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Asterik * indicates a D/deaf author. All book reviews are either from Amazon, the Einstein Catalog or publishing catalogs. Efforts have been made to include as many genres as possible—nonfiction (autobiographies, personal narratives, biographies, essays, interviews and articles), drama, fiction (novels, historical fiction) poetry (ASL and English) and ASL Literature. All formats are covered, including videos.

For more books on this topic, check the Einstein Catalog. and search by keywords deaf and cochlear implant* http://albert.rit.edu/. For more articles on this topic, check out the Gallaudet Index to Deaf Periodicals which includes citations to Deaf Life and other popular deaf publications. http://liblists.wrlc.org/gadpi/home.htm. Another database you might want to try is the NTID Deaf Index . Go to the Deaf Studies databases http://wally.rit.edu/electronic/topic/deafstudies.html.

CI-Autobiographies/Personal Narratives

*Aiello, Philip and Myrna Aiello. “Cochlear Implants and Deaf Identity”. Deaf World: A Historical Reader and Primary Source Book. Ed. Lois Bragg. New York: NY University Press, 2001. REF, 4th floor and ETRR HV2545 .D43 2001.

*Biderman, Beverly. Wired for Sound: A Journey into Hearing. Toronto: Trifolium, 1998. 3rd floor and ETRR RF305.B52 1998.
This rare "inside" acount of hearing with a cochlear implant, the first effective artificial sensory organ ever developed, is a moving story about a deaf woman's Journey through deafness and into hearing. "Wired For Sound" is essential for understanding both deafness and the strange experience of hearing with a cochlear implant.

Chorost, Michael. Rebuilt : How Becoming Part Computer Made me More Human. Boston : Houghton Mifflin, 2005. 3rd floor and ETRR RF305 .C465 2005.

“Everyday an Adventure: Sigrid Cerf.” Deaf Life (Nov. 1997): 25-29.

*Farley, Cynthia. Bridge to Sound with a Bionic Ear. Wayzata, MN : Periscope Press, 2002. 3rd floor, RF 305.B75 2002
What are cochlear implants? What can they do for people with a profound hearing loss who cannot benefit from hearing aids? These questions and much more are answered in "Bridge to Sound with a 'Bionic' Ear" a book whose time has come. "Bridge to Sound with a 'Bionic' Ear" tells the stories of parents trying to help their child; teenagers hearing for the first time; adults and seniors hearing again. Reading this book is like having a roomful of people telling you their hopes and fears; and how they came to make the life changing choice to hear. It also presents extensive research documentation, lists resources for those seeking help with their hearing health decisions, and more.

*National Cochlear Implants Users Association. Cochlear Implants: A Collection of Experiences of Users of All Ages. London, ENG: National Cochlear Implant Users Association, 2003. 3rd floor and ETRR, RF305.C69 2001.
These personal accounts reflect the great diversity of deaf people using implants, their varied reaction to them and varying benefits they receive from them.

*Romoff, Arlene. Hear Again: Back to Life with a Cochlear Implant. New York, NY: League for the HH Publications, 1999. 3rd floor and ETRR RF305.R65 1999.
This is a book about joy and the wonder of small things. More than a diary of Romoff's first-year experiences with her cochlear implant (CI), it is a record of her growing confidence as her hearing gradually improved after a 30-year decline into profound deafness. Compiled from her Internet postings, the book offers much for those contemplating a CI but also for anyone who enjoys graceful writing. Romoff draws the reader into a world of rediscovered delights: the ping of an elevator button, the jingle of keys, or the pleasures of social gatherings, music, and no-longer-silent nature walks. This book does not address the technical aspects of cochlear implants or the controversy over implants within the deaf community, but it does chronicle one person's yearlong odyssey from deafness to functional hearing.

Weber, Dora Tingelstad. I Danced : A Cochlear Implant Odyssey. Minneapolis, Minn. : Beaver's Pond Press, 2004. 3rd floor, RF305 .W33 2004    

CI-Biographies/Interviews

Clark, Graeme. Sounds from Silence: Graeme Clark and the Bionic Ear Story. St. Leonards, N.S.W.: Allen & Unwin, 2000. 3rd floor, RF305.C537 2000.

Gray, Lisa. “Ashley Yount Can’t Hear You.” Deaf Life (Apr. 1997): 10-19, ( May 1997):.10-21.

Conferences and Academic Works

Christiansen, John B. Cochlear Implants in Children : Ethics and Choices. Washington, D.C. : Gallaudet UP, 2002. 3rd floor and ETRR RF305 .C485 2002.

Communicating with Deaf Children. Edited by Tom Bertling. Wilsonville, Or. : Kodiak Media Group, 2002. 4th floor and ETRR HV2471 .C66 2002.    

