I Can Hear You Whisper: An Intimate Journey Through the Science of Sound and Language

by Lydia Denworth

“A skilled science translator, Denworth makes decibels, teslas and brain plasticity understandable to all.”  —Washington Post
 
Lydia Denworth’s third son, Alex, was nearly two when he was identified with significant hearing loss that was likely to get worse. Denworth knew the importance of enrichment to the developing brain but had never contemplated the opposite: deprivation. How would a child’s brain grow outside the world of sound? How would he communicate? Would he learn to read and write? An acclaimed science journalist as well as a mother, Denworth made it her mission to find out, interviewing experts on language development, inventors of groundbreaking technology, Deaf leaders, and neuroscientists at the frontiers of brain plasticity research. I Can Hear You Whisper chronicles Denworth’s search for answers—and her new understanding of Deaf culture and the exquisite relationship between sound, language, and learning. 

Genres: Nonfiction, Science, Memoir, Language, Linguistics, Psychology, Health

400 pages, Paperback

First published April 17, 2014

About the author

Lydia Denworth is a Brooklyn-based science journalist whose work is supported by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. A contributing writer for Scientific American and Psychology Today, she has also written for the Atlantic and the New York Times.

Reviews

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wish I had purchased this book instead of borrowing it from the library. I may end up buying it eventually; it's one I can see myself referring to time and again. When her son Alex's deafness is diagnosed, Denworth uses her science journalism background and her curiosity as a parent to explore what this means. Sometimes my eyes glazed over at the science and technical details, but to her credit, Denworth covers all sides and controversies, essentially summarizing a history of deafness.

I was happy to see the Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing mentioned, because I'm still annoyed that Andrew Solomon was biased and didn't mention the organization at all in his book Far From the Tree. One nitpick I have with all journalists who write about deafness is that the speaking deaf community needs to be addressed. Yes, there is one; I've been a part of it my whole life.

I know several of the people Denworth talks to and quotes. I wish I had known about her at the last AG Bell convention. I'll be looking for her at the next one later this month!

Some quotes/points that stood out for me:

"To the argument that sign language was easier, Bell countered that just because Italian is easier than English doesn't mean Americans should abandon their native tongue."

"According to Harlan Lane, who is hearing and an ardent advocate of Deaf culture... Lane's virulence and absolutism put me off... (Lane has admitted, however, that relatively few deaf people are able to read his books.)"

"'We looked more closely and found that what happens after the sensitive period closes is the brain gets reorganized,' she [auditory neuroscientist Anu Sharma] says. 'That's important real estate. If sound is not going in, it's not going to sit there waiting forever.' In some of the secondary areas, for instance, vision and touch take over. 'That's how the brain changes in deafness.' No wonder Dr. Parisier was in a hurry [to implant Alex].

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just had the great satisfaction of reading, and the great sorrow of finishing, Lydia Denworth's latest masterpiece, I CAN HEAR YOU WHISPER.

I kind of expected as much, being that Denworth's first book, TOXIC TRUTH, blew my lead-weighted socks off. Who knew that a book about two guys battling the lead industry could be so riveting? But in the hands of a great writer... (And in case you haven't yet had the pleasure of reading TOXIC TRUTH, one important take-away is that we all owe a profound debt of gratitude to geologist Clair Patterson and pediatrician Herbert Needleman for our children's low lead levels.)

But back to I CAN HEAR YOU WHISPER-- While grappling with how best to help her third child, Alex, who was diagnosed with profound hearing loss when a toddler, Denworth investigates the worlds of hearing, language acquisition, literacy, neuroplasticity, brain development, and Deaf culture. Deafness involves so much more than the physical ear. I unexpectedly gained a better understanding and acceptance of my own struggles with auditory and language processing, even with reading.

Denworth approaches her exploration with equal amounts heart, intelligence, and curiosity, a journalist's tenacity, a fiction writer's sense of story, and the vulnerable questioning of a parent. Though she and her husband ultimately opt to get their son a cochlear implant, Denworth is careful to include and validate the opposing viewpoints of the Deaf community.

