Silent Night

by Sue Thomas, S. Rickly Christian

Be sure to read the true story that inspired the popular TV series, Sue FBEye Read the autobiography that started it all... Revised and updated with stories and footage from behind the scenes of Sue includes 12 pages of full color photos

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, Disability, Memoir

298 pages, Hardcover

First published July 1, 1990

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Deaf since the age of 18 months, Sue Thomas's career with the FBI started in 1979 as a fingerprint examiner. She went on to use her lip-reading skills at the agency until she left in 1983.

That FBI career was the inspiration for a TV series, "Sue Thomas: F.B. Eye."

In 1991, Sue wrote her autobiography Silent Night, with S. Rickly Christian. Silent Night covers her life from 18 months of age until the end of her FBI career. She continued her story in Staying in the Race, where she talks about living with multiple sclerosis (MS).

You can follow her blog at https://suethomasministries.org/blog/

Reviews

[Daleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ever since I started watching Sue Thomas: FBI, she's been one of my heroes. So my grandma faithfully tracked down a SIGNED copy of the book and gave it to me for Christmas. Thus, I got to dive into the world of Sue Thomas. She didn't talk much about her time in the FBI, the TV show did that, but she talked about growing up deaf, living deaf, and then, how the Lord fought for her and used her deafness. I would definitely recommend reading (and watching, if you haven't.)

[Shay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unlike most people, I did not seek this book out after watching a tv series. Sue Thomas was the speaker at a FHA convention when I was in high school. I was so taken by her that I had to buy the book. The autographed inscription in my book reads, "Come break the sound barrier with me." No other book has reached me or will reach me the way this book has. I am very grateful to have met the author.

[Michele · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was not exactly what I expected. I expected it to concentrate on her FBI work more but it is really about her whole life and how God has worked in her life. In some ways, it was hard to read some of the mistakes she and her family made. I like the way that she is now able to look back and realize that God is able to use those mistakes for His glory.

[Mary Burkholder · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this true story but it’s very sad.

[Katlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay, now in some parts this book was pretty difficult to read because her life was so hard. I haven't cried during a book since I was a little girl. Maybe I've teared up, but this time I was actually crying with real tears running down my face. So many hard and horrible things. But there were bright and beautiful things too. Reading about her life was a wonderful experience but I wouldn't recommend it for young children. There were several very mature subjects described with enough detail to give you an idea of how awful things were, but it is really not something for young minds to be dwelling on. (It would be wonderful if there were a more child friendly version of her life to read to them.) These things are part of her story and God used them to take her where he wanted her to go and I appreciate her candidness in telling the highs and lows along the journey that The Lord brought her through.
Top three things I learned:
1). God really does use all the things in the lives of those who follow Him for good. His good, in His time, for His purpose.
2). All parents have probably said, "You'll thank me for this later" at one time or another. And we need to make sure we do thank them later. Because they are usually overwhelmingly right.
3). "Normal families" fight and forgive and don't ever let someone get too far away. They go though hard things together and come out on the other side all the better for the hardship. God gives us families to better prepare us for whatever else He has planned along the way.

[Kelsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had some very moving moments and really gave a great glimpse into the world of d/Deaf people (and I say glimpse because no one personal story fully incapsulates that experience/life journey). It was a very quick read due to its big font, interesting story, and easy difficulty level of language used. However, there were some very problematic concepts in this book, which make me question recommending it to others without a forewarning. The author experienced sexual abuse from a male relative in her childhood, and this led to her having homosexual relationships. Because of her religious beliefs, she is constantly telling readers about how wrong homosexuality is. It makes sense that homosexuality doesn't feel right for her and that it was more of a reaction to abuse than a natural choice/feeling, but it is wrong for her to be constantly denigrating homosexual people throughout her book and teaching that homosexuality is wrong. I'll be going to a book discussion about this book in a few days, and I'm interested in hearing what others have to say about it.

[C.O. Bonham · Rating 3 out of 5]

A while back there was a great show called Sue Thomas F.B. Eye. It was about an FBI agent who was Deaf. She read lips and spoke but also used Sign language. That show inspired me take Sign as my language elective. Anyway this book is the true story of Sue Thomas. It is heartbreaking and inspiring but a one hour crime drama it is not.

It was silly of me to expect the writers of the TV show to stay true to her life story. But still I would have liked her actual FBI career to cover more than one short chapter. Most of the book is about her childhood and her struggles trying to fit into the hearing world. In addition it seems the TV show made her job with the FBI sound a lot more exciting that it really was.

Anyway this is still a worthwhile story about someone who faced impossible odds and found her way through them.

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very interesting autobiography of a successful, spiritual deaf woman. It's always enlightening to get a glimpse of the life of someone with challenges other than oneself. I appreciate learning about Sue's life and becoming more sensitive to those with hearing impairments. She was very candid about her personal trials and those of her family including (mother's depression, suicide attempts, drug & alcohol abuse, weight gain and loss, homosexuality and her struggles to find her place in this world).

[Suzanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

The true story on which the TV Series "Sue Thomas, FBEYE" was based is about a deaf woman who straddles the deaf and the hearing worlds. She is honest about the pain and the triumphs; the stress and the joys; her education (almost not!) and her job with the FBI (because she could read lips and communicate verbally with her FBI team). It can almost break your heart and have you shout with joy at the same time. This is a quick, enjoyable, and interesting read. (Though out-of-print, hubby found this for me!)

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent true story of how one woman lives with deafness. I always love stories of how God takes a someone with a life in shambles and completely transforms them to shine for Him! Sue's accomplishments while being deaf adds an extra punch of wow... and I also enjoyed the fact that she grew up "local" to where I now live.

[The Breakneck Bookworm · Rating 3 out of 5]

This lady has lived a remarkable life and this book shows that. The book shows a warm and lovely natured woman who has had trouble and hardship but also has had the strength to pull herself through. This book heavily denotes her religious beliefs and how much she has relied on God throughout her life at one point on the cusp of joining a nunnery. I wasn't expecting this addition but it didn't detract too much from her story. I was shocked at her belief that her being a lesbian was ,'in rebellion against god's purpose for man and woman' and how her daily duties changed in her job within a religious organisation changed because of it. Her dogs her companions now. This book is an old book and quite difficult to source but it is a lovely read. Being heavily hearing impaired myself I associate with some of her difficulties -sleeping alone, and lip reading difficulty (currently more than ever). Overall I enjoyed this book but wanted her achievements in a bit more detail.

[Featherpen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I grew up watching the show, which I still love dearly, but I was so glad to read the true account of Sue Thomas. Reading her story in her voice, which is so honest and even humorous at times, was a true blessing. I appreciated her accounts of the struggles in her life, followed by her recognition of the grace of God in piecing her life back together. We could all do with hearing her message and turning our trust to God to help us overcome our own struggles.

[Lucy Takeda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I watched the TV series, and really enjoyed it. My husband worked as a translator for the deaf for a few years, so I do have some experience dealing with the deaf community. This book was full of surprises!
Sue was raised with several healthy older brothers in a rural home. Her deafness appeared out of nowhere. Her mother, it turns out, was severely depressed, or perhaps bipolar. I was quite surprised to hear that she had planned on joining a convent!
Sue’s life is amazing.

[Missy · Rating 3 out of 5]

My family loves the Sue Thomas F.B.Eye series so I was curious about the real Sue Thomas which is why I picked up her memoir. It's not what I expected. She actually worked for the F.B.I. for a surprisingly short time, but had quite a colorful life before and after. Her story is interesting and she's done some really amazing things despite her deafness.

[Leslie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having meet Sue … I found this book interesting and informative about her life. I didn’t want to put it down I wanted to see what God was doing in her life and her reactions. I can’t wait to start the second book about her MS journey.

[Joy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sue suffered much trauma and abuse in her childhood and young adult years. It is hard to read about some of it. God used it to cause her to search for him, bring healing for her pain and to help others in the deaf and non-deaf community.

[Denise · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book in the bargain bin, but I really enjoyed it. It’s the story of Sue Thomas and how she worked with her loss of hearing to become an FBI agent and an advocate for the deaf and hearing impaired.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you’ve watched the TV series, Sue Thomas - FB EYE. This book will give you a look into the real life of Sue Thomas. She had many struggles but was able to overcome in the end.

[Heidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful book. So much different than the character that was portrayed as her on the show. I would love to one day meet the real Sue Thomas.

[Audrey Webster · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sort of interesting. She done a lot. Just something missing in her writing style for me. Almost didn’t finish reading.

[Salinn Barth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a hard read in places but I appreciated it and the manner it was told in. It’s hard to tell of Sue found Salvation in Christ through Grace alone but her story is very interesting.

[Anita Yoder · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good story in its own right but very poorly written. I got tired of the predictable metaphors and Christianese.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aersome book. Couldn’t put it down ‼️

[Aldafan · Rating 1 out of 5]

My bias to teaching Deaf kids signs is probably showing. But I mostly found this depressing. Her life sure was not like "Sue Thomas, F. B. Eye!" There were inconsistencies in what she could/could not understand. Anyway, I just didn't like it!

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazing! A very enjoyable read about a girl who lost her hearing as a toddler and the perseverance she and her parents had to give her every opportunity to achieve in a hearing world. It brought tears to my eyes and a smile to my face.

[Hannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

The moving story of Sue Thomas, a deaf girl, finding her place in the world.

[Jacqueline115]

Had the pleasure of meeting the real Sue Thomas, FBEye....Can't wait to read this.