Wired for Sound: A Journey into Hearing

by Beverly Biderman

Beverly Biderman reached profound deafness as a teenager and lived in the world of near silence until 1993, when she was fitted with a controversial cochlear implant, the first effective artificial sensory organ ever developed. In Wired for Sound , she has written a deeply moving and personal account of her life before and after the implant. This story is a tale of both physical and emotional transcendence with universal appeal and interest. Voices of deaf people talking about their deafness are included, as well as a balanced exploration of the explosive issues surrounding the Deaf culture's opposition to cochlear implants.  Wired for Sound is essential reading for anyone needing to make an informed choice about cochlear implants and for parents of deaf children, as well as teachers, doctors, therapists, and audiologists. Exhaustively researched, the book includes a detailed appendix with a comprehensive listing of international resources on deafness and cochlear implants, plus an annotated Recommended Reading list.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir

Paperback

First published January 1, 1998

Reviews

[Andria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent and beautifully written, learn about the struggles, personal and societal for a deaf person.

[Jackie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two things I really liked about this book: the author's ability to describe her experience of deafness and sound through experiences and events--it's a difficult task to explain lack of hearing to hearing readers--and her handling of the opposing views of cochlear implants. Especially the Deaf culture and their fight for identity as a subculture to be respected and protected, rather than a group of people with a disability. This is difficult to get your head around, the idea that someone would prefer to be deaf (that is, to sign rather than to hear with an implant), and would choose it for their children, but she just about makes me understand it. The information on technology is outdated because she got her implant and wrote the book in the 1990s--implants are much more compact and advanced now.

[Mo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really great introductory book for anyone interested in Cochlear implants.

The book chronicles the real-life story of a women born with a congenital hearing loss that eventually leaves her deaf. In the book she talks about how becoming deaf effected her and her family, what it was like to receive a Cochlear implant, and the ethical debate surrounding them.

The book was easy to read and I felt that all of the more complicated terms that author used were well defined so you won't need a dictionary sitting next to you to look up alien terms. There is also a great resources and additional readings section section in the back to help anyone interested in obtaining more information.

[Westcoast_girl · Rating 2 out of 5]

Beverly Biderman writes a wonderful memoir about her own experiences with a cochlear implant. I found that she was honest and direct, yet very intimate about her struggles and triumphs.
However, one must remember that this is only a memoir with one point of view. The controversies surrounding cochlear implants are tremendous (consider watching 'Sound and Fury'), and devoting a single chapter to that issue seems negligent. Further, her reporting on such controversies (when she does cover them) are somewhat biased. And as a whole, this book covers more of Biderman's own experiences, rather than a comprehensive guide.
So enjoy the memoir, use it to expand you own views on the subject but don't stop here.

[Pam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having always had problems with my ears related to allergies, I have always been interested in deafness. This is a wonderful personal story, but also a review of the controversy surrounding cochlear implants. I recommend it to all people who like biographies and memoirs, as well as anyone who comes in contact with the deaf community.