Disabilities Books

This book has been sitting around on my shelf since I was a child. I thought it was a child's book when I was young, but couldn't read it. I just pulled it off the shelf again, and have discovered what will become one of my favorite books about hope, determination, the power of positive thinking, and art - its struggles, its blisses, its importance. It is a must read for any writer, or for that matter, any artist who struggles with stealing time to do their art without feeling somehow guilty, or fearful, or terribly isolated. It is about transcendance despite ridiculous odds. It is an amazing, amazing book. I'm so glad I got around to it.

This is a beautiful book on so many levels. The author's voice, the author's spirit, the author's technique of storytelling are awe inspiring. If you have been led to this page, take it as a sign and order this book, reading it is an experience and I can't wait to read it again. If you are looking for a gift to give someone else then this is it, but read it first yourself so that you can trully share it.

My husband gave this book to me and I am truly enjoying it! Katharine sees things from a rare perspective. Her life transformed her into someone that could see deep into even the most mundane subjects. I feel a new appreciation for even the sounds of crickets! She was certainly a person who's cup was always half full! This book is like welcome raindrops, enveloping you and staying with you long after the drops have evaporated!

This book is enchanting, wonderful, and beyond description, except to say it is a testament to the human spirit.

If you read this and loved it, also look at "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly," by Jean-Dominique Bauby. If you can't imagine living on your back for ten years, try imagining writing a book using only the ability to blink one eye, to dictate letter by letter. Tis book is another testament to the human spirit.

This book is amazing, I am 15 and I read it, my mother at 39 read it, my grandma read it and my younger sister at 13 read it. Everyone takes away some different, but something wonderful from this book. It is absolutely indescribable, you have to read it; right now, order it, read it, it will change your outlook on life.

As an occupational therapist working in the school system, and currently providing assistive technology evaluation, education, and training, I found Living in a State of Stuck to be one of the most influential works I have read in a good number of years. We all have stories, and the individuals that Dr. Scherer has listened to and followed in her book have voices that resonate. I have practiced for nearly 30 years, and her approach feels like coming home to the core principles of the profession I have love. Thank you, Dr. Scherer, and please keep writing.

In working with people with disabilities I found Scherer's book gave a different slant on their issues and the use of technology. It was easy reading and informative. The case studies gave examples of the various needs, likes and dislikes and preferences of people with disabilites and their uses of assistive technology. Probably the most important emphasis of Scherer's book is know your consumer and listen. There is no universal recommendation for assistive tech for our consumers.

This book was very insightful and well researched. It includes numerous individuals with disabilities and describes using Assistive Technology in real life situations. It highlights that all persons with the same disability do not use the same Assistive Technology and that above all else, the individual's needs, desires and goals should be considered before the purchase of Assistive Technology. In addition, it also points out that people with an acquired disability may feel differently about Assistive Technology than a person born with a disability. Overall, an excellent read!

Living in the State of Stuck teaches us how to look at assistive technology in a "big picture" perspective. The book discusses tailoring adaptations to particular needs, and how to practically apply adaptations to every day lives. Many people are afraid to use assistive technologies themselves, but expect people with disabilities to embrace adaptations. Scherer talks about matching people with technologies, not because they are a quick fix, and easily accessible, but because that person is genuinely interested in attaining and using the device which THEY have informatively chosen. Scherer uses practical information are stories about people of all ages and disabilities successfully using the latest technologies. She provides online resources, organizations, vendors and a worksheet to assist with matching persons with technologies.

As a rehabilitation professional and an individual with a severe mobility impairment, I found Dr. Scherer's book to be most enlightening. To tell you the truth, I was expecting another dry textbook bogged down with a lot of technical terms and professional jargon. Instead, I was pleasantly surprised to read interesting stories about flesh and blood individuals, and the impact their disabilities and the use of assistive technology have had on their lives. It's one thing to read about all the wonderful things assistive technology can provide - it's quite another to read real life examples of its implementation.

I can relate to the author's belief that the technology is only as good as it is perceived to be by the individual that is using the technology, and that a holistic approach to matching the appropriate technology is essential. As Dr. Scherer points out, it doesn't matter how marvelous we as professionals' think the technology is. If it doesn't meet the need of the individual, it is virtually useless. To illustrate the author's point, I can't count the number of times a rehab professional has told me I should do this, or I should use that, or I should do it this way or that way, etc., without ever bothering to ask for my opinion or ideas. However, I have recently had my bilateral long leg braces refurbished, and (per Dr. Scherer's model), I essentially told the orthotist how I wanted it done. The end result - the braces are much more comfortable to wear and skin breakdown at the various pressure points has decreased dramatically!

