Summary | Excerpt | Reviews | Beyond the book | Readalikes | Genres & Themes | Author Bio
Critics' Opinion:
Readers' Opinion:
First Published:
Aug 2007, 368 pages
Paperback:
Aug 2008, 368 pages
Book Reviewed by:
Lee Gooden
On
a page after the Table of Contents, without any other text, Fox includes the
following quote, from Ludwig Wittgenstein's Philosophical Investigations*,
"To imagine a language means to imagine a form of life."
Entering my twentieth year as one who works with people
with developmental disabilities I can personally attest to the truth of
this quote. Although not professionally trained in sign language, over the
years I have learned to distinguish and use signs that are appropriate to the
situation (just as children growing up in the hearing world learn that there are
some words that they use among their friends and others to their parents).
Because of my background, I initially approached Talking Hands as a
reference book that would improve my own job performance. I am ashamed to
admit that I opened the book with a degree of pomposity, thinking that after two
decades I knew it all; but I found Talking Hands to be an exhilarating
and humbling experience, showing my sign language skills, not to mention my
knowledge of other languages (including English) to be insignificant in
comparison to Fox and her fellow linguistic colleagues.
Talking Hands, which alternates chapters on
specific aspects of linguistics and sign language with chapters set in an isolated
Bedouin village with its own unique form of sign language, is a fascinating read for linguists and lay readers alike.
The interleaved chapters on specific aspects of linguistics are vital to the structure of the overall narrative and provide necessary clarification, although some readers may find themselves skipping through a few parts. When writing about the Bedouin village of Al-Sayyid (Al-Sayyids location
remains a secret and the names of its occupants have been changed to protect the
villagers' anonymity) Fox's writing is both accessible and poetic.
It is easy for the reader to share her excitement when she describes the
receptiveness of the villagers to outsiders and their ready acceptance of
the linguistics team's much repeated tests.
*Philosophical Investigations, Austrian philosopher Ludwig
Wittgenstein's classic on the philosophies of the mind, language and meaning,
was first published in 1953.
Guest review by Lee Gooden.
This review was originally published in September 2007, and has been updated for the
August 2008 paperback release.
Click here to go to this issue.
A love story for things lost and restored, a lyrical hymn to the power of forgiveness.
About the bookOther People's Houses
by Abbi Waxman
A hilarious and poignant novel about four families and the affair that changes everything.
Reader Reviews
The Leavers by Lisa Ko
One of the most anticipated books of 2017--now in paperback!
Visitors can view some of BookBrowse for free. Full access is for members only.
Your guide toexceptional books
BookBrowse seeks out and recommends books that we believe to be best in class. Books that will whisk you to faraway places and times, that will expand your mind and challenge you -- the kinds of books you just can't wait to tell your friends about.