Product Description

From the seventeenth century to the early years of the twentieth, the population of Martha's Vineyard manifested an extremely high rate of profound hereditary deafness. In stark contrast to the experience of most deaf people in our own society, the Vineyarders who were born deaf were so thoroughly integrated into the daily life of the community that they were not seen--and did not see themselves--as handicapped or as a group apart. Deaf people were included in all aspects of life, such as town politics, jobs, church affairs, and social life. How was this possible?

On the Vineyard, hearing and deaf islanders alike grew up speaking sign language. This unique sociolinguistic adaptation meant that the usual barriers to communication between the hearing and the deaf, which so isolate many deaf people today, did not exist.

Customer Reviews (8)

Very readable
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.

Love this book! (a deaf reader)
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.

Excellent Book!
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.

A book not to be forgotten
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.

An interesting look at a unique deaf cultue
"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. ... Read more

Product Description
CHOICES IN DEAFNESS, since 1987 the preeminent guide to communication options, is now extensively revised and expanded to provide the complete scope of information parents of children with deafness or hearing loss need.From assessment and diagnosis to medical/audiological treatments, and from the latest types of cochlear implants and procedures to education and technology devices, this new edition presents a balance of research, guidance, and insight from experts and families.Seven new chapters plus an audio CD cover:UNIVERSAL NEWBORN SCREENING (implemented in 38 states, this required screening detects hearing loss much earlier, and has doubled the number of children found to have hearing loss);AUDITORY NEUROPATHY (a cause of hearing loss where the timing of sound is seriously disrupted, and which has only recently been understood);GENETIC CAUSES OF DEAFNESS (describes genetic testing and counseling in light of research that shows over 60% of deafness in children is due to genetic or hereditary causes);THE TRANSFORMATION OF DREAMS (explores a shift in emotional outlook experienced by a parent/clinical psychologist upon learning her child is deaf);IDENTIFYING A PROGRAM OF EXCELLENCE (what to look for in an education program for your child in addition to the chosen communication option);COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (services and devices that let deaf people communicate via phone, cell phone, Internet, video);MAKING IT IN COLLEGE (personal accounts of four students about how they communicate and socialize at college);WHAT HEARING LOSS SOUNDS LIKE (a seven-minute audio CD depicts what speech sounds like as it simulates how hearing loss can affect pitch, loudness, and timing). As in the previous edition, CHOICES IN DEAFNESS presents five unbiased approaches to communication--Auditory-Verbal, ASL-English Bilingual, Cued Speech, Auditory-Oral, and Total Communication--and provides parents' first-person accounts of what it's like to use a specific method. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Choices in Deafness
As a mom with a one year old newly diagnosed as severely deaf, I found this book very helpful.After going online and learning of all the controversy surrounding deaf issues,it was refreshing to find a book that gave equal time to differing views.This book led me to making the choice that is right for our child and our family.I loved that it gave professional veiwpoints for each language-learning option, as well as the story of a family that chose each of the various options.

Shane Feldman's my favorite chapter
I think this book is a plus for unsure parents.

Choices In Deafness
This is a great book!!

After our child was diagnosed with deafness, we were overwelmed with so much information, so many decisions to make.This book offers a nonbiased, comprehensive outline of the educational options available for deaf children.I use it as a reference manual and read it three or four times after my son's diagnosis.We're four years down the road now and I'm going to read it again.There is a wealth of information here.It is the first book I recommend parents read after finding out their child is deaf.

Excellent Book
I'm one of the people who was published in this book, under the Cued Speech section, and I did add a supplement to it.I think this book is a MUST read by any new parent of a deaf child.It presents a clear,un-biased outline of all options available for your child, (although I'mbiased and believe that the Cued Speech option is a no-brainer. :-) but itsstill a excellent book and well-written and edited. Kudos to Sue Schwartz!