This is a wonderful book in so many ways. I must give it a five star rating although I do suggest a caution. My caution isn't about the book but about the message of a blind person riding a horse. An average horse cannot be used this way even if it is gentle and loving.

The horse must have special training just as a seeing eye dog gets special training. Most dogs will not keep a blind person from falling off a curb, stepping out in traffic, stepping in a puddle, etc. A loving, gentle, untrained horse will not watch out for low tree limbs, traffic, etc.

It is possible for a horse to become a seeing eye horse. If you have a visually handicapped child who wants a horse, it is important to help the child look at facts rather than fictional concepts of horses. You might do an internet search for seeing eye horse, pet therapy, and other information about pets which help handicapped people.

It is a wonderful book for handicapped children and for their friends and family as well! I highly recommend it.

This is a great story with a very positive representation of a young blind girl. She is shown to be a self sufficient, capable, and independant youg lady, not helpless like the blind are sometimes viewed. A very good story for all, young and old, blind and sighted. I highly recommmend it!

Mandy's family live on a farm and it's up to the children to help out with the chores. Dad gives them each one day off though and Mandy chooses to spend her day with her horse, Ben. Beautiful descriptions of experiences, as felt through Mandy's other senses, reveal that she is blind. Her independence is wonderful and the book is a sensational way to naturally introduce children to live with a disability.

This book is very interesting and wholesome. It is family life on the farm. This little girl gets to spend her special day with her best friend, a horse. This girl is also blind.
The reader does not reallize until the end of the story that Mandy Sue is in fact blind. The writer portrays Mandy Sue as a regular person, which of coarse she is. Every school should have a copy of this book. This book leaves you with a good feeling and insight that everyone is equal. The pictures are beautiful to look at and farm and family life is shown in a postive light. Mandy Sue is a happy girl who lives on a farm, and when she rides her favorite horse, she is free. She can ride fast and feel the wind in her hair. She is alive.Mandy Sue's horse gives her the opportunity to express herself and feel safe and loved by her horse.

This is a wonderful children's book. It is well written and illustrated. The ending is superb! It truely makes us appreciate each and every day. This is one of three books out by this author....I look forward to more!

Just after the Civil War, eight-year-old tomboy Melissa falls and breaks her hip, finding herself bedridden for four months. She's cross and at loose ends until her mother buys her a doll family and her beloved older brother Vance helps to build her a dollhouse.

Melissa and the doll family - Sir Gregory, Lady Alice, Maribelle, and Tommy - have great adventures together, until Mama's favorite cousin Julia comes to visit with her stuck-up daughter Valerie. Valerie and her similarly stuck-up doll Gloria take over the dollhouse and make everyone's lives miserable. But Cousin Julia is in danger of losing her home, the southern plantation Five Oaks, unless Melissa and Sir Gregory can figure out the secret of the treasure that may be hidden there.

This is a wonderful book of imagination and innocence. All the characters, including those in the dollhouse, are individually well drawn, and the "Upstairs, Downstairs" tensions within and without the dollhouse cover themes of self-pity, jealousy, resilience, and imagination. This is also a very good picture of some of the issues that faced the country following the Civil War.

Those of us who grew up not playing with dolls can see what we missed out on! After reading this book, I no longer consider stuffed animals "superior" to real dolls -- the kind that can send mental suggestions to little girls with the gift of hearing. Plan to read the sequel, "When the Dolls Awoke," to revisit the dollhouse 100 years later.

This was an AMAZING book! The author pulls you in and you forget everything else. After I read this book about a girl who's dollhouse characters help her recover from an injury I started to play in my own dollhouse. Just last night I really felt like reading this book again. It is a beautifully written book with a captivating plot. This is a book that you should DEFINITELY read.

This is one of my all time favorite books. Im 18 and still pick up this book and read it when I feel the need to escape to an enchanting world. I've read this book so much its sadly lost its cover. It inspired me to start up my own heirloom dollhouse with its very own 'real' doll family . A GREAT book. The sequal "When the Dolls Woke" is also a treat to read.

I cannot believe this book would be out of print. It is a great children's classic; the story is capivating, and I loved how Stover was able to give the dolls their own personalities. I wish this book was a required book in elementary school.

I adore this book. My mother bought it for me when I was in Primary School and I still have it and read it often. Once I start reading it, I cant put it down and often read it twice in a row. It has such a delicious mystery to it, a search for treasure, a lost doll, living with a limp and the problems of sharing with irritating cousin Valerie, which drove me to distraction. The lovely description of the way of life in the North after the civil war is an education and sets a beautiful back ground to the story. I was enchanted by the wonderful family of dolls and would recommend it to anyone. It is definitely my favourite book!

As one involved in this struggle over the last 25 years I agree this book is mandatory reading for anyone who wants to learn about the struggles related to accessibility. Congressman Edward J. Markey, Ranking Democrat, House Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet, stated, "Telecommunications technology can enable and ennoble the lives of millions, but only if our laws animate such technologies with human values to ensure universal access and inclusion. Karen Pelz Strauss, a tireless ally in expanding disability access to new technologies, presents a wonderful history about the inexorable march of innovation and the ongoing struggles to bring its wonders to all sectors of society." Former FCC Chairman William Kenard noted, "The lessons revealed in the pages of this book offer a compelling roadmap to those who are willing to take up this challenge in the decades to come." I am glad the author took the time to capture the struggle so others can learn.

This is a must read for anyone who is interested in access including regulators, advocates, educators, audiologists and parents. The book provides the fundamental underpinnings of a regulatory framework that drives regulation today. Ms. Peltz Strauss' insight into the battles and personalities that shaped FCC regulation make the book an incredible tool for those trying to adapt existing regulation to today's and future technological advances in access. These issues should not be forgotten or assumed to be resolved. This book provides a compelling picture of the challenges and the realization that FCC regulation is required for people with hearing loss to receive the functional equivalence of what everyone else takes for granted.

If you have ever considered the struggles of hearing-impaired people in securing access to basic telecommunications, you owe it to yourself to read this book. In fact, if you're just looking for a good story about the hard work of decent Americans who fought against all odds to improve the quality of life for millions of people, you will enjoy reading "A New Civil Right." Though it features a fast-paced narrative, it doubles as an instruction manual that begs to be studied by disability lawyers, activists and students alike. It contains principles for practical change and countless lessons in grassroots political activism that only a dynamic career in the field could confer.

As the hearing son of deaf parents, I am moved by the series of seemingly implausible victories that unfold in these pages on behalf of a population that was, for decades, shut out of American telecommunications. Were it not for the pioneering work of advocates --whose stories are capably told in this book-- my own parents would not be able to enjoy many of the benefits of modern technology that now enable them to communicate naturally with others from a distance. This is a work that every Deaf American, and every ally of Deaf America, should add to their bookshelf.

Not since Harry Lang wrote "A Phone of Our Own" has such a pioneering, authoratative account of telecommunications access for the deaf been presented to the public. With passion, humility, and an abiding respect for the Deaf community, this extraordinary work draws on the historical insight of Lang's story --without duplicating it-- to present one of the most compelling portraits of progress ever told in American history.

This book has a chapter titled, "David and Goliath." But, in fact on every page of this exciting book amazing successes and improbable achievements are detailed. Strauss shares the struggles of deaf and hard of hearing people to gain telecommunications access with such drama and clarity, making
"A New Civil Right" a fascinating book to read.

This book provides a comprehensive account of how laws were created to provide better telecommunications access for people with hearing loss. The author played an active role in the efforts to achieve this access, so the reporting is both authoritative and enjoyable--it is interspersed with personal and other stories that took place along the way. The many battles that the deaf and hard of hearing communities had to fight in order to win these rights are quite amazing, and the ultimate success is encouraging and very relevant to other efforts to gain civil rights. I would think anyone involved in communications, civil or disability rights, or grass roots advocacy would find this both enjoyable and valuable.

The book Nothing About Us Without Us: Disability Oppression and Empowerment written by James I Charlton is profound. It really gives an insight to the history, psychosocial history of disabilities all around the world.

It is a profound book (very deep) and at times difficult for sensitive people like me but it is a must read book. I would like for the people in Puerto Rico to read this book to really comprehend the story behind the movement of Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The community of Persons with Disabilities in Puerto Rico need to comprehend deeply the situation that is going on even in Puerto Rico. The system provided in the territory of the United States does not work. On the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico the ADA Law is not enforce. I personally cannot wait until the Ammendment to the ADA Act of 2008 is pass by the Senate and finally signed by the President of the United States.

The "ADA Ammendment Act of 2008" was passed on the US House of Representatives overwhelmingly with 402 votes to 17 NAYS on June 26, 2008.

