Hands of My Father

Hands of My Father: a Hearing Boy, His Deaf Parents, and the Language of Love
By Myron Uhlberg
Bantam Dell, 2009. 232 pgs. Biography

Myron thought he was like every other kid growing up in the Bronx during WWII until he realized that his parents were different from everyone else- they were deaf. With this, came responsibility, one of the first signs that Myron learned from his father. Myron recounts his experiences as well his parents growing up in a time when ASL was not recognized as a language and those who were deaf were considered 2nd class citizens even to their own families.

This is a touching memoir, with many funny anecdotes of Myron trying to fit in the world around him and with his family. Feeling like two faces of a coin- a child yet called upon adult responsibilities of interpreting the hearing world for his parents and taking care of his younger epileptic brother. A wonderful read, that makes you ponder about family relationships.

KK