Book list of books that include deaf/HOH character(s) or authors

I think your anecdotal list is terrific, Buffalo.

In no way do I mean to detract from it when I point out the interesting impression that it's mostly minor characters who are totally without hearing.

Most major characters seem to only suffer partial hearing loss. One has tinnitus. I'm not saying being hard-of-hearing or having tinnitus are easy to live with. I had twenty years of both and still have bouts of severe tinnitus.

I'm just saying that in literature, few fictional protagonists are profoundly deaf. It's too bad, and the omission needs to be corrected.
 
Chase said:
I think your anecdotal list is terrific, Buffalo.

In no way do I mean to detract from it when I point out the interesting impression that it's mostly minor characters who are totally without hearing.

Most major characters seem to only suffer partial hearing loss. One has tinnitus. I'm not saying being hard-of-hearing or having tinnitus are easy to live with. I had twenty years of both and still have bouts of severe tinnitus.

I'm just saying that in literature, few fictional protagonists are profoundly deaf. It's too bad, and the omission needs to be corrected.
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Couldn't agree more. How about starting that novel? I'll read it.
 
Jillio,

I have two novels completed in an amateur detective series where the protagonist is deaf (and his communications helper/romantic interest is confined to a wheelchair). The first book is making the rounds to attract an agent to push it to publishers.

My current work-in-progress features a deaf bee keeper working on colony collapse disorder, the mysterious malady causing honeybees to disappear.

Most works with a deaf lead now published are biographical. I know a few other deaf writers and am hoping some are working with deaf protagonists in fiction.
 
Chase said:
Jillio,

I have two novels completed in an amateur detective series where the protagonist is deaf (and his communications helper/romantic interest is confined to a wheelchair). The first book is making the rounds to attract an agent to push it to publishers.

My current work-in-progress features a deaf bee keeper working on colony collapse disorder, the mysterious malady causing honeybees to disappear.

Most works with a deaf lead now published are biographical. I know a few other deaf writers and am hoping some are working with deaf protagonists in fiction.
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I'm glad to hear that. I wish you luck with the publishers; I'll be one of the first to attend your book signing!

Yes, I agree about the biographical genre. I have several biographical volumes. While they are very interesting reads all, I sometimes simply want to be entertained with my reading.:giggle:
 
Chase said:
Jillio,

I have two novels completed in an amateur detective series where the protagonist is deaf (and his communications helper/romantic interest is confined to a wheelchair). The first book is making the rounds to attract an agent to push it to publishers.

My current work-in-progress features a deaf bee keeper working on colony collapse disorder, the mysterious malady causing honeybees to disappear.

Most works with a deaf lead now published are biographical. I know a few other deaf writers and am hoping some are working with deaf protagonists in fiction.
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That's great! Let me know when you get your novels published!
 
Hey Buffalo..thanks for sharing the link! :)
 
Ick.............I'm sorry but the "romantic" genre is not really literature or even books.
Most of them seem to have been written for ubernaive teen girls.
Off the top of my head I remember Belonging (about a late deafened girl coming to terms with being deaf) Jessi's Secret Language etc.
 
deafdyke said:
Ick.............I'm sorry but the "romantic" genre is not really literature or even books. Most of them seem to have been written for ubernaive teen girls.
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Everyone's a literary critic, and everyone's entitled to opinions. Many share your concept of what is literature and what is not, and lots of people look down their noses at any genre aside from non-fiction or at least not "mainstream" -- mysteries, science-fiction, westerns, horror, chic lit, soldier-of-fortune, erotica, and so on.

However, the reality is bookstores sell more romance books than any other single category. If they're not books, someone is making a mint from something that doesn't exist.

Personally, I think literature on the North American continent died with Samuel Langhorn Clemons.
 
Chase said:
Everyone's a literary critic, and everyone's entitled to opinions. Many share your concept of what is literature and what is not, and lots of people look down their noses at any genre aside from non-fiction or at least not "mainstream" -- mysteries, science-fiction, westerns, horror, chic lit, soldier-of-fortune, erotica, and so on.

However, the reality is bookstores sell more romance books than any other single category. If they're not books, someone is making a mint from something that doesn't exist.

Personally, I think literature on the North American continent died with Samuel Langhorn Clemons.
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AH, Mark Twain. I don't care for romance books and yes, I was surprised at the volume of those books at any bookstore. My favorite genre is mysteries.

Chase, do let us know when your book(s) come out. Maybe you could make a new thread listing all the deaf authors you know. We would love to check out their books as well.
 
Doug5 said:
wasnt there some deaf dude in a charles dickens book?
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It is in that list. Dr. Marigold by Charles Dickens (1865). You will find it under Mainstream - Fiction. I haven't heard of it before so I will try to look it up at the library.
 
Well I mean, being bestselling isn't really a measure of how good a particular piece of literature is.
There is some good romance, but I bet you anything that most of the romance books out there will never be thought of as Jane Austen. Most of them are the equalivant of those really badly written penny dreadfuls (and NOT the good ones that are like the ones homaged by George Romero and Stephen King in those horror TV series of the '80s...like Tales of the Darkside)
Hey, I'm not a snob............I adore, adore Stephen King (who is sometimes thought of as a hack)
 
No one have heard author Penny Warner? She wrote a series book about deaf protagonist who investigate mystery murders or whatever. I liked that series because it shows her independence and that she is the owner of her own newspaper agency and is also a landlord of a comic book store.

You get to read it from deaf's point of view. That includes usage of TDD, interpreter, etc. and even her unable to hear a bad guy walking behind her! (I can't remember if that has happened, but she got herself caught a few times.) That really add to the excite to when you read the book. lol

I've only read two of her books, I am planning to get all of it someday.
 
Ugh where's the edit mode?

Anyhow, her first book "Dead Body Language" won one of award by the way.

Yes, most of her titles plays on puns that's related to deafness.
 
Wolfie, good reminder. I'd forgot about that excellent cozy mystery series. The female detective was named Conner, and she used all the latest gadgets for the deaf. I think she even got a cochlear installed. You're right about the "punny" titles. Dead Body Language, Sign of Foul Play, and Right to Remain Silent were before A Quiet Undertaking. I only read the first one, but it was well worth reading, and I think I'll finish the series.
 
Silentwolfdog said:
No one have heard author Penny Warner? She wrote a series book about deaf protagonist who investigate mystery murders or whatever. I liked that series because it shows her independence and that she is the owner of her own newspaper agency and is also a landlord of a comic book store.

You get to read it from deaf's point of view. That includes usage of TDD, interpreter, etc. and even her unable to hear a bad guy walking behind her! (I can't remember if that has happened, but she got herself caught a few times.) That really add to the excite to when you read the book. lol

I've only read two of her books, I am planning to get all of it someday.
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No, I haven't heard of Penny Warner. I goggled and found her site: Welcome to Penny Warners Home Page

I think I will check out her Conner Westphal Mystery Series. Thanks for the tip. :)
 
Another addition to the list. 'The Book of Dead' by Patricia Cornwell has Jess, a deaf bartender, appeared very briefly. Since Marino seems to like Jess alot, I wonder if we will see Jess in Cornwell's next Scarpetta book. We will find it out on May 20th for her book 'The Front' release.
 
Yet another addition... 'Body Double' by Tess Gerritsen. Alice Rose, a 14 years old girl (I think she is latened deaf as she didn't sign) is a first victim of a serial killer. Why don't you find out toward the end of the book if she survived or not.

I really like Tess Gerritsen and I have 3 of her books. I know if I like it if I have a hard time putting down the book.
 
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