Our Father Abe: The Story of a Deaf Shoe Repairman [Paperback]

Harvey L. Barash (Author), Eva Barash Dicker (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Abar Pr (November 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0962963410
• ISBN-13: 978-0962963414
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #935,935 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars gripping read, at the intersection of personal history and cultural history, January 10, 2006

By 

Sarah E. White (Madison, WI United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Our Father Abe: The Story of a Deaf Shoe Repairman (Paperback)

I stumbled on "Our Father Abe: The Story of a Deaf Shoe Repairman" at the library looking for memoirs and passing the local history display.

It's a gripping read! the authors, Abe's two children, have done an excellent job of storytelling, with a frank and graceful touch.

This is a book poised at the intersection of personal history and cultural history. Abe (born 1900s to Russian Jews) lost his hearing before acquiring language, then went on to experience everything Jews in the 20th c. emigrating from Europe & landing in the midwest went through, but with the challenge of deafness in tow.

This book would be of interest to the Deaf community as much as it is to the Jewish community or to memoir writers like me.

A testament to the personal desire to publish, and the good that can radiate into the world from such a desire.

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful book, January 8, 2012

By 

M "CultOfStrawberry" (I wait behind the wall, gnawing away at your reality) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Our Father Abe: The Story of a Deaf Shoe Repairman (Paperback)

This is a very poignant biography written by two children of a deaf father, showing that disability did not have to hurt one's chances at success. Though Abe did experience some difficulties in his life, he was smart and tenacious, and managed to do well for himself and provide for his children. This was in a time where disabled people were often seen as mentally handicapped even if there was actually nothing wrong with their mind, and there were no TTYs or other devices specifically designed for the deaf to communicate. One can only imagine how Abe would have fared in today's world with more opportunities available for dead people, but he still did a great job with what he had.