an Injury to All, is quite true. This is a good book for educators, activists, and researchers in all fields.

I first read the book on the medical holocaust in Germany by Dr. Friedlander. I then came across this one in my search for more material having to do with the Deaf in Germany. This book was originally a dissertation, however, Gallaudet Press and the translater, William Sayers, did a great job in turning what would be a dry dissertation into a short, but interesting book.

Horst Biesold is an interpreter who in the performance of his job, came across members of the German deaf community who were finally willing to tell their story about being forced to undergo sterilization. He writes with obvious concern for and about his deaf clients, and the emotional and psychological impact that the eugenics laws had on these people. It is with concern and dismay that I am researching the same subject only in the United States, since the Nazis often wrote that many of their ideas and programs were first proffered by eugenicists in the U.S.

This book is a good reminder that when societies don't stand up for what is right, even when it does not directly affect most individuals, you cannot tell how far the 'slippery slope' is going to go. The Holocaust did not just become the Final Solution for the Jews, but included the gypsies and the disabled, and those who were considered 'life unworthy of life.' With the completion of the Human Genome Project, and proponents of euthanasia getting more vocal, and doctors like Kervorkian, and HMOs who put their bottom line before the worth of people...it is all too possible that this horror could happen again, and in this country. I urge ethicists, physicians, and educators to read this book as well as members of the deaf/disabled community so that we can protect ourselves from those who would put less value on our lives for whatever reason. Karen L. Sadler, Science Education, University of Pittsburgh

This book is a remembrance of what was and tells of the pain and suffering of the German Deaf Community under the leadership of the Third Reich. I read this book, not as a hearing person, but as a Deaf person and I felt there pain. This book is horrifying but more so was the persons who were involved in the Deaf community who helped this government succeed to there sick ideas. Crying Hands reaches out from the darkness to shed light on one chapter in the history of our Deaf people and of our struggle over centuries of oppression. This books value is in it history; Deaf Holocaust History. I recommend this book for everyone.

A thoroughly heartfelt as well as informative book from a talented author. I felt like I knew them.

A deaf child raised by very loving family. The author taught her deaf child to speak and hear. She not only treat her like a normal hearing person, she allows her to learn signs with her deaf friends, and speak with her hearing friends, family and relatives.
Highly recommended for parents or relatives of deaf child to read this book that help take a right path to raise deaf child.

Truly a labor of love. This book is a wonderful chronology of a mother coping with a child's deafness in the days before ADA.

I sought out this book after losing much of my hearing to both genetics and noise. I was impressed with Seidman's credentials, and bought the book.

It's terrific. Not only is it a book about saving your hearing, but it's a comprehensive 'how to stay healthy' book. But be warned, if you do not lead a healthy lifestyle, you will have to make changes.

Excellent read. Helpful information to keep your hearing into old age. Steps to do now. Information on how we hear and tips to keep on hearing.

Because my hearing is somewhat impaired, I eagerly read "Save Your Hearing Now: The Revolutionary Program That Can Prevent and May Even Reverse Hearing Loss" by Michael D. Seidman, M.D. and Marie Moneysmith.

Nearly half of 76 million baby boomers say they are dealing with some degree of hearing loss. That's a 238 percent increase since 1990 when hearing problems affected only 20 percent of this group.

That means that if you are at midlife or even younger, you need to read "Save Your Hearing Now."

This unique book is more than just about how to save your hearing. It is a comprehensive total health "how to." Everything you need to know to protect your health and hearing, from exercise to diet -- what's new, what works, how to do it, where to get it - it's is all there.

The amount of research that went into this work to give the reader the absolute best information and help is outstanding. It's a meticulous blueprint for achieving a better quality of life.

Unlike other books on hearing loss that I have read, the authors provide a detailed one-of-a kind action program that will help you achieve a level of overall vibrant good health and hearing you might not think possible. The program is a systematic, easy to follow, step-by-step plan that makes it possible to successfully protect and improve health and hearing. If you now have hearing loss, you can learn how it may be possible to reverse it. The authors explain how others have done it.

