Deaf and Hearing Siblings in Conversation

November 1, 2014

All sibling relationships are unique. Sometimes they are fraught with drama; other times, full of trust and intensity. But what happens to these relationships when one or more of the siblings has a disability? Sign language interpreters Berkowitz (Ohio State Univ.) and Jonas explore that question through a series of interviews with 22 sets of kin. Because of their personal backgrounds (Berkowitz is deaf with hearing siblings; Jonas is hearing with deaf siblings), their focus is primarily on deaf-hearing relationships and how deafness affects the bonds between brothers and sisters as they grew up. Special attention is paid to how nonhearing children feel in a hearing family. The results are fairly intriguing and varied, and the authors also include anecdotes of their own experiences. Berkowitz and Jonas provide extensive background information helpful to those unfamiliar with the deaf world and culture. While in their introduction the authors acknowledge that they wrote fictionalized stories based on actual events, that aspect is slightly distracting in practice, particularly since quotes are used in other sections. VERDICT This text provides a compelling perspective on adult sibling relationships, with its focus on how deafness and disability tends to affect them.--Caitlin Kenney, Niagara Falls P.L, NY

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