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I Can Hear You Whisper

An Intimate Journey Through the Science of Sound and Language
stephbrooklyn
Sep 30, 2014stephbrooklyn rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
I Can Hear You Whisper is a thoroughly researched, beautifully written and very engaging account of the physiology of hearing, brain plasticity, deaf culture and a mother’s pursuit to both understand and help her son, Alex. Denworth provides a wonderful balance between the science and the complex history of deafness, on the one hand, and her own family’s struggle to grasp what it means to deal with a child’s severe hearing impairments, on the other. Denworth has assembled a fascinating and detailed account of the development of the Cochlear implant both from a scientific standpoint as well as the controversy it caused within the deaf community. Indeed, one of the many unexpected treasures in this book is a history of deaf culture and what it means to identify as deaf in a hearing world. Through superb storytelling and an excellent grasp of the underlying science, the book explores the many aspects of brain development and language. One of her many gifts as an author is to sift through enormous amounts of material (both written research and dozens of interviews) and assemble a clear, understandable and fascinating explanation of the science of language and how hearing affects so many aspects of how we learn. At its heart though this book is a wonderfully inspiring story of a mother’s love for her son and her quest to help him. And what’s a better read than a love story with a happy ending?