My 87 year old aunt texted me at 1 am, a few weeks after I gave her a copy of the book as a gift, and had this to say: "I began reading I Can Hear You Whisper this evening and find the writing exquisite. It demands acute attention. Thank you for the beauty of this experience." Yeah, what she said.

[Yibbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just what does it mean to be deaf? This book doesn’t answer that question. No book could. But it is a wonderful introduction to that world for those of us who are hearing. It’s a well-balanced mix of personal memoir, scientific treatise, historical text, and social commentary that helps us see a little bit of the struggles the deaf and hard of hearing face in our society. It also helps us see the amazing feats that they have accomplished despite everything.
I really enjoyed the scientific discussions. It was fascinating to hear about the intricacies of hearing, brain development, language processing, and comprehension. She intersperses the more complex scientific discussions with snapshots of their daily life as they adjust to Alex’s needs. Alex really is the main point around which the whole book is organized. As Lydia learns about each of his new needs we learn about it as well and the research behind the breakthroughs that help him.
Unfortunately, the author chose to include a number of curse words. They are not worse than you will find on TV, but I really don’t appreciate them and wish that they were not in there.

[Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an excellent book. When the author discovered her third son was profoundly hearing impaired, she embarked on an exploration of hearing, speech, language, neurology, neuroanatomy and the history of Deaf culture.

I read this as a physician and as a parent of a child who had learning difficulties and was fascinated. I learned quite a bit, as neuroanatomy and understanding of brain function, while still greatly a mystery, has continuously advanced.

While the book is specifically about a child with hearing impairment, the issues are global to any parent with a child with any special needs.

The author thoroughly and completely explores the science and the sociology behind cochlear implants and language/speech, while grounding the book in poignant scenes of her family and son. The scene where Alex has a setback is especially riveting.

I highly recommend this book and it is well written and could serve as a reference.

[Atila Iamarino · Rating 4 out of 5]

O livro é uma biografia/explicação da autora conforme ela descobre que o filho nasceu com perda auditiva, entende o que é e passa pelos obstáculos que aparecem, até terminar com a colocação do implante coclear. É uma discussão bem embasada, com muita neurociência e muito tato, falando sobre a criação das línguas de sinais, muito sobre a Gallaudet University, sobre aquisição de linguagem e como o implante funciona. Me ajudou bastante com o Nerdologia de surdez :)

[ev]

Such a fascinating and honest memoir. It amazes me how intricately God made our brains and inner ears, how language and connection is so important for our development - whether spoken or signed - and how the most advanced technology still can’t even come close to replicating the way we were made to function. And yet, it’s life changing for so many!

[Ja · Rating 4 out of 5]

This pseudo memoir of sound, language, and finding a bigger world out there should put this book on your radar.

When Lydia Denworth's third son was born, she and her family slowly began to realize that he had significant hearing loss and that this would lead her to embark on a journey of learning, empathy, and discovery. As she struggles to come to terms with her son's hearing loss, she realizes that, to many people in the Deaf community, it wouldn't be considered a loss at all. Her journey takes her to understanding how the brain works in the absence of sound in terms of language development, the history of hearing and Deaf research, and finds herself in a new position as she learns about the contention between Deaf advocates and cochlear implant advocates.

For some reason, I thought this would be a full on memoir about Denworth and her family as they find their place in the community, but in reality only about 30% of the narrative focused on that. The other 70% was a crash course history of linguistics, hearing research, the development of the Cochlear implant, the morphology and phonology of American Sign Language, and so much more. It was all very fascinating and interesting, and having studied Linguistics myself, I found it to be a review of everything I have learned (plus some additional information due to new research since I was in college!). However, I would have liked a little more 'story' and a little less facts. Her memoir sections felt few and far between, and there could have been much to be learned from her own personal story as there was in the research.

Ultimately, this is a good book to recommend for anyone even remotely interested in linguistics and language development and want a quick primer on the science behind it. But if you're looking for a pure memoir that focuses on Denworth and her family, you might be a little bit disappointed.