Objective, accurate, readable, thank you, Susan Schwartz!
Second only to Paul Ogden's "Silent Garden" (which treats of a broader range of issues than does "Choices") this is the most balanced and readable book specifically dealing with deaf education andcommunications options that we (hearing parents of profoundly deaf toddler)have yet found. There is a very good mix of professional articles andactual parental stories, recently supplemented by updates from the childrenthemselves, now mostly grown. This is the only book of its kind that wehave seen that provides actual audiograms for most stundets/subjects,something hearing parents MUST have in order to relate the stories in"Choices" to THEIR kids' situation. (I only wish AIDED audiogramshad been consistently included as well, since those are nearly as importantas basic audiograms.)I dont suggest tinkering with success, but I dothink somewhat more information on the failure rates for given optionsshould have been given, since it is far too easy for us as parents toimagine OUR child as being the succesful student portrayed in each section,thus short-chaging the down-side risks of each option. Also, it might havebeen nice if a few more stories of deaf people who DIDNT live in Marylandat some point in their life could have been included. That's hardly a realcriticsm, though, and I conclude by this book highly. ... Read more

Product Description
From the time she was a toddler, Lou Ann Walker was the ears and voice for her deaf parents. Their family life was warm and loving, but outside the home, they faced a world that misunderstood and often rejected them. "A fascinating personal testament."--Chicago Sun Times Book Review ... Read more

Customer Reviews (21)

Touched beyond words
I could not put this book down.As a professional American Sign Language Interpreter (Non-CODA) I was very toucehd by the author's insight into herself as well as her family and the dynamics. The book was provided to me by a CODA who was aware that I am doing doctoral research in exactly this arena.I can't thank the author enough for sharing her deepest soul with us all in order to provide her readers the opportunity to learn and grow - and perhaps do some self examining as well. Her parents are to be commended for raising such wonderful daughters.

Easy read, but a little dramatic.
Overall, I enjoyed reading this book. Aside from a few irking grammatical errors, the Harvard graduate, Lou Ann Walker, writes well. The book is very easy to read and seems to be targeted towards a younger audience(ages 16-18). Seems like it would be a good book to read on a five hour flight or in the airport.

I'm a fourth year Psychology student on his last semester, so, the book wasn't quite at my reading level nor did it pique my intellect. It did however, enlighten me towards deaf people and was a good supplemental required read to the ASL course I am taking.

great book
This was a required reading for ASL class.The book was here in no time at all.Thank you.

A Loss for Words
The quality of the book was a little worse than expected but the speed of delivery was very fast.

A Loss for Words
The book was in perfect condition and shipping was very speedy. I would recommend them to anyone!! ... Read more

Product Description
Prospects are changing for individuals with hearing loss. Infants and toddlers discovered to be deaf or hard of hearing can be aided or implanted with state-of-the-art technology, and the people in the childrens lives can learn to enrich and accentuate their access to sound and help them learn to listen. These children can learn more than one spoken language and can learn to read, write, sing, and play musical instruments. Deafness in all its audiogrammatic forms can be treated in one way or another. Unless someone chooses deafness for a particular child, no child needs to remain in silence or even in partial sound. This book is about learning to listen and speak in order to learn to read and write. It deals with the evidence of persistent low literacy levels in many individuals with hearing loss and with evidence of higher literacy levels in those with hearing loss who have learned to listen. At a time when technology is racing along to produce ever better access to sound, this book attempts to pull together the dominant literacy research done in the hearing world and apply it to the world of the deaf and hard of hearing who can now experience all sorts of sound. The author makes the argument that helping a child learn to listen is the best insurance that he or she will learn to read and write. It comes from both a research-based and a personal point of view. ... Read more

