Another Book Review

Yesterday I finished a book called Deaf Sentence by David Lodge. It was recommended by Jobbing Doctor's Book Club. The leading character is a retired professor of linguistics who is going deaf (as is the author). Many parts of the book are very funny.

So much of the protagonist's difficulties caused a wry smile with me. I first found out I was losing my hearing when it was somewhat forcibly pointed out to me that I had been very rude; when I was chairing meetings I would often talk over people sitting to my left because I had no idea they were speaking.

I was very lucky in that one of the staff with whom I was working closely at that time was an ENT sister (we were working on a protocol for care of a patient with a tracheostomy in conjunction with the consultant anaesthetist and the consultant ENT surgeon.) This meant that I was very lucky to get a rapid appointment with the ENT surgeon, a speedy MRI scan to exclude a tumour and then a hearing assessment with an in ear hearing aid fitted in a remarkably short time. I was also lucky that I was hard of hearing on only my left ear, although now I need two hearing aids.

However I digress. The hero's difficulties arise from his attendance at a party where an attractive woman corners him and he can't hear a word of what she says so he nods and smiles at what he hopes are appropriate moments.

I shall not give away any more of the story, but I do recommend the book unreservedly.

Particularly if you are not hard of hearing. I know how irritating it can be for a hearing person to have to cope with a hard of hearing friend or family member.

It has been really good to have my mind channelled into reading new (to me) books and authors. It started with a. (a travelling spouse) who recommended Fred Vargas as a French author of romans policiers and proceeded with niceladydoctor who recommended The Spare Room. Any other recommendations warmly received.