Wednesday, December 5, 2018

Sound

Sound: A Memoir of Hearing Lost and Found by Bella Bathurst
Greystone Books: 10/2/18
advanced reading copy; 224 pages
ISBN-13: 9781771643825


Sound: A Memoir of Hearing Lost and Found by Bella Bathurst is a highly recommended memoir of a young woman who lost her hearing, then regained it.

In 2004 Bella Bathurst was down to 30% of normal hearing. She had been slowly losing her hearing for six years. This began her twelve year journey of deafness and what she learned about her experience. She did regain he hearing through surgery, but her experience of losing her hearing taught her the richness that hearing brings to our lives. Bathurst explores more than her feelings bringing this beyond being only a memoir. She discusses the history of hearing loss and how it has been handled over the years. She shares interviews she conducted with others who have dealt with hearing loss, ear surgeons, psychologists, and professors. The book discusses the science of sound, the anatomy of the ear, the different types of hearing loss, depression as a result of hearing loss, hearing loss in musicians, and what she and others have learned and experienced as a result of losing their hearing.

This is a well-written, fascinating memoir and informational account about hearing loss. While the opening sailing experience felt over-long, the informational sections were varied, fascinating, and very well done. It made the science behind hearing accessible and engaging.  Included at the end are chapter notes for further reading. I felt a great deal of empathy for Bathurst and her experiences, especially after having recently experienced some issues with my sight. It is had to admit that you are losing something you have taken for granted and then have to deal with it and (hopefully) the recovery. 

Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Greystone Books.

No comments: