Hands of My Father

I am not a person to recommend books. But this one is hard for me to not say anything about.
To get things started, it's helpful to know the difference between hard of hearing (HOH) and deaf.
HOH: a mild form of hearing loss. Hearing aids and lip reading are usually helpful. HOH people can learn to speak very clearly. I fit into this category.
Deaf: very little to no function of hearing...at all. All the hearing instruments in the world will not help this person. They "speak" with sign language.
(taken from http://www.washington.edu/doit/Faculty/Strategies/Disability/Hearing/)

Basically put, Hands of My Father is a memoir written by Myron Uhlberg. This story is nothing short of remarkable. Uhlberg's mother and father are deaf...both of them. Since the story takes place 1940's in Brooklyn (and surrounding areas) New York, no body knew nothing about deaf and/or HOH. Myron's grandparents (mother and father's parents) were hearing; thus, couldn't converse, maybe even live, with their respective child. So, both of Myron's parents went to (different boarding) school's intended for the deaf. It was there that the parents learned sign language, or commonly known as sign. Since this is the 1940's, where no one knew nothing, it was baby Myron's job/role to help his parent's...live. At a very (very!) young age Myron learned how to sign. So, it was child Myron who helped his father grocery shop and do daily tasks that involved talking to people. It's astounding that the family functioned and Myron still is somewhat O.K. This book basically, almost changed my life...not really sure why.

The book is a fairly easy read. Nothing too exciting really happens. But it's one of those things that will make your life richer, knowing what deaf people go through.*

"Does sound have rhythm?' my father asked. 'Does it rise and fall like the ocean? Does it come and go like the wind?" 


*Note: there's a whole "underground" deaf culture...that I being HOH don't agree on and in. They believe that hearing aids/instruments are evil. They don't try to understand the "hearing" world. They live in total silence and are "deaf pride".