Product Description
This unique sourcebook provides a comprehensive overview of the field of deafness and the development of deaf individuals from birth through adulthood. Not only does the text focus on educational perspectives, psychosocial precepts, communication modes, vocational opportunities, support services, and recent technological advances, it provides the reader with insights into one of the fastest growing populations today - the deafened adult. Orientation to Deafness provides insights into the psychosocial development of Deaf children of Deaf parents, as well as deaf children of hearing parents. Throughout the chapters, myths surrounding deafness are dispelled and the salient characteristics of Deaf culture that lie at the heart of the Deaf community are examined. Special attention is given to the anatomy and physiology of the hearing mechanism, and recent advances in hearing aids, modern technology, and an annotated list of support services are provided.The broad scope of subject matter presented allows for flexibility and provides fresh material for new approaches to basic courses within the field of deaf education.This excellent introductory text is also a teaching-learning vehicle - basic concepts and illustrations are repeated in different contexts to promote comprehension and enhance retention.Designed as a source book on the many dimensions of deafness, Orientation to Deafness is dedicated to providing a panoramic view of a complex field rather than an in-depth analysis of each major dimension. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Too damn expensive!
How is it that a book with 300 pages can cost $80?I see brand new books in book stores all around the US that cost no more than $30.I guess Ms. Scheetz, along with the publisher, know that college students will berequired to use the book, so why the hell shouldn't they charge $80. Thanksfor making my college years thin on cash! ... Read more

Product Description
Drawn from the Genetics, Disability and Deafness Conference at Gallaudet University in 2003, this trenchant volume brings together 13 essays from science, history, and the humanities, history and the present, to show the many ways that disability, deafness, and the new genetics interact and what that interaction means for society. Pulitzer-prize-winning author Louis Menand begins this volume by expressing the position shared by most authors in this wide-ranging forum—the belief in the value of human diversity and skepticism of actions that could eliminate it through modification of the human genome. Nora Groce creates an interpretive framework for discussing the relationship between culture and disability.

From the historical perspective, Brian H. Greenwald comments upon the real "toll" taken by A. G. Bell’s insistence upon oralism, and Joseph J. Murray recounts the nineteenth-century debate over whether deaf-deaf marriages should be encouraged. John S. Schuchman’s chilling account of deafness and eugenics in the Nazi era adds wrenching reinforcement to the impetus to include disabled people in genetics debates.

Mark Willis illustrates the complexity of genetic alterations through his reaction to his own genetic makeup, in that he is happy to combat his heart disease with genetic tools but refuses to participate in studies about his blindness, which he considers a rich variation in human experience. Anna Middleton describes widely reported examples of couples attempting to use genetic knowledge and technology both to select for and against a gene that causes deafness.

Chapters by Orit Dagan, Karen B. Avraham, Kathleen S. Arnos, and Arti Pandya elucidate the promise of current research to clarify the complexity and choices presented by breakthroughs in genetic engineering. In his essay on the epidemiology of inherited deafness, geneticist Walter E. Nance emphasizes the importance of science in offering individuals knowledge from which they can fashion their own decisions. Christopher Krentz reviews past and contemporary fictional accounts of human alteration that raise moral questions about the ever-continuing search for human perfection. Michael Bérubé concludes this extraordinary collection with his forceful argument that disability should be considered democratically in this era of new genetics to ensure the full participation of disabled people themselves in all decisions that might affect them. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (5)

A bit to narcissistic
Davis writes extremely well and the images of his youth are quite powerful.He also does an excellent job conveying the difficulties of relating to his parents.

However, he can never seem to escape from a level of self pity.Though he ascribes this to his parent's deafness, often one wonders if his feelings are not rooted in his own deep classism.Much of what he describes as his youthful dificulties are not uncommon to find in the writtings of other children of working class immigrant jews.The embarassment he feels seems far more driven by this than his parents inability to hear.

I grew a bit tired of his deep self pity, perpetually describing himself as the victim of almost every circumstance.

In one poinient passage, he describes how his mother had once been courted by a wealthy english suitor whom she rejected.He wonders why she chose not marry this "catch."I myself wonder if davis would not have much prefered for this to be the case.It seems he would rather have been the child of the wealthy deaf than of the hearing poor.

