A Loss for Words: The Story of Deafness in a Family

By Lou Ann Walker

Book Overview

"A deeply moving, often humorous, and beautiful account
of what it means to be the hearing child of profoundly deaf parents . . . I
have rarely read anything on the subject more powerful or poignant than this
extraordinary personal account by Lou Ann Walker." -- Oliver Sacks

From the
time she was a toddler, Lou Ann Walker acted as the ears and voice for her
parents, who had lost their hearing at a young age. As soon as she was old
enough to speak, her childhood ended, and she immediately assumed the
responsibility of interpreter--translating doctors' appointments and managing
her parents' business transactions. Their family life was warm and loving,
but outside the home, they faced a world that misunderstood and often rejected
them.

In this
deeply moving memoir, Walker offers us a glimpse of a different world, bringing
with it a broader reflection on how parents grow alongside their children and
how children learn to navigate the world through the eyes of their parents.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0060914254
• ISBN13: 9780060914257
• Release Date: September 1987
• Publisher: Harper Perennial
• Length: 224 Pages
• Weight: 0.78 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.3" x 7.9"

Customer Reviews

Excellent

I am studying American Sign Language and we were instructed to read a book about Deaf culture for a book review. I just happened to pick A Loss for Words by Lou Ann Walker and it was great! Very easy to read and easy to understand, even for someone like me who has not grown up within the Deaf community. It's a very fast read and it is very interesting. It is so informative of the way that a hearing child grows up with Deaf parents. It was amazing to see how her family affected her life and her choices, expanding even to the decisions that she made regarding her career! I recommend it to anyone who wants to learn about Deaf culture.

What a small world

I thought this book was an excellent book. It touched me in so many ways, i can't describe it. I told my mother about this story, and she cried. It had such an impact on my family. I too have deaf parents, and the what's so weird, is that my life is very, very similar to Lou Ann's. It's a real page turner, and i think anyone interested in deafness, or the hearing child's perspective should read this book. This book is a book that is worth sharing and reading over and over again... I guarantee it!

A true story of a CODA

As a child of Deaf adults (CODA), I found this book to be a mirror of my upbringing. Ms. Walker's stories of negotiating the hearing world for her parents are right on. Anyone who wants to know what growing up hearing in a Deaf world was like MUST read this book.

A look into the life of a girl growing up in a deaf family.

This book is a wonderful window into the Deaf world through both deaf and hearing eyes. The author describes what it is like to grow up with two deaf parents. She explains to us what it is like to grow up in a minority group and to have people treat you differently. Lou Ann takes you on a journey from her uneasiness about growing up feeling on the outside to acceptance of her self as well as her parents. When you read the book you will feel everything that she went through. I would reccomend this book to anyone interested in autobiographies, American Sign Language, or Deaf culture.

A must-read for anyone interested in Deaf people or culture.

Walker's account of her relationship with her Deaf parents, the Deaf community, and by extension herself, is a touching, poignant and well-balanced treatement of a very important topic. It is a brave account, at once respectful of her parents and all Deaf people and at the same time unblinking in its honest approach to Deaf culture and the paternalism of many hearing people. Not only are readers treated to a portrait of a loving family, they come away with an in-depth understanding of Deaf people, their position as "other" in a dominant hearing culture, and the importance of the norms and language of that culture. Moreover, readers come away understanding a relatively unknown and unique group of people: CODAs, hearing children of Deaf adults.Walker's first person account will be interesting for readers unfamiliar with deafness and deaf culture. She carefully weaves her experiences as a child into her adult life in ways that are important for anyone. Th! ese experiences, however, are exceedingly important for those raised in the unique circumstances of being the hearing children of deaf adults.This book is a must-read for anyone interested in the subject of Deaf peole. It is a thoughtful, comprehensive, and brave treatment written in a delightful, honest, easy-to-read style.