But You Look So Normal
Lost and Found in a Hearing World
by Claudia Marseille
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Pub Date 14 May 2024 | Archive Date 17 Jun 2024
Caitlin Hamilton Marketing & Publicity for She Writes Press | She Writes Press
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Description
“A fascinating, beautifully written memoir about a woman determined to carve out a fulfilling life for herself.” —Library Journal, starred review
By age four, Claudia Marseille had hardly uttered a word. When her parents finally had her hearing tested and learned she had a severe hearing loss, they chose to mainstream her, hoping this would offer her the most “normal” childhood possible. With the help of a primitive hearing aid, Claudia worked hard to learn to hear, lipread, and speak even as she tried to hide her disability in order to fit in. As a result, she was often misunderstood, lonely, and isolated—fitting into neither the hearing world nor the Deaf culture.
This memoir explores Claudia’s relationships with her German refugee parents—a disturbed, psychoanalyst father obsessed over various harebrained projects and moneymaking schemes and a Jewish mother who had survived the Holocaust in Munich—and with her own identity. Claudia shares how she emerged from loneliness and social isolation, explored her Jewish identity, struggled to find a career compatible with hearing loss, and eventually opened herself to a life of creativity and love.
But You Look So Normal is the inspiring story of a life affected but not defined by an invisible disability. It is a journey through family, loss, shame, identity, love, and healing as Claudia finally, joyfully, finds her place in the world.
A Note From the Publisher
Advance Praise
“Marseille is a clear, expressive writer . . . this is an elegantly written memoir that raises awareness and will empower others.”—KIRKUS REVIEWS
"...a story of profound personal triumph....uplifting and inspiring."—THE INDYPENDENT.ORG
“A clear-eyed look at the pervasive influence of hearing loss on almost every aspect of life….Claudia Marseille’s creative zest for life triumphs over what some might consider a disability, and she candidly sets her struggles alongside the story of her relationship with European parents still living under the shadow of the Holocaust. A wonderful, poignant read!”—GAEL HANNAN, advocate and author of Hear & Beyond: Live Skillfully with Hearing Loss (with Shari Eberts) and The Way I Hear It: A Life with Hearing Loss
“… a beautifully written, utterly honest memoir about the experience of growing up with a silent disability. It is a testament to resilience and the power of honesty, forgiveness, and self-discovery through human relationships and art. It is a must-read for clinicians and anyone afflicted by or interested in the experience of difference.”––HARRIET WOLFE, MD, President of the International Psychoanalytical Association
“Marseille’s memoir is a beautifully told, nostalgic portrayal of a 1950’s childhood with a severe hearing loss. Born at a time when hearing aids were crude amplifiers, Claudia had to deal with loneliness at school, social gatherings and professional demands. She finally learned to tell others about her hearing loss and find meaning in a loving marriage and a successful career as a painter. Hers is an evocative story of resilience and her challenges will resonate with anyone who has experienced hearing loss.”––KATHERINE BOUTON, President, Hearing Loss Association of America, NYC Chapter, author of Shouting won’t help, and Smart Hearing
Available Editions
| EDITION | Other Format |
| ISBN | 9781647426262 |
| PRICE | US$17.95 (USD) |
| PAGES | 280 |
Available on NetGalley
Featured Reviews
Mike M, Media/Journalist
This was an outstanding book. I know because I have profound hearing loss too. The author gives an excellent view of the difficulties that a hard-of-hearing person goes through because I have and am going through them every day. I hope this becomes a bestseller. This book gets five stars from me easily.
