Signs Books

My interest in finding this book was heightened as a result of reading "Seeing Voices" by Oliver Sacks. Overcoming the challange of sourcing the text resulted in nothing short of total exhileration as each chapter revealed the dedication, focus, determination and clarity of purpose displayed by these many wonderful people. Reading this book now, at the turn of the century and realizing it is written between 150 and 220 years ago as leading edge thinking is truely a humbling experience. That Franklin Philip and Harlan Lane with the cooperation of Harvard University Press have presented this work for English language readers is indicative of a continuation of the integrity and responsibility to others so kindly exercised in addressing the concerns of less fortunate individuals in earlier times.

This book chronicles the events leading up to and the deaf president now revolution at Gallaudet University. As the world's only university for deaf and hard-of-hearing studentsm Gallaudet had revolutionary potential from inception.

When Dr. Jerry C. Lee announced that he was leaving the university, many students and faculty felt that this would be their year. Because the Gallaudet administration had consisted mainly of hearing people, these dissenters felt that they were being condescended to.

Not only was the sole hearing candidate Elizabeth Zinser picked, but critical snafus undercut her very brief administration. Then-board chair Jane Spilman allegedly said that 'deaf people are not able to function in a hearing world' ironically reinforcing the protestor cause. Zinser's academic training in rehabilitative sciences hinted at the 'medical model' of disability which many of the students found outmoded and problematic.

The students recieved national media attention, alumni (including the use of the alumni house as an organizing space) and Congressional support. He had initially given his own support to Zinser in an attempt to forge campus unity, but the other presidential candidate, I. King Jordan (then Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences) withdrew his support. Zinser subsequently announced her resignation. Jordan became Gallaudet's first deaf president.

The DPN is an inspiring saga for anybody (particularly college students attempting to create their own campus chage). The actions of Gallaudet students later inspired me to challenge patronizing assumptions being made about my own community.

This is a great book for learning and practicing the correct non-manual signals. I used this book for a class on non-manual signals and it was very helpful. Communicating in ASL is conveyed much better with the correct NMS and this book will get you there. I highly recommend it.

Deaf Way II: An International Celebration presents 250 full-color photographs with captions and brief essays that superbly capture a July, 2002 event in which more than 9,700 deaf people from around the world met in Washington, D.C. to share arts, research, and languages in a cultural festival. An amazingly vivid portrayal of people enjoying and exhanging highlights of life, experience, and art, Deaf Way II is truly breathtaking, from its glamorous images of the "Thousand Hand Bodhisattva" dance as portrayed bye the China Disabled People's Performing Arts Troupe to behind-the-scenes glimpses from the tireless individuals who worked so hard to make the gathering such a grand success. A treasury and wondrous giftbook that embraces a positive message of living life to the fullest.

As a hearing person, it is hard for me to acquire an accurate picture of the deaf world as even my hearing impaired buddies can't tell much of the difference given their early loss of hearing and my limited understanding of sign language (they are somehow forced to sign more simply to express themselves in front of me). With a complete loss of hearing at the age of seven but mastery of English, the author can vividly depict how he 'sees' voices and sounds as well as what really exists in his world of silence. What's more, I truly admire his candid self-examination, such as the white superiority in South Africa in his times. It is racist in nowadays standard, but being truthful to oneself is far more precious than being politically correct to me. Highly recommend it to those who are interested in the issue of deafness.

Absolutely required reading to keep you alive should you even think of entering a Stone Door / Spanish Cache site and living
through the day.

Do not think this books shows ever type of attack one can encounter at a Cache / Mine site --but it gives you a dam good
chance of living through your encounter with the Spanish .

Read this book as many times as needed until you can actually
point to the traps--as you walk near the Stone Doors--if you do not fully understand every trap in this book--study it more!!
When one encounters the Cache sites they will throw at you every
type of attack and even ones not in this book--but this book--
tries to show you the right way to enter a Stone Door--Mine /
Cache site--and the principals to keep you alive--

If you need a little help you know how to find me...

Another wonderful collection of sixty-eight American photos from David Graham. I have another of his photo books 'Only in America' (ISBN 0394582152) and 'Declaring Independence' is sort of a continuation of the theme: the everyday Americana landscape.

The photos are mostly exterior, allowing Graham to get on with capturing his great compositions without the restraints of interior space and light. Many of them include some lettering or signage helping to reveal how American's express themselves in the environment but don't expect to see any folk here, these are photos of places and things.

Of the sixty-eight photos there are a few, I think, that don't quite work, mainly those that don't have a natural framing of sky or lack any edge to the main focal point. Most of them though, just look super and if you are collector of commonplace photo books (I certainly am) you'll want to have this latest instalment of Mr Graham's American vision.

***FOR AN INSIDE LOOK click 'customer images' under the cover.

As a signage and graphics designer, I have to say that this is one of the most detailed , well-written books I've seen. It is a wonderful collection of both signage and entertainment graphics. Also a great book for both the coffee table and new designers who want to learn about this area of graphic design.

This book has really helped me out with my linguistics course. This book is really complex, but helpful if you are taking a linguistic course or have another ASL linguistic book. This book alone I feel, can be confusing and won't easily teach you the understanding of the Stokoes symbols. Just use this book as a supplement, but not by itself. It's more reference than how-to. Most libraries have this book, you can check it out first before buying it.

Although published in 1980 I think this lovely book is still relevant in this digital age. The idea was to make a collection of visual cliches (over fifteen hundred included) and I think the authors succeed wonderfully. Each page is divided into three columns and the text is arranged alphabetically, Bullet holes, Bullfighter, Burnt paper, Bus, Bust are the words on page thirty-six. Every word has at least one graphic image, some have several, Heart has eight for instance, and they are all given a designer's credit, date, country of origin plus a few words about what the design is meant to convey. The material covers ads, packaging, magazine covers, logos, posters, brochure covers and most examples of designed printed matter.

Many of the graphics are American and mostly date from the mid-Fifties to the mid-Seventies, a period in which graphic and typographic design was unusually creative I think. Look through the index of creative folk and the regulars have plenty of showings, Saul Bass, Seymour Chwast, Lou Dorfsman, Bob Gill, George Lois, Herb Lubalin, Paul Rand (with fifty-five examples) Ben Shahn, Arnold Varga and Henry Wolf, to name just ten. The only disappointment I have is that all this wonderful material is not in color

So if you work in the visual creative biz and can't think of something use this book to kick-start your ideas. It's how you present the idea that counts.

***FOR AN INSIDE LOOK click 'customer images' under the cover.