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Thursday, March 24, 2005
Remarkable Women, Remarkable Deaf Lives
Three Deaf Women Share Their Incredible Stories
Bainy Cyrus, Eileen Katz and Celeste Cheyney, and Frances M. Parsons seemed to
have taken to heart the thoughts of French feminist theorist Helene Cixous when she wrote, “It is by
writing, from and toward women, . . . that
women will confirm women in a place other than that which is reserved in and by the
symbolic, that is, in a place other than silence.” These words eloquently
describe the
authors of Deaf Women’s
Lives: Three Self-Portraits, the third volume in the
Deaf Lives series.
Series editor Brenda Jo Bruegemann introduces this collection by stating, “Bainy Cyrus,
Frances M. Parsons, and Eileen Katz (with Celeste Cheyney) claim writing as their
own in this triple-text memoir of deaf women’s lives. The three authors featured in this
autobiographical triptych all grew up and became young adults—as
deaf/hard-of-hearing persons and as women—in different times, circumstances, and
locations. Each of their memoirs is unique. Yet they share a common quality;
each confirms the others’ experiences. These are remarkable women. These are
remarkable writers. These are remarkable deaf people. They all relate narratives
that are consumed by—and created with—writing, with words, and with a rich and
yet sometimes troubled journey into and through literacy in print and spoken
languages.”
Read an excerpt from this unique collection from Bainy Cyrus’s
All Eyes. And, use
your exclusive subscriber discount to save 20% off the regular price when
you order
Deaf Women’s Lives.
 In
a recent review, Library Journal applauded
Deaf Hearing
Boy: A Memoir, R.H. Miller’s compelling account of being the oldest
of four hearing boys born to deaf parents, stating, “Miller offers a glimpse
into the deaf world from his perspective as a CODA—a child of deaf adults—relating
a life spent navigating the often treacherous waters between the hearing and deaf
worlds. Raised in the 1940s and 1950s, Miller writes of his family’s struggles,
both financial and familial. In typical 1930s fashion, his parents were educated
in a strict boarding school for the deaf, where they learned few skills for
surviving in a hearing world. Marrying against the wishes of their hearing
parents, Miller’s mother and father struggled to provide for their growing
family despite a lack of family support and the prejudices of the hearing
world in general. In this account of Miller’s coming of age, and the effect
of having deaf parents, Miller offers an enlightening look at deaf culture.”
Read more about Miller’s experiences in Chapter Seven, “A
New Life,” and
order
Deaf Hearing Boy.
 Literacy
and Deaf People: Cultural and Contextual Perspectives, edited by Brenda Jo Brueggemann,
garnered the following acclaim from Wisconsin Bookwatch, the library
newsletter from The Midwest Book Review: “Literacy and Deaf People
offers thought-provoking, expertly researched essays that sharply criticize
current systems and a dominant hearing culture that typically assumes their
literacy skills will be inferior to those of hearing society. A welcome and
serious-minded contribution to reading shelves concerning the educational needs
of deaf students, especially in higher education.” Read the full review
online.
Divided into two parts, Literacy and Deaf People covers a range of topics
from how deaf children learn to how literacy can be extended to deaf people
beyond the age of 20. Read Chapter Two,
“What Does Culture
Have to Do with the Education of Students Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing?,”
and order your
copy here.
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