There are few books that can clarify the civil rights concepts and disability... This is one. I sat in a meeting of a government training program for Fair Housing investigations, and two of the lawyers/instructors as well as the Academy's Director stated that they do not need people with disabilities to be involved with the training or policy decision-making - now I give this book to persons who do not have a disability. What if we plan a celebration of women or Black History Month and only white males were invited?

RedGimp

Even though America may be one of the world's most enlightened
countries when it comes to treating people with disabilities
with respect, we still have a very long way to go.

As proven in "Nothing About Us Without Us", the revealing
expose by James I. Charlton, so does the rest of the globe,
to varying degrees. Listen to the voices of people with
disabilities in different countries that carry the same
messages of fear, shame, discouragement, and even hope:

Maria Paulo Teperino: "There is a cult of the body in Brazil.
We call it 'culto ao corpo'. Machismo is very strong, and
it affects the way many men think of women. Because of its
prevalence, machismo leads many men to believe that a disabled
woman can't satisfy him. Many even believe that disabled women
cannot have children."

Fadila Lagadien: "In South Africa, families don't educate or
support the education of disabled women because of the attitude
that no man will pay a 'bola' (dowry) for a disabled woman."

Joshua Malinga: "I had an inborn attitude not to accept the
attitudes at the institution. These ideas were very bad. For
example, disabled people were told when to eat, when to sleep,
that they couldn't make love, it was banned...By the mid-1970's
I and a few others wanted to reject all these ideas and start our
own organization. By 1965, I began organizing disabled people
because I knew things were not right."

Charlton's book reveals the often-ignored truth that 'things are
not right' for people with disabilities all around the world.
Whether it's being called a 'chirema' for 'useless' in Africa
or being 'ai duan' (looked down upon because of your disability)
in Asia, if you have one, then good luck NOT being treated as a
second-class citizen or worse. Things are looking up, however...

Rachel Hurst: "I decided I had to do something. I quickly realized
that a single person never gets anywhere, so I tried to figure
out how I could do something collectively." --London, England

More and more people with disabilities are joining Rachel in
organizing to stand up and fight for the human rights that other
humans take for granted. After you read "Nothing About Us Without
Us", I sincerely hope you will want to join them in their just cause.

I'd thoroughly recommend this book. It provides a global overview of the disability rights movement, and includes interviews with many activists from different countries. I found it easy to read, and thoroughly interesting.

This is a well written, thoroughly researched work dealing with the treatment of disabled people in various cultures. The book explores the impact of religious institutions, charities, schools and various other institutions on how the disabled are treated. It also does a remarkable job of explaining how consciousness needs to change in order for progress to be made. It is an extremely thought provoking work which raises many issues. I recommend this book to anyone who may some day be disabled - which is any of us.

I am a bit biased as I have known Pete and Liz since 1988. I lived next to them in a sailboat at the same dock from 1988 through 1991. I watched them work hard and raise their daughter, Jane. They were always humble and hard working and fun to be around!!!
Reading the book (Liz FINALLY wrote it!!!) showed me parts of their personalities I never got to see as their neighbors!!! I visited them after reading the book and also re-visited the boat, "Usikusiku" who would love to have a new owner(s) take her out once again!!!
Truly a finely written autobiography from a great couple and Jane who is 16 years old by now!!! (I think!!!)
They are still as hard working and humble as they were in 1988, you would never know their story unless you read the book!!! As you would see from the book, they had (and still have!!!) a great sense of humor, some of which is known only to them!!!
ENJOY!!!! then...... pass it on!!!!!

A story about two novice sailors building a boat and sailing across the Atlantic Ocean is interesting. When you consider that these sailors undertook this journey with the physical limitations they had, the story becomes amazing. Even though I know nothing about sailing, the author wrote with such humor and intelligence that I was kept enthralled through the entire book.

Once I started reading, I didn't put it down until I had finished it. This is a truly wonderful book that left me feeling inspired and ready to do whatever it takes to reach my goals.

Thank you Liz and Pete for sharing your wonderful story!

From www.creativewordco.com

We all can get bogged down in our shortcomings and faults and then begin to mentally--and physically shut down. When this happens, I like to read about people like Pete and Liz Fordred--then I begin to remember that "impossible" and "possible" are states of mind. I met them last weekend (10/18/03) at the "Abilities Expo" while researching options for an exciting project for paraplegics called Eaglewings. ed.