Because diet is key to health, and certain dietary supplements play a pivotal role in maintaining and repairing health and hearing, the authors tell not only what to take, but why you should take it and how much to take. This is critically important. Advice to take supplements is useless unless you are told how much to take and why.

I am particularly impressed that the authors stress the importance and role of potent antioxidants in preventing hearing loss, particularly alpha lipoic acid and acetyl l-carnitine. Other major supplements scientifically shown to support good health and hearing are covered in detail.

You won't be confused or overwhelmed with scientific jargon because there isn't any. Even if you know nothing about supplements, presentation of information is so clear and "user friendly" that you will "get it."

The quality of resource material and supporting documentation reveals the ultimate usefulness and credibility of any health book. "Save Your Hearing Now" provides many excellent resources with phone numbers, names and addresses for readers to use for additional help and guidance. As a pharmacist, I particularly appreciate the extensive documentation that supports the authors' findings and recommendations.

Suggestion: If a midlife or younger friend has a birthday coming up, this is the most loving and life changing gift you can give.

My child's audiologist suggested this book. It is written for the practitioner, and offers detailed neuro-auditory information in the beginning chapters. The later chapters offer very practical classroom suggestions and management techniques. Very in depth and detailed reference useful for parents and teachers

Possibly the definitive text at present, for although it is American (the UK is a slightly different place!) it is still very easy to read, very thought provoking, infomative and extremely useful for practitioners in the medical and educational worlds. I expect many parents would find this book useful and informative too.

I grew up hard of hearing and never had any contact with the deaf community before age 19. In 1981 I lost two jobs because I was unable to communicate effectively with customers. My hearing loss was progressive; at the rate it was going, I fully expected to become completely deaf by age 30.

After wondering what I would do in the future as a deaf man, I went to the library to learn what I could, and discovered this book. It was my first exposure to deaf culture and deaf education. I learned about Gallaudet - then known as Gallaudet College - University while reading Dancing Without Music, and made up my mind to go there. If I was going to become deaf, then I would go live with deaf people and learn from them.

I followed through and attended Gallaudet at age 19, and I've never regretted that decision. After 25 years of deep engagement in the deaf community, it is my home now. I came in as an immigrant, was taken in and embraced, and every year since has been rich and rewarding. I shudder to think different my life might be if I had not read this book.

There are more current books available now about the deaf community, but this one does a terrific job of documenting the community's emergence at a time when ASL began earning respect as a genuine language. I highly recommend it for anyone who wants to understand what deaf culture means, what the deaf community is, and how it began in America.

This is an awesome book, i totally recommend it!

It's a great read just in terms of a compelling story and interesting and well developed characters.

Quite unique in that the author goes in depth (for a novel) to provide a musician's perspective into the world of classical music. It's fun to track down the musical compositions and to give them a listen to enhance one's reading experience of the book.

This romantic novel spends more time than you can imagine on Bach's "Art of the Fugue," so don't read it if you don't love Bach or don't care to hear it discussed. But if you love chamber music and enjoy a nice, schmalzty romance, you'll love this book.

Inner Lives Of Deaf Children: Interviews And Analysis by Martha Sheridan (Associate Professor in the Department of Social Work at Gallaudet University) is an informative exploration into the lives and minds of deaf children based upon interviews with seven very different deaf children between the ages of seven and ten. Outstanding for its exclusive perspective and invaluable documentation of a deaf child's struggles in contemporary society, Inner Lives Of Deaf Children is an invaluable and seminal collection of studies and research into the psychology, lifestyle, and personal adaptation of deaf children. Inner Lives Of Deaf Children is very strongly recommended to parents, teachers, social workers, counselors and anyone else involved in the lives of deaf children.

