Great History of Deaf Culture Book Recommendations

These books are absolutely necessary to learn about Deaf culture!

There is no way that I can teach you everything you need to know about the history of Deaf culture and Deaf culture on this website. You can read my Deaf Culture page, but that doesn't hold a candle to everything you can learn from these books.

The experiences of Deaf people in these books that I recommend are more than I could ever offer you.

I have searched and searched for the best Deaf culture and history of Deaf culture books for you to learn from. I have checked them out and read their reviews. There are so many to choose from, but they are all so different!

I highly recommend all of the Deaf culture books below:

The ASL Student's Essential Guide to Learning ASL and Getting Involved in the Deaf Community
by Michelle Jay
I only share general information about Deaf Culture on this website, so I highly recommend The ASL Student's Essential Guide if you are learning ASL. The guide includes all of the essential Deaf Culture information you need to know so you will better understand the Deaf community and be fully prepared to talk to Deaf people. Learn More...

history of deaf culture A Deaf Adult Speaks Out
by Leo Jacobs
I absolutely love this book. It was a required book for my Deaf Culture class at CSUN. Leo Jacobs is a great author. This book is his account on what it is like living in hearing world as a Deaf person. This book is easy to read and covers excellent information about issues such as mainstreaming and how it affects Deaf children, total communication versus oralism, employment for Deaf people, and public policy in relation to the Deaf. I highly recommend this book to understand what it is like for Deaf people and what the members of Deaf culture value and believe.

The Other Side of Silence: Sign Language and the Deaf Community in America
by Arden Neisser
This is another great book that was used in my Deaf Culture class. It gives a wonderful unbiased look at both sides of the oralist versus manualist (speech versus sign) argument. I highly recommend it so that you can fully understand how and why this argument continues into today.

history of deaf culture Deaf in America: Voices from a Culture
by Carol A. Padden
This is another required reading for my Deaf Culture class, and I highly recommend it to you! Deaf in America is written by two Deaf authors who explain the difference between "Deaf" and "deaf" more fully. They discuss the importance and value of American Sign Language and also go into detail about the different arts that exist in Deaf culture. This is a more lively look at Deaf culture and what it truly consists of. Highly recommended.

American Deaf Culture: An Anthology
I love this book and it was another required reading for my Deaf Culture class. This collection was invaluable to me. Some of the stories just talk about Deaf culture in general while others consist of personal stories and experiences from Deaf people. With a variety of authors, this book is a great look into the lives of many Deaf people--not just one. I highly recommend it.

history of deaf culture A Journey Into the Deaf-World
by Harlan Lane
This book is a great introduction into the values and beliefs of Deaf culture and the Deaf World in general. I highly recommend it for any new ASL or Deaf Studies student. This was a required textbook for my Intro to Deaf Studies class, and it clearly explains everything you need to know about Deaf culture, the education of the deaf, and the oppression that Deaf people have gone through.

history of deaf culture The Mask of Benevolence: Disabling the Deaf Community
by Harlan L. Lane
This book is truly amazing and was a required book a few of my Deaf Studies classes. It is a must-read for all ASL students and members of the Deaf community. This book does not sugar coat the truth about the oppression of Deaf people and the medical field's view on seeing deaf people as disabled. It is cut and dry with its facts and research and how cruel hearing society has been to Deaf people and how they continue to be this way today. This book NEEDS to be a part of your library.

history of deaf culture Understanding Deaf Culture: In Search of Deafhood
by Paddy Ladd
This book was a required reading for my Deaf and Hearing People class and provides a different perspective on Deaf culture. The book assesses culture in general and applies it to Deaf communities. The book discusses the medical field's view of "deafness" and contrasts that with the new concept of "deafhood" which is how Deaf people truly view themselves. I recommend this book for anyone wanting to learn more about the Deaf identity and Deaf pride.

history of deaf culture A Place of Their Own: Creating the Deaf Community in America
by John Vickrey Van Cleve
This was a required book for my Deaf History as well as my Issues and Trends in the Deaf Community class, and I love it. Some books just talk about Deaf culture and how it is today. This book actually goes in depth and back into Deaf history to explain the trends and the changes that have taken place in the Deaf community. I highly recommend this book for anyone learning ASL and becoming involved in the Deaf community.

history of deaf culture Deaf World: A Historical Reader and Primary Sourcebook
by Lois Bragg
There is so much information in this book that it will be hard for me to explain it. This book is a compilation of writings from many authors. The discussions covered go from broad topics like American Sign Language and the Deaf community to very specific topics such as the employment of deaf people in entertainment, deafness among blacks, and the prejudice against the disabled. There is so much information covered in this book that it is a must have for any ASL or Deaf Studies student.

history of deaf culture Open Your Eyes: Deaf Studies Talking
I also recommend this book for any ASL student. This book is another compilation of writings from many authors. They delve mostly into topics surrounding Deaf identity, how Deaf identity intersects with sexuality, family, gender, race, and disability, and how Deaf culture shows insight to issues of language, identity, power, and society's view of normalcy.

history of deaf culture Through Deaf Eyes: A Photographic History of an American Community
by Douglas Baynton
Through Deaf Eyes is an amazing movie that really goes in depth about the views and beliefs of Deaf culture and how hearing culture has affected it. I highly recommend the movie as well as this book for anyone involved or becoming involved in the Deaf community.

history of deaf culture Everyone Here Spoke Sign Language: Hereditary Deafness on Martha's Vineyard
by Nora Ellen Groce
This is a fantastic book about the fascinating story of Martha's Vineyard--an island where deafness occured in 1 out of every 155 people. This book includes a lot of fun anecdotes as well as serious insight into the world of sign language. I highly recommend having this book as a part of your collection.

history of deaf culture Inside Deaf Culture
by Carol A Padden & Tom L Humphries
This is a fantastic book that outlines the history of deaf culture from the beginning of America to the present time. It is a fascinating look at Deaf culture and how it has changed over time as well as how it withstood the trials of hearing society. I highly recommend this book if you want to learn more about Deaf culture.

Teach Me to Love Myself: Memoir of a Pioneering Deaf Therapist
by Holly Elliott
If you would like to really get inside the head of a very successful deaf person who did not see her deafness as a disability, but as a part of her character, then this is a really great book for you. Holly Elliott is a wonderful author and is probably the first professionally trained deaf therapist in the US. Her story is inspiring, informative, and really proves to the world that deafness is not a disability, but rather something that influences character and experiences. This is a non-fiction book that reads like a beautiful novel and I highly recommend it to anyone who would like to learn more about how pioneering deaf people live their lives.

I know, I know, this list is long for having so many great books! All I can recommend is is buying a few at a time. You don't have to read them all at once! They all cover different areas and will take you a while to read and absorb. Reading even a few of these books will greatly increase your understanding of the Deaf.

If you have a favorite Deaf culture or history of Deaf culture book that is not mentioned on this page, please contact me and let me know. I will gladly add it to this list.

Don't forget to read my Deaf Culture page for an overview of what you will be learning about in these books!

You can also find more of my recommendations in My Library.

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