While it is worth the read, other worthy texts by children of the deaf are far less self involved.

Reads like a novel...
This could become a classic.I really felt everything hewrote about.I felt badly for him - his childhood was rather bleak.However, his intelligence and good humor won the day and he has become a successful person, as a writer, inacademia and his personal, family life.To me this showsthat unique situations often produce unique people, and in this there is hopefulness for those of us who feel we grew up as "outsiders."Frankly, I think everyone fits into that category one way or another, so I recommend this book to...everyone.

Interesting but I wanted to know more...
It was very enlightening to learn of a hearing individual's experience being raised by deaf parents...the author's first awareness of his parents'deafness, his alertness and response to nighttime sounds, his role asinterpreter even as a small child, his excitement at attending schoolsurrounded by those who could hear, his need as a young adult to escape hislimiting home environment, etc.However, there were times during myreading when I felt the author strayed from what I perceived as the mainintent of the writing, that is, to understand or empathize with thedifficulties and problems of growing up in a somewhat restricted household(at least, in his mind). These were the parts of his story that were not asinteresting, and I wanted to hurry through them to get to the portionswhere I learned something about the deaf experience.Otherwise, it was avery good book and well done.I did notice that the author at times usedsentence structure reminiscent of his descriptions of "deafspeak".I wondered whether this was intentional or just a slip to hispast.

You'll love this book!
I have read several books of this gen-re, growing up with deaf parents. This one has its own, unique slant.I loved it, and I'm sure you will, too.It's fascinating when a person with parents of any particular group can look back at their childhood and explain things as they saw themthrough the eyes of their childhood.Mr. Davis describes his youngfeelings with insight and clarity and makes you understand exactly wherehe's coming from.It's a wonderful book, made even more special by therainbow of seldom-heard, but easy to read, descriptive vocabulary usedthroughout.

Perfect pitch
How to adequately praise an amazing memoir that is by turns comic, tragic, brave, immensely kind (never cloying) and seemingly photographically rendered?Davis presents the reader with how his young life looked,smelled, sounded - and most importantly, how it felt. It's a remarkablestory of growing up in the now-lost world of the working-class Bronx(Tremont Avenue) of the 1950's, the much younger of two sons of smart,devoted, hard-working Jewish British immigrant parents, who are also"stone deaf," in his father's words. His mother lost her hearingin childhood, and so can speak and be understood by the hearing world; hisfather lost his as a baby. The circumstances surrounding these events areexamined, too. Their shared disability both constricted and greatlyenlarged his life.

Young Davis was deeply loved by his parents, buthyper-responsible and desperate for contact and life in the outside world.Readers are given the terrific minutiae of his life as a child - the weeklydinner menu at home, the interior of his family's apartment, life atschool, the kindesses of teachers and his parents' friends in the deafcommunity, (lower case "d," , then) the neighbors, and thesights, sounds, smells of family life, including what he describes as anearly religious object (because of course his father couldn't hearbaseball on the radio): an Emerson Console TV. A very personal iconographyof Television -- he develops a superhero alterego he calls "TheZenth" -- is part of the immense charm and humor of Davis' story.(Years later, he finds the exact same Emerson Console in a junk shop inupstate New York, another great scene in this book.) In the chapter"Honeymoon with Mom," he goes to England to visit relatives. Thecozy domesticity and accepting, familial love - the music in every house,English candy - that he finds there is movingly described.

From theconfines and immense security of his family's one-bedroom apartment Davislearns difficulty and differentness of being the hypervigilant hearingchild - conscientious, smart, and emotionally desperate, sometimes - ofDeaf parents. There are two brothers in this family, and their interestingbut troubled relationship is examined with compassion and intelligence.