Deaf Studies Today! A Kaleidocsope of Knowledge, Learning, and Understanding: Conference Proceedings. Utah Valley State College, Orem, Utah, April 12-14, 2004.Edited by Bryan K. Eldredge, Dough Stringham, and Minne mae Wilding-Diaz. Orem, Utah : Deaf Studies Today! American Sign Language and Deaf STudies Program, Utah Valley State College, 2005. 4th floor and ETRR HV2359 .D42 2004    
The cochlear implantation of deaf children : unasked and unanswered questions / J. Freeman King.

CI-Drama

*Conley, Willy. The Hearing Test: A One-Act Play. Washington, DC: Gallaudet University, 2002. RES PS3553.O496H427 2002. (E-reserve).
The play discusses the factors involved in having a cochlear implant.

Sachs, Stephen. Sweet Nothing in My Ear: A Play in Two Acts. Woodstock, Ill. : Dramatic Pub., 1999. RES PS3569.A2298S94 1999. (E-reserve).
Play explores the issues surrounding cochlear implants

Videos

ASL Literature-Fiction

*Bird of a Different Feather. Dir. James R. DeBee. Prod. Joe Dannis.. Perf. Ben Bahan. DawnPictures,1992. 60 mins. Color/Signed. 4th floor, HV2474 .B57 1992, ETC VH1455 and ETRR VIDEO 5997 no.1
Ben Bahan's fable, Bird of a different feather, explores the differences of a bird within a family of eagles and how rather than accepting the differences, they use a pathological approach to raising the bird. An allegory about CI.

Documentaries

Sound and Fury. Dir. Josh Aronson. Prod.Roger Weisberg. Perf. Artinian family. Filmakers Library, 2000. 56 mins. Color/Signed/Captioned/Voiced.4th floor (2 copies) HV2391 .S68 2000 and ETRR VIDEO 6635 and ETC VH 2768 .
This documentary takes viewers inside the seldom seen world of the deaf to witness a painful family struggle over a controversial medical technology called the cochlear implant. Some family members celebrate the implant as a long overdue cure for deafness while others fear it will destroy their language and way of life. Through the families of two brothers, the film explores this seemingly irreconcilable conflict as it illuminates the ongoing struggle for identity among deaf people today.

Sound and Fury: 6 Years Later. Dir. and Prod. Josh Aronson. Perf. Artinian family. Filmakers Library, 2006. 26 mins. Color/Signed/Captioned/Voiced. ETRR HV2392.2 .S686 2006.
This stand-alone follow up film continues the story of the Artinian family that was told in Sound & Fury (released in 2000). In this follow up film, Heather Artinian and her two brothers have received cochlear implants. Her speech is now understandable. She attends a mainstream school. She can function in the hearing world. Her father, who initially opposed the implant, now says that he sees how useful implants can be for deaf children, and how glad he is that his children have them.

*Sound Off. By David Butterfield. Dir./Prod. David Butterfield. The Silent Network, 1987 4th floor, RF305 .S67 1987
Deaf hosts Mary Beth Barber and David Sladek lead a distinguished group of deaf and hearing patients through an in-depth discussion of the controversial Cochlear Ear Implant.This informative 60 minute program features doctors that perform the operation, audiologists, implant recipients and members of the deaf community that have deep reservations about the propriety of the implant.Written, produced and directed by deaf filmmaker David Butterfield, who lost his hearing in 1982 when contracting a rare virus. He received an implant a few months after producing this program and has regained much of his hearing.

*Summer's Story: Coming of Age with a Cochlear Implant. By Summer Crider. Prod. Linda B. Crider and Michael Munroe. Perf. Summer Crider. Munroe MultiMedia, 2002. 27 mins. Color/Captioned/Voiced. 4th floor HV2391 .S865 2002 and ETRR VIDEO 6674.
Summer Crider lost her hearing at age three and later received a cochlear implant. Until she was fifteen she was mainstreamed in a hearing world, but then whe was exposed to the deaf community and entered the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind. This is the story of a teenager's growing up in the hearing and deaf worlds.

Twins: A Cochlear Implant Story. Dir./Prod. Josh Aronson. Aronson Film Associates, 2002. . 30 mins. Color/Captioned/Voiced.3rd floor RF305 .T856 2002 and ETRR VIDEO 6651.
Shows the effectiveness of cochlear implants for children by following two sets of twins for three years after implantation. Each set has one deaf twin and one hearing twin. Two of the twins are from the video, "Sound and Fury". The comparison between the deaf and hearing child's language development is shown.

Web Links

Goodwin, Jennifer. “Unbreakable Lives”. San Diego Union-Tribune. July 27-29, 2003. . San Diego Union-Tribune. 31 March 2004
<http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/reports/unbreakable/index.html>

Owen, Elizabeth. “Sound and Fury: Thirteen/WNET, NYC. n.d. PBS/Thirteen Online. 31 March 2004 <http://www.pbs.org/wnet/soundandfury/>

Search the Democrat & Chronicle site for articles about the Matchett (all deaf members) family's experience with CI.

Explore http://wally.rit.edu/internet/subject/deafness.html#coc

Maintained by: Joan Naturale
Email: JXNWML@rit.edu
Links checked 17 August 2004.