[J L's Bibliomania · Rating 3 out of 5]

In I Can Hear You Whisper, Lydia Denworth weaves the personal narrative of her son's Alex's deafness with research into the neurological basis of hearing and language acquisition, the history of cochlear implants, and a synopsis of Deaf history.

As others have commented, this is the most even-handed discussion of the tension between Deaf culture and the technological advances that are changing the backdrop of their world that I have read. While her family's choices put her son firmly in the cochlear implant using/oral language community, Mrs. Denworth is not dogmatic about this choice. Personally going so far as to start learning ASL and to introduce it to her son as a second language, her respect for the Deaf community is clear.

While Mrs. Denworth's background as a science journalist means that I Can Hear You Whisper is more professionally done than many narratives of disability, there is still a bit of a discrepancy between the informational chapters and the memoir chapters. Some of the informational chapters are so dense that I found myself skimming. I understand why this book was released when it was, but Alex is so young, that the story feels incomplete. I'd love to see an update in 10 or 15 years once he is a teen and can contribute part of the story himself.

[Timothy Jorgensen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a well written book about the author's journey into the deaf world, as a result of having to raise a child who is deaf. She talks about the medical science, the culture, and the community of deafness. She also takes a deep diving into the sense of hearing, and why and how things can go wrong. She also talks about the medical remedies -- in particular cochlear implants -- and why some deaf people do not want to use them. I think her foray into language and the mind, though related to the story about hearing, was somewhat off the main topic and got a little to much into the weeds. But other than that, I think it is an excellent book, particularly for hearing people who are raising a deaf child.

[Susan Olesen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'd give it a 3 1/2, but I'm happy enough to round up to ****

While Denworth's struggle to help her profoundly deaf son is only a small part of the book, she covers not only the history of deaf education and the controversies within, but the science behind the links between deafness, learning, and language as a whole. The book was more technical than I expected, but easy to follow and quite fascinating. For teachers out there, I strongly urge you to find a copy and read just chapter 22 on The Reading Brain, where evidence is presented (through brain-scan studies, no small evidence) that many reading difficulties including dyslexia are actually a *hearing* issue, not a visual coding issue, in that the ear that cannot hear the language can also not form the syllabication needed to read fluently. In many cases, the interlinking of reading and the ability to hear or use language is so intricately tight that they cannot be separated; many deaf or hard of hearing who have grown up without fluency in any other form of communication (ASL or Oral) have extremely poor reading - and thus educational - abilities.

If you're dealing with a deaf or HOH individual, whether a neighbor, family member, student, or coworker, this is the one book you should be reading.

Very worth a read.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I learned a lot about the Deaf Community and the development of cochlear impacts! Some of the information was a challenge for me, but all was interesting to me. With my interest in literacy development and background in reading disabilities, I was quite engaged. With two sons and three grandchildren with hearing difficulties, the book was a valuable learning journey of high personal interest. I am so grateful that the parents of my grandchildren have immersed them in love and language from day one and that I also did that for my sons. Their incredible mastery of the English language and their amazing intellectual abilities know no limits. The book has re-ignited my interest in the intricacies of brain growth and development.

[Jeanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

What would you do if your child lost his hearing? This it the chronicle of a mother who has a hearing-impaired child, and who takes us along on her journey to save her son from a life without sound. Not only does the deaf community have very distinct factions for those who choose cochlear implants, to sign language, to lip reading, but I also discovered that sign language is also regional.

[Natalia Garfias · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to, but I didn't like it. I didn't like the way it was written. I had to force myself to finish it. Of course the book has a lot of interesting information on how the ear works, how cochlear implants work, the development of language on toddlers and so on... but at times it felt like I was reading a history text book and for that... I'd rather read a book written by a specialist.

[Garrett Lachney · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fascinating perspective on the science of hearing, this book delves deep into impact of language on the brain, particularly in those affected with deafness at some point in life. I came out of the book with a new appreciation for how intricate this branch of medical research is, how unique (and perhaps divided) the deaf subcultures are, and how difficult and all-consuming the experience must be as a hearing mother of a deaf child. As a mother to one of these kids herself, Lydia Denworth’s passion for this subject is obvious. And that is evident in how it reads as well as the thoroughness of the topics covered. This is perhaps the most well-researched book I’ve ever read. The number of first-hand interviews noted in this book is insane. It feels like almost every other page a new doctor, researcher, professor, or psychologist is providing new color on the topic at hand.