Don't say, "You can't" to Liz Fordred, or her husband Pete. Paralyzed in her teens, Liz met Pete Fordred through her work at the same Rhodesian hospital where she had been nursed back to life. Pete was in a rollover at age 19, and some thought his career as an electrician would be over. Not Pete, and not Liz. Shortly after they were married, they hit upon an idea: Why not build a sailboat? Why not learn to sail? And why not sail the boat across the Atlantic?"

Many people thought they were daft and told them so. (There were no wheelchair ramps, let alone awareness of paraplegics' true capabilities in the late 70s in landlocked Rhodesia, which later became Zimbabwe.) With their families' amazing support, they built a boat from a concrete form in a huge hole in Mum's flower bed. The amazing couple worked day jobs and built every square inch of their boat at night and on weekends, using borrowed tools and improvized parts.

The part that amazed me in the detailed and often humorous narrative is the sheer willpower it takes to haul, grind, position, and weld heavy parts with only a wheelchair or arms for mobility. Moreover, the fiercest obstacles they overcame were not debt, bureaucracy, illness, lack of experience, or tropical storms. It was doubt and derision. Yet they overcame all these--especially the last, with wit and a will to show that disability is only the state of mind of those who think the disabled cannot do what others can. Read Liz's book--it will strengthen your resolve to cross the Ocean only you know you must cross.

(For more inspiration, learn about one paraplegic man's amazing invention, "Eaglewings," which allows paralyzed people the ability to traverse long distances with a handcycle that attaches to one's wheelchair. With no need to transfer to a separate vehicle, bruises leading to pressure sores are eliminated.

Dear Reader, I first met Liz and Pete Fordred just after they had completed their epic journey across the North and South Atlantic Oceans to America as told in her book: An Ocean to Cross. You couldn't meet two finer, capable people with a great story to tell! Liz personally taught me celestial navigation as well as (Pete) rebuilding the engine on my sailboat ( a center cockpit ketch) in Fort Lauderdale! I've personally been on their boat, the Usikusiku [Say:'U-see-ku;see-ku'(dawn's light) They are adventures, marine architects, builders, sailors, and now Liz adds 'writer' to her many talents. If you are looking for adventure and inspiration wrapped up in a real life story, then get comfortable in you armchair and listen as a master mariner tell how (extra)ordinary people become quiet heroes....two if by sea... ...with grace and a touch of class... Sincerely, Phil Foley, Altus, America

This book is wonderful!! It tells the story of Mr. Lou and his jorney from South Carolina sharecropper to owner of the Challengers Club in South Central Los Angeles. I am a teacher in Baton Rouge and this books makes me want to do more in my job. I think anyone who wants to know how to help kids should invest 5 hours of their life and read this book.
It shows that alll you need is dedication, love and patience, and you can make a difference in any childs life. I signed up to volunteer to be a mentor because of this book.

It was my privilege to recently read the autobiography of Lou Dantzler, founder of the Boys & Girls Challengers club in South Central. This book is called "A Place to Go, A Place to Grow."

This is seriously one of the most motivational, inspiring and important stories I have read in several years. This is a story you need to read, and a man you need to know about.

Lou was born and raised a sharecropper's son, in the time before the Civil Rights Movement and the Sexual Revolution. When his father passed away he was expected to run the family business and help provide and care for a large family. His mentor at this time was a soldier who escaped the cyclical poverty of the sharecropper life, only to gain respect for his achievements in the military where work was rewarded according to merit. This guidance was just the beginning of Lou realizing that what a child needs is discipline and inspiration; that there is more to life when you respect yourself and all you have to offer the world.

When Lou moved to LA he worked several odd jobs as he helped support and raise his own family, and was saddened by how many children in his neighborhood would spend their time out in the streets with nothing productive to do. He decided to truck a group of boys to the park to play, many of whom were afraid to do so unchaperoned, because of the dangers of gangs and drugs. Lou and the boys had so much fun that this small gathering eventually lead to converting an abandoned VONS shopping center into what is now an amazing facility that provides job training, dental care and a full basketball court!

What I love about this true story is that is shows the love and dedication of just one man can truly change the world. Lou never lost hope and just kept on trucking, literally, and it payed off big time! He helped inspire several generations of youth growing up in South Central to aspire to greatness in self respect, education and family.

Recently Lou passed away, but his legacy truly does still live on! I think you will love this book. It is not only a time capsule about the turbulent 20th century, but it is also very vital to our contemporary issues with poverty and street violence here in LA and what we can do as a community to turn the tide.