Inner lives of deaf children is an informative book that is easy to read. The author, Sheridan, grew up deaf so she has a personal connection to the subject. The book starts out with background information on the deaf community and the author. This helps you understand the deaf world better. Sheridan then explains how she conducted the deaf children's interviews. The bulk of the book consists of Sheridan's interviews of deaf children. She provides the actual transcripts of the interviews, allowing the children to speak for themselves instead of forcing her own interpetation. Throughout the interviews Sheridan provides little summaries that help the reader keep track of the main points along the way. She selected children with different backgrounds and communication methods so that the diversity of the deaf community would be better represented. At the end of the book, Sheridan neatly wraps up the results of her interviews; she provides the reader with a better understanding of what it is like for deaf children to grow up in today's world. I highly recommend this book.

Mandy is a young girl who is hearing-impaired. This story tells of things Mandy enjoys in her life and the things she dislikes. It also tells how Mandy uses her other senses. The story is about Mandy going out at night during a storm to look for her beloved grandmother's lost pin. The pin is special to her grandmother because Mandy's grandfather had given it to her on their 25th wedding anniversary. Mandy finds the pin and makes her grandmother very happy.

Teacher Notes: Mandy would be a wonderful book to read to remind students that people are different and that we should respect that diversity. This would be a good read-aloud book for kindergarten and first grade. Second and third graders could read it on their own.

Mandy is a really unique picture book dealing with the issue of deafness. It is a heart warming story about a young deaf girl and her grandmother. It is filled with profound statements expressing Mandy's "Deaf" perspective of the hearing world she lives in. While ending a dance in the kitchen with Grandma, Mandy describes "...one of the silly rules of the Hearing World. It makes more sense to stop dancing when you wanted to stop, instead of letting that box (radio) decide." Later, she wonders how the sunlight sounds as it passes through the trees. She concludes that the woods must be a very loud place to be, which is why she and Grandma never see any other people there! This story really makes you stop and think how a young Deaf child might view pieces of the Hearing world. It also makes you think about different ways Hearing people use auditory cues to perceive their world.

The art work in Mandy is touching and enhances the story with its beauty.

One of the things I enjoy most about this book, is that it exposes the readers to Deaf Culuture while immersing them in a sensitive story about two special people. Mandy and Grandma share such fun together, dancing, cooking walking in the woods. However, when Grandma loses a very special pin that Grandpa gave her before he died, it was Mandy who saved the day!

As a teacher of the Deaf, I read as much literature as possible on this subject to share with students, families, teachers and all interested parties. This book on Deaf Culture is inspiring because of how well it is written and because it is the only piece of literature on this subject that I have read that does NOT focus on what the Deaf can and cannot do, or describe a day in the life of a Deaf person. It tells a heartwarming adventure, weaving into the story inspiring perspectives on Deafness that really make the reader/listener think.

In my mind, this is one of the best children's books I've read about Deafness. It is not one that is well-known, but it is a real treasure!

This is an informative (and nicely written) look at 19th century American literature in terms of the ways it understands the ideas of deafness and hearing. The theoretical matrix of DuBois's color line may be less necessary and less useful here than the social historicist theory Krentz is developing as a base for reading both deaf and non-deaf authors in their negotiations of the imaginative--and perhaps the real--space of deafness. May be engaging to anyone appreciating American literature and/or interested in concepts of deafness, as well as to academics in these and related fields.

This is an original and provocative book. Addressing W. E. B. DuBois's concept of "the color line" in the 20th century, Krentz argues that 19th century American literature grappled with a "hearing line," i.e. a contested boundary between hearingness (the author's coinage) and deafness. He examines how this hearing line appears in work by deaf authors and also in the canonical authors of the century. The readings of Melville, Twain, Cooper, and others open new perspectives on their works that should be of interest to anyone concerned with the construction of American identity. The deaf authors included are contextualized in their literary and social locations as they articulate a deaf "I" or "we."

Throughout the work, Krentz engages current literary theory on gender, race, class, and colonialism. Deaf American culture intersects with these theories, but also presents challenges to them. The similarities and differences between deaf experience(s) and those of other oppressed groups deserve serious thought by anyone interested in the dynamics of self-definition for oppressed groups. Krentz emphasizes the positive sense of deaf identity and community that emerged in the 19th century, as authors responded to the complexities of American identity at that time.