Customer Reviews

Dancing Without Music: Deafness in America

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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!