[...]

Remember a portion of the profit made on the sale of this book goes back to Challengers!

*I hear they are always looking for donations and volunteers! :)

I have heard about this book for four years, because Kathleen Felesina, the co-author, and her sister Laura Peterson, who plays a prominent role in Lou Dantzler's story, are longtime family friends, daughters of longtime family friends. The Peterson/Felesina families should be very proud, as, I'm sure, Lou Dantzler's beloved mom Narvis would be of him.

Lou Dantzler is "a marvelous man," a true American hero who doesn't grandstand and for much of the book thinks of himself as just a sharecropper's son, which is like saying that George Washington Carver was just a gardener. In a time when Bill and Melinda Gates are crusading to overhaul the school system and Bill Cosby is raising a furor over African-American children's futures, this book needs to be promoted and shouted from the rooftops, as does Lou Dantzler's work--which thankfully President Bush Senior did in the wake of the 1992 riots when, like Laura Peterson's USC, Lou Dantzler's Challengers Club wasn't touched by gang violence. The story of this club and its remarkable, brave founder is a must-read for every educator, parent, youth leader, pastor/rabbi--in short, everyone who cares about at-risk kids. Adults can share this book with kids too! Kudos to Lou Dantzler, and to Kathleen Felesina for this uplifting, motivating book.

This book shares the essential characteristics that a youth development professional must possess in order to make an impact on the lives of today's youth. The dedication, commitment, yet the simplicity of the concepts behind empowering and motivating today's youth to reach beyond the physical surrounding is embraced in this journey from the cotton fields of South Carolina to the urban inner city of Los Angeles. The determination to achieve by holding a community up to a standard of commitment to its youth is demonstrated in this epic story that shares how hard work with compassion along with sheer determination can change a community initially through its youth, then it parents, and bring forth the common good from mankind from all walks of life to help in changing a community. Anyone working in the youth development field would be inspired by this book as well as educated on simply methods to achieve change through parent engagement, establishing clear enforceable standards, and holding everyone accountable.

Anyone who has devoted their life to one cause or another will find inspiration from Lou's first hand account of how he started Challengers Boys and Girls Club. Each page is filled with pieces of wisdom and advice he gained from people who understood his mission and wanted to help. You get a total understanding to how the club grew from a few dozen kids and trips to the park into a beautiful, sprawling oasis in the middle of South Los Angeles. Lou's gentle nature and natural curiosity are also evident throughout the book, as he describes in great detail how strangers latched onto his desire to help children and chipped in with advice, money, and perhaps most importantly, support. Now, 38 years later, the reader will become so entranced by what they read, they to will want to lend a hand. As the expression goes, Only Time Will Tell and Lou's time at Challengers has told at least 30,000 kids that his committment and conistency to their well being is paying off in dividends.

I absolutely love this book. I use it frequently in my practice with kids who struggle with ADHD and it is amazing in helping to teach kids skills and techniques in self monitoring and managing their symptoms. I would highly recommend this book to anyone, especially those who work with kids!

This is a great activity book for parents with children who have ADD ADHD. I also recommend the gift of ADHD activity book.
~

I am the author of another:

One Boy's Struggle: A Memoir: Surviving Life with Undiagnosed ADD

Bryan

This activity book is full of great ideas and I have been using with my younger children that I counsel with ADHD. It has helped them focus and learn useful things about ADHD. It is a great resource

This book is an invaluable aide for parents, educators, and professionals dealing with the challenges faced by AD(H)D students in school. It is a book that can be given directly to students as well. Written in a clear, visually appealing format, it presents worksheets and quick exercises that guide the late grade school, middle school or high school student to an understanding of how this disorder affects their ability to learn. It provides information such as how to choose and adopt various study techniques that will help children with AD(H)D become successful students. It coaches students in using active study techniques to remember what they read, or to develop written reports. Students are not resistant to using the concepts because of how they are presented and is a book that has application to non ADHD students as well. I highly recommend this workbook and have found it much more much more useful that the "Putting on the Brakes" book by the same authors. Of all the self help books I have lent out to people, this is one that people use so much they forget to return it! I just keep buying more copies because I don't want to be without the book.

My 6 yr old loves this book. It has so many great worksheets. And it grows with your child. It has stuff for him now at 6 and stuff for the future like how to take notes in school, how to study, how better to listen in class for a child w/ ADHD this is so fantastic! And it's all written at their level! GREAT BOOK!

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]