But for me, what it over-delivers in content it under-delivers in pace and identity. At times the book feels to have a crisis of character. One moment, Denworth tries to pull at our heartstrings as she describes her feelings watching her toddler - Alex, the deaf child - silently play with the other kids at his own birthday party, knowing he is missing all of their playful conversation. The next moment (and sometimes, quite literally the next page), we are dragged into textbook-like descriptions of the functions of the inner ear, fit with cross-section diagrams of a cochlear implant. Two chapters later, we are pulled into the culture war describing the fight over who can be defined as “the truly deaf”. For me, there was a bit of intellectual whiplash going back and forth in such a way, page to page.

The book has a choppy direction somewhere between the genres of social studies, autobiography, and hardcore medical science. For me, the writing style had jack-of-all-trades, master-of-none syndrome.

That’s not to say the book isn’t worth a read. If you have a special connection to deaf culture in some form or fashion, it’s a must-have. So long as you can keep up with the clumsy pace, you’ll certainly walk away smarter.

[Eve · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lydia Denworth is a science writer, and it shows. Ostensibly a memoir of raising her son Alex—whose hearing loss ranges from moderate to profound—she packs it deep with the science. Which is handy, I suppose, but it’s not entirely seamless. Or interesting.

When I read Denworth’s description of the history of deaf education in the United States, I was all in. As she mainstreams Alex, though, controversy is baked right in—but, having been in the same boat due to a lack of available resources, I can’t fault her there. She and her family opt for implantation and regular daycare and school classrooms. At times, however, it is easy to forget that Alex ever exists because she is so in the weeds with the physiology…or history of capital-D Deaf culture…or the electrical discoveries that made hearing aids and cochlear implants possible. Normally I would enjoy that, but she still makes it boring somehow. Not dry, just boring. Her jumping all over the place doesn’t help, either.

I really wanted to hear more about Alex. I mean, for a parent of a D/HoH child to write a book about the family experience and not just the science and history of that experience, the result should be more personal. There are some dramatic anecdotes, such as driving hours through a storm after an accident, but that was a rare instance when Denworth didn’t come off sounding like an automaton. But as it stands, the book is too technical for memoir, perhaps too personal for straightforward science. ‘I Can Hear You Whisper’ falls just out of range.

[Maureen · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a science journalist, Denworth does a beautiful job conveying in a layman's terms the physics of sound, the process of language acquisition and other developmental milestones, the neuroscience behind hearing and speaking, the technologies developed to assist people with hearing loss (re)gain access to sound, and the history of Deaf culture and American Sign Language. As a student of communication sciences and disorders, this book was particularly interesting snd pulls together many interwoven aspect of the field. Since Denworth delved into researching how a person hears due to her toddler's diagnosis of hearing loss, the book is also wrapped up in her emotions as a parent trying to figure out how to address this unforeseen challenge in raising her child and managing her family. It certainly gave me a lot to think about as a future clinican, and a lot of resources (my to-be-read book title list keeps growing).

[Emily Neuharth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great writing. I had wanted to read this book since college almost 10 years ago. Finally “read” it by listening to the audiobook. The audiobook performance was fantastic (and I’m pretty picky). The book jumped from her personal experience with her son and more academic topics/research/interviews. The author has a certain bias (that not everyone in the Deaf community shares). Her husband and her made certain decisions for their son and that comes out in her writing. Not necessarily right or wrong. And yet maybe leaves some of the perspectives from those in the Deaf community out of the conversation - she touches on them but doesn’t explore deeply or present in a light of support (just simply neutrality or a “we can agree to disagree” stance). Glad I finally got around to “reading” this book and it especially hit home after my own daughter initially failed her hearing test after birth.

