Wired for Sound: A Journey into Hearing

Laurie C.C. Stanley-Blackwell is an associate professor of history at
St. Francis Xavier University in Nova Scotia.

Only recently has the deaf community begun to speak for itself, and with
many voices. The focus of much debate has been the cochlear implant, a
prosthetic device which has been greeted by some advocates as a medical
breakthrough and condemned by others as risky, unproven, and ultimately
genocidal.

Beverly Biderman, a consultant on adaptive technology and computing,
offers a fascinating and unique perspective on this controversy. Wired
for Sound is a personal story of deafness detailing her profound loss of
hearing as a teenager and the emotional toll of loneliness and anger. In
her mid–40s, Biderman decided to investigate the benefits of a
cochlear implant. She vividly describes the surgical procedure, the
process of being “turned on,” and the rollercoaster struggle to
comprehend a new world of unfamiliar sounds. Biderman breaks sharply
with those who regard the cochlear implant as an assault on deaf
culture. For her, the acquisition of functional hearing has been an
epiphany-like event, both gratifying and empowering. The memoirs are
both poignant and poetic in their candor. Biderman gives an intimate
glimpse into the impact of her deafness, as well as her decision to have
the implant, on family relationships.

In addition to recounting the transformative journey from deafness into
hearing, Biderman comments on the strengths and shortcomings of cochlear
implant technology. She also explores its political aspects reminding
readers that the deaf community is not a homogenous one. This complex
debate has many subtle shadings, and Biderman attempts to give balanced
coverage of the divergent views towards this device. The book is
interspersed with sidebars featuring the testimony of deaf people
sharing their own experiences with deafness. Biderman, however, eschews
the extremism of those who pit deaf rights against medical technology.
Although her tone is neither strident nor sensational, she writes with
the zeal of a convert, making no secret of the fact that deafness for
her was an imprisoning disadvantage.

This volume is enhanced by a detailed index, extensive endnotes, and an
annotated list of recommended readings and organizational and Web-based
resources. Medical specialists and educators alike will find this book
informative and inspiring. Wired for Sound also deserves a wide audience
for it demystifies the complexities of deaf politics, defuses the fears
surrounding the cochlear implant, and gives a deeper understanding into
deafness and its role in the lives of deaf people.