Davis is a careful writer with a wonderful and loving sense of theworld. Not a word has been wasted. By the way, "Zenth" becomes aProfessor of English. His generosity in revealing his life to us isimmeasurable. The full picture of the old neighborhood is in itself anexcellent historical narrative. You can smell the food - and hear thevoices. It's also very funny at times. One of the best autobiographies I'veever read. ... Read more

Product Description

At nineteen, Ashley Fiolek is already the top female competitor in a tough men's sport: motocross, a form of off-road motorcycle racing that is one of the most competitive and dangerous extreme sports in the world. Since going pro in late 2007, Fiolek has taken gold at the X Games, won the American Women's Motocross Championship twice, and become the first woman in American motocross history to be signed to a factory team—the highest echelon of industry backing.

Customer Reviews (3)

Great read
Very well writen book for all ages, great story of overcoming a handicap, and of what it takes to be a national champion.

Highly recomend this book.

Great Inspirational Story
I purchased this book for my daughter, who is just learning to ride dirt bikes at 14 years of age.She read the book in one evening.She raved about the book, saying it helped her to be a more confident rider.She also loved reading how Ashley overcame a truly challenging condition to become the championship rider that she is.As a result of her enthusiasm for the book, I read it too.The book is well written, and includes plenty of references to race and bike terms so that non-riders don't get lost in the jargon.If you purchase the book, and have a chance to see Ashley at a race, take the time to have her autograph it at the pre-race autograph session.Ashley has a great personality, is wonderful with fans, and you will find that the girl in the book is everything you read about.

Terrific Story of Talent and Determination
My 16 year-old daughter is a reluctant reader at best, but a great motocross rider, riding since the age of 4.She has been fascinated by Ashley Fiolek since she was about 12, but never knew of her deafness until a couple of years later watching her on the podium!This is a well written biography that will interest most any child or parent for that matter.It shows the ups and downs of a child's motocross career from the first ride to a Pro career.It isn't a difficult read, but contains plenty of technical terms for readers familiar with motocross, while not confusing non-riders.I really enjoyed reading about Ashley's family's choices that helped her deal with her deafness and encouraging her unique talent.Well worth the read. ... Read more

Product Description
Debates about methods of supporting language development and academic skills of deaf or hard-of-hearing children have waxed and waned for more than 100 years:Will using sign language interfere with learning to use spoken language or does it offer optimal access to communication for deaf children?Does placement in classrooms with mostly hearing children enhance or impede academic and social-emotional development?Will cochlear implants or other assistive listening devices provide deaf children with sufficient input for age-appropriate reading abilities?Are traditional methods of classroom teaching effective for deaf and hard-of-hearing students?

Although there is a wealth of evidence with regard to each of these issues, too often, decisions on how to best support deaf and hard-of-hearing children in developing language and academic skills are made based on incorrect or incomplete information. No matter how well-intentioned, decisions grounded in opinions, beliefs, or value judgments are insufficient to guide practice. Instead, we need to take advantage of relevant,emerging research concerning best practices and outcomes in educating deaf and hard-of-hearing learners.

In this critical evaluation of what we know and what we do not know about educating deaf and hard-of-hearing students, the authors examine a wide range of educational settings and research methods that have guided deaf education in recent years--or should. The book provides a focus for future educational and research efforts, and aims to promote optimal support for deaf and hard-of-hearing learners of all ages. Co-authored by two of the most respected leaders in the field, this book summarizes and evaluates research findings across multiple disciplines pertaining to the raising and educating of deaf children, providing a comprehensive but concise record of the successes, failures, and unanswered questions in deaf education. A readily accessible and invaluable source for teachers, university students, and other professionals, Evidence-Based Practice in Educating Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Students encourages readers to reconsider assumptions and delve more deeply into what we really know about deaf and hard-of-hearing children, their patterns of development, and their lifelong learning. ... Read more

Product Description
The Fourth Edition of Language and Deafness covers language and literacy development from preschool through adolescence. It provides a clear depiction of the language/communication systems of d/Deaf and hard of hearing children and adolescents, and offers a comprehensive discussion of the current theories of language acquisition. In an easy-to-read, accessible manner, students will learn the basics of language development and the relationship between language and cognition. Oral communication methods and English-like signing systems, linguistics/sociolinguistics of American Sign Language, and multicultural aspects, including bilingualism and second-language learning are covered in detail. Each chapter includes major objectives, summaries, suggested readings, problem-solving activities and challenge review questions to stimulate and provoke classroom dialogue. ... Read more

Product Description
One morning in the park James Sim discovers a man, crumpled on the ground, stabbed in the chest.In the man's last breath, he whispers his confession: Samedi.