[Andy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really interesting journey through deafness, linguistics and neurology. I wish all non-fiction books were this accessible. It talked in-depth about some great topics while never being too verbose or boring to understand.
It was a bit of a shame that the parts of this book I liked the most were the chapters where Denworth describes personal experiences with her son, as these were the shortest and least frequent. There were also parts of the actual story itself I was a bit disappointed in - I wish Alex had been taught ASL, as Denworth seemed to understand all of the benefits of this, though this is less of a criticism of the book and more so a criticism of parenting choices, so it doesn't factor into my rating.

[Maggie Mattmiller · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an interesting one. It's like she presents multiple sides/perspectives, and intertwines her own story/experience within it, but at times it almost feels flippant or privileged of- well, deaf people think this, but I did this other thing and it's amazing! Or, deaf people have this perspective, but when my son can hear things I tell him he's great for being able to hear!

Definitely some great perspective, multiple perspectives, I learned, I grew, and my thinking has shifted. I loved hearing how the deaf community has evolved/shifted. There were just some moments that I didn't love. (I appreciated her honesty though!)

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so interesting to me as a speech-language pathologist. I picked it up expecting a memoir of the parent experience, but ended up with the most detailed review of literature and speech science that I've encountered outside of a professional/academic journal. At times dense (most likely even more so to a layperson) but rounded out with chapters of first person memoir, this was a fascinating read that nicely summarized 50+ years of research into the history and mechanism of cochlear implantation, acoustics, Deaf culture, and language acquisition.

[Book Grocer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Purchase I Can Hear You Whisper here for just $8!

The intimate journey of a science journalist and mother, coping with the impaired hearing diagnosed in her youngest son. She investigates the science of hearing, sound, language, childhood development and the Deaf community, and gives a heartwarming and respectful insight into the lives with those who have experienced hearing loss.

Anastasia - The Book Grocer

[Tracey Frerichs · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It’s written much in the spirit of Oliver Sacks, she doesn’t baby talk and generalize through complex medical and technical terms and concepts, she does explain them. It is a journey through her son’s treatment for deafness, but on this journey she researches and talks to experts, also sharing her family’s emotions and experiences.

Learning about deafness, the deaf community and cochlear technology is fascinating and eye-opening.

[Stephen Dennison · Rating 3 out of 5]

A somewhat clunky but very honest journey of the parent of a child with hearing loss. I think this would be a good way to become familiar with the world of auditory science. The book shines when the author uses her journalism skills, and the wide array of scientists and clinicians interviewed really make the read worthwhile.

[Alexis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was very informative about the plight of people born hearing impaired and/or deaf and the mans to gain language. There was quite a bit of factual information about research and where it led and personal narrative as the author is using this platform to research for her youngest son's condition.

I was a bit surprised that the ending just fell off though.

[Catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic information about the science and history of the advances in technology in the cochlear implant studies. Since it was from the perspective of a hearing parent to hard of hearing child, I was not expecting a window into the Deaf community, but it did have great foundation information about hearing people seeking to interact with the Deaf community which was helpful.

[Audrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible- textbook level of information but written in parent-friendly and accessible memoir style. A perfect refresher on Deaf history and culture today, neurophysiology of sound and specifically pure tones for speech in the brain, inner mechanics of cochlear implants today AND a comprehensive explanation of the mechanics of every model of hearing aids ever created? I cried when it was over!

[Jason · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful story and insightful on so many levels

Wonderful story and insightful on so many levels. Such a great way to learn about this world and the complexities of culture and technological progress

[Valerie · Rating 4 out of 5]

As the subtitle mentions, this is a good introduction to the science of hearing and also the personal journey of being a hearing parent to a deaf child. I'm now interested in what it means to be [culturally] Deaf, and for that I'll need to look elsewhere.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Denworth combines her personal story of discovering her son has serious hearing issues with the science of human hearing and the history of deaf education. She deftly walks the line between the personal and the objective to create a book that is both educational and moving.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed getting the perspective from another mother of a child with hearing loss. There is a ton of info about the history of Deaf culture and deaf/hard of hearing medical treatment/education. It took me a long time to get through it, as the science/history could get a bit dense.