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The Unheard: A Memoir of Deafness and Africa
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The Unheard: A Memoir of Deafness and Africa Paperback - 2007

by Josh Swiller

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A young mans quest to reconcile his deafness in an unforgiving world leads to a remarkable sojourn in a remote African village, in this poignant account that is, at times, a hilarious comedy of errors as well as a gripping narrative of escalating violence.

Reader reviews for The Unheard: A Memoir of Deafness and Africa

From the publisher

A young man's quest to reconcile his deafness in an unforgiving world leads to a remarkable sojourn in a remote African village that pulsates with beauty and violence

These are hearing aids. They take the sounds of the world and amplify them." Josh Swiller recited this speech to himself on the day he arrived in Mununga, a dusty village on the shores of Lake Mweru. Deaf since a young age, Swiller spent his formative years in frustrated limbo on the sidelines of the hearing world, encouraged by his family to use lipreading and the strident approximations of hearing aids to blend in. It didn't work. So he decided to ditch the well-trodden path after college, setting out to find a place so far removed that his deafness would become irrelevant.

That place turned out to be Zambia, where Swiller worked as a Peace Corps volunteer for two years. There he would encounter a world where violence, disease, and poverty were the mundane facts of life. But despite the culture shock, Swiller finally commanded attention--everyone always listened carefully to the white man, even if they didn't always follow his instruction. Spending his days working in the health clinic with Augustine Jere, a chubby, world-weary chess aficionado and a steadfast friend, Swiller had finally found, he believed, a place where his deafness didn't interfere, a place he could call home. Until, that is, a nightmarish incident blasted away his newfound convictions.

At once a poignant account of friendship through adversity, a hilarious comedy of errors, and a gripping narrative of escalating violence, The Unheard is an unforgettable story from a noteworthy new talent.

Details

  • Title The Unheard: A Memoir of Deafness and Africa
  • Author Josh Swiller
  • Binding Paperback
  • Edition First Edition
  • Pages 288
  • Volumes 1
  • Language ENG
  • Publisher Holt Paperbacks, New York, New York, U.S.A.
  • Publication date 2007-09-04
  • Illustrated Yes
  • Features Illustrated, Maps, Price on Product - Canadian
  • ISBN 9780805082104 / 0805082107
  • Weight 0.75 lbs (0.34 kg)
  • Dimensions 8.5 x 5.4 x 0.6 in (21.59 x 13.72 x 1.52 cm)
  • Themes
    • Cultural Region: African
    • Topical: Physically Challenged
  • Category Biography / Autobiography
  • Library of Congress subjects Deaf, Zambia - Description and travel
  • Library of Congress Catalogue Number 2007012047
  • Dewey Decimal Code B

Media reviews

Citations

  • Kirkus Best Books, 05/15/2007, Page 16
  • Kirkus Reviews, 07/15/2007, Page 718
  • Library Journal, 09/01/2010, Page 142
  • Outside, 09/01/2007, Page 40
  • Publishers Weekly, 07/16/2007, Page 156
  • School Library Journal, 11/01/2007, Page 163

About the author

A graduate of Yale University, Josh Swiller has had a wide variety of careers: forest ranger, carpenter, slipper salesman, raw food chef, Zen monk, journalist, and teacher, among other things. In August 2005, he had successful surgery for a cochlear implant and partially recovered his hearing. Swiller now speaks often on issues facing mainstreamed deaf individuals, and works at a hospice in Brooklyn, New York, where he lives.

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The Unheard: A Memoir of Deafness and Africa
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The Unheard: A Memoir of Deafness and Africa

by Swiller, Josh

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The Unheard: A Memoir of Deafness and Africa

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The Unheard: A Memoir of Deafness and Africa
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The Unheard: A Memoir of Deafness and Africa

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UNHEARD : A MEMOIR OF DEAFNESS AND AFRICA
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UNHEARD : A MEMOIR OF DEAFNESS AND AFRICA

by SWILLER, JOSH

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The Unheard : A Memoir of Deafness and Africa

The Unheard : A Memoir of Deafness and Africa

by Josh Swiller

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ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
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The Unheard : A Memoir of Deafness and Africa

The Unheard : A Memoir of Deafness and Africa

by Josh Swiller

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ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
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The Unheard: A Memoir of Deafness and Africa
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The Unheard: A Memoir of Deafness and Africa

by Swiller, Josh

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ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
9780805082104 / 0805082107
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The Unheard : A Memoir of Deafness and Africa
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The Unheard : A Memoir of Deafness and Africa

by Swiller, Josh

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ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
9780805082104 / 0805082107
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Holt & Company, Henry. Used - Good. Former library copy. Pages intact with minimal writing/highlighting. The binding may be loose and creased. Dust jackets/supplements are not included. Includes library markings. Stock photo provided. Product includes identifying sticker. Better World Books: Buy Books. Do Good.
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The Unheard: A Memoir of Deafness and Africa
Stock photo: cover may vary

The Unheard: A Memoir of Deafness and Africa

by Swiller, Josh

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  • Paperback
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Very good
Binding
Paperback
ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
9780805082104 / 0805082107
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Holt Paperbacks, 9/4/2007. Paperback. Very Good. 88x10x136. Paperback book in good condition.
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