What follows is a spellbinding game of cat and mouse as James is abducted, brought to an asylum, and seduced by a woman in yellow.Who is lying?What is Samedi?And what will happen on the seventh day? ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Samedi the deafness
It is a great book, very interesting. It took a while (1 month) to reach over here (Europe) but it is worth waiting for it.

Now Hear This!
This is a very quick read that doesn't leave you quickly. Ball has written a book with violence that we never see; with characters we don' t really get to know; set in a place we never identify; about events that hopefully will never happen.

He has a relaxed style of writing that makes the story move along. I hope he writes more - soon!

There are seven days, there are seven days....
There are seven days in a week
Sunday, Monday
Tuesday, Wednesday
Thursday, Friday
Saturday*

*(popular children's ditty)

This is a strange book
Unreal
The writing style can be disjointed
Yet strangely poetic
And you can't put it down
For fear you miss something
But still
It's weird

Set over a seven day period
There's no prize for guessing
That it ends on
Saturday

The hero's name is James
James is a mnemonist
Which means he can remember lots of stuff
In a very short time
Which you will agree is pretty weird
But then things get weirder
When he comes across a man
With stab wounds
Who dies

Then there be suicides
And James is kidnapped
And taken to a verisylum
Which is where they treat chronic liars
If you can believe that

But then it gets more interesting

The building is like a maze
With rules that would delight Lewis Carroll
And people have more than one name
Except for those whose names are the same
And he falls in love
And out of love
And in again
And he learns that he can't trust anybody
Obviously

The tension builds
As the author skillfully creates
His vision
Of what's going to happen
On Saturday

Dark and strange
Read this is you're looking for something
Different
Weird
And twisted



Amanda Richards, May 10, 2008

Fantastic!
I was held spellbound by the clever, twisting plot of this mystery by Jesse Ball. This book is a must for anyone who wants to read something unique.

Strange world of Samedi makes for intriguing reading...
After reading a review of Jesse Ball's premiere work "Samedi the Deafness," one quickly concludes that they are encountering a unique new talent with the potential to produce even more surprising works of prose in the future.

That expectation does not mean that the present work is not strikingly original in its own right - only that one gets the sense that there is more where that came from...a very encouraging prospect.

"Samedi the Deafness" is a difficult work to categorize, containing a myriad of poetic phrases sprinkled throughout the choppy, occasionally disjointed sentences and paragraphs.Some pages contain only one line, while others are formatted to reveal the dialogue among characters.It is an interesting construct that stops being a distraction after the first chapter and gives the novel a sort of lyrical cadence all its own.

The plot can be a bit difficult to track sometimes, existing as a silver thread woven throughout the dreamlike descriptions of the locations and characters surrounding the narrator.Any detailed summary would reveal too much; suffice to say, the narrator happens upon a dying man in a park who informs him with his dying breaths that the world is in danger from the foreboding character of Samedi and that he must be stopped.

As a result of this chance encounter, the narrator enters a swirling vortex of pathological liars and hidden motives, housed within the labarynthine halls of a mental institution.It is an odd trip to be sure, but the pay off is a good one.

When Samedi's ultimate plan is revealed, it's haunting ramifications echo the postmodern masterwork, "Blindness," by Jose Saramago.This is fine company indeed.

"Samedi the Deafness" is an original and thought-provoking read best suited for those who don't mind being challenged by their fiction.It is a work well worth trying for yourself.

- S.

... Read more

Product Description
This is an introductory text to mental health and deaf people for care workers and mental health workers, both those familiar with deaf people but not with mental health and those familiar with mental health but not with deaf people. The first section, Assessment, includes topics ranging from child and adolescent psychiatry, adult psychiatry, children who are deaf and have multiple disabilities, addictive behaviour and deafness, to maltreatment of deaf children. The second section, Management and Intervention, discusses subjects which include: interpreters in mental health settings, educational interventions, family therapy and drug treatments. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (1)

A welcome and much-needed contribution
Edited by professors Brenda Jo Brueggemann and Susan Burch, Women and Deafness: Double Visions is an anthology of essays by learned authors discussing deafness and deaf identity in the context of women's studies, and vice versa. Pieces contemplate why Hellen Keller, perhaps the most famous deaf woman of all, is remembered primarily as a champion specifically of the blind; the issue of mothers raising their children according to oralist dictates "like ordinary hearing children"; the significance and impact of the Deaf American Beauty Pageant, and much more. A welcome and much-needed contribution addressing serious gaps in both women's studies and deaf studies reference shelves. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (49)

A must read
Josh Swiller is a gifted writer, his account of 2 years spent in Zambia will grip you from the first page to the last page. I was deeply touched.

Inspiring and Thought-provoking
I met Josh very briefly about 8 months ago at Gallaudet. One of the friends I was with had arranged to meet him; I just said hello, exchanged pleasantries and left, following the rest of my group. When my friend caught up with the group, she was not too happy because I guess she was expecting Josh to recount his entire time in Africa so she wouldn't have to read the book. After that, I decided that I would read "The Unheard" on the off chance that I would meet Josh and we could have a conversation without the major stumbling block of not having read his book.

By the time I got around to reading it, my own hearing loss had recently been diagnosed. It wound up being the perfect timing. I was trying to figure out where I fit in and who I was.

The thing that really made this book helpful and successful for me was that it wasn't trying to be more than a memoir. He wrote about his experiences and what it meant in the context of his life. Memoirs can sometimes be so full of delusions of grandeur that they're just not worth reading. The writing was clear and concise without being short or choppy. This book wasn't trying to spell out ways to fix the way the Peace Corps works in Africa or provide a dissertation on the heirarchy within the African diaspora or be a self-help book suggesting you spend two years in the Peace Corps to learn about yourself and fix your problems. I probably wouldn't have made it through the entire book if it had tried any of those things.

Compelling memoir, fresh new voice
The Unheard by Josh Swiller (Holt Paperbacks, 2007), is a memoir about Swiller's deafness and how it impacts his tour as a Peace Corps volunteer in Zambia, a republic in southern Africa just north of Zimbabwe. I read it last December and it still sticks with me!

Swiller takes what could be a very maudlin story (a deaf guy in Africa... OK, so what?, you might think) and weaves it into a heartfelt and compelling narrative about the challenges of being an outsider in a very political village in northern Zambia. You'll also enjoy learning about the inner workings of the Peace Corps.

What's great about this story is that Swiller's deafness is by all means not the greatest of his challenges in Africa. The simple rudiments of everyday life in a foreign context are brought into sharp relief in a unique and thought-provoking way. And to top it all off, Josh Swiller happens to be an excellent storyteller... I couldn't put the book down. Although there are times of frustration, and I don't necessarily agree with Swiller's level of involvement in some of the political battles of his village (which are nonetheless the kind of ethical issues that anthropologists like myself face all the time), you'll find this is a terrific read that hopefully will give you pause to think during the hectic pace of our everyday lives.

Loved it!
I loved The Unheard! We read it for my book club and it was the highest rated book in the past 2 years. Definitely a must! Gives you a greater empathy for both people with hearing loss and for the situation in Africa.

Bold, inspirational and heartbreaking- a masterpiece!!
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. ... Read more