miguelf's review against another edition
4.0
I’ve never been as paranoid with the volume settings as I was in listening to this audiobook. Volume Control is all about our hearing covering the science of how we hear to the history of how humans have tried (and mostly failed) to protect their hearing, to current cutting edge advancements in assisting deaf and hard of hearing treatments & technology. It’s consistently interesting and has a lot of tidbits related to the topic. The author is rightfully concerned about hearing protection around power tools – luckily I have always had my trusty earplugs and even ear muffs on top when operating a router. Now I just have to remember to turn down the volume on my ear buds listening to audiobooks and podcasts as well.
laurenkd89's review against another edition
4.0
We've all played the would-you-rather game, and I bet in all your time playing, you've included the age-old question, "Would you rather be deaf or blind?" Owen posits this same question in the introduction to Volume Control, saying that when he was a kid, he and almost everyone else he knew chose "deaf" without a doubt - without having the experience of either disability, being deaf seems way easier than being blind. You can still see the world, you can read lips or learn ASL, etc. But now, after studying hearing loss and deafness in detail for years and experiencing hearing loss himself, Owen wholeheartedly chooses blindness over deafness. Sound, and by extension, language, is what connects us to the experience of being human: laughter, crying, music, audible communication, and even hearing for basic survival are essential components of our daily lives. As Helen Keller noted, "Blindness separates people from things; deafness separates people from people."
However, hearing loss is becoming more and more common. Our maddeningly complex and tiny hearing systems have not evolved to match the level of noise in our post-Industrial Revolution world: the loudest noises pre-Industrial humans were used to hearing were waterfalls and thunder, but we now experience noises that loud on a daily basis (think: music in headphones, leaf blowers, subway cars). More than any other sense we have, hearing is extremely fragile - there is absolutely no surgery, medicine, or device that can correct or restore hearing once impaired, particularly if that impairment is caused by one loud noise (e.g. a shotgun blast close to your head) or constant exposure to loud noises (e.g. working in a factory or a loud restaurant).
Owen presents an overview of modern hearing problems, focusing more on the all-too-common problem of hearing loss rather than just deafness. I can't overstate how important this book is - I bet you know someone with hearing loss or maybe have experienced it yourself in the form of tinnitus, old age, or overexposure to noises. My dad has fairly severe hearing loss and the level of isolation and miscommunication he's felt in the past few years is astounding. He's tried two expensive hearing aids, Bose HearPhones (which work very well), and will be getting a cochlear implant in a few months. But for a family man and a music lover, nothing has really worked to restore hearing to his life as it was before, and nothing likely will. Owen's book helps me both understand his struggles better, gives me tips for improving communication with him, and presents me with options for what to do about his hearing.
He notes that there is no better time to be deaf than the present, as the capabilities of technology and medical treatments are improving constantly. However, our society places an undue stigma on deafness and hearing loss, and refuses to reckon with the issue in the dignified way it deserves, acknowledging that hearing, once lost, is almost impossible to regain. Particularly moving to me was the story about Chilmark, a community on Martha's Vineyard, that had a very large population of deaf people in the nineteenth century due to a common genetic mutation. The community was isolated from the rest of the U.S. at this time, and didn't even know that deafness was an uncommon issue. They went on with daily life as if nothing was abnormal - everyone on the island knew how to sign, and communication was smooth and seamless between hearing and non-hearing people. Owen notes that if we all knew how to sign, we wouldn't have to grapple with expensive and barely effective technologies to improve hearing, we wouldn't have to shout to people with hearing issues, we wouldn't have to rely on "huh??" in every other sentence. In our increasingly loud world, maybe that method of volume control is actually the simplest.
However, hearing loss is becoming more and more common. Our maddeningly complex and tiny hearing systems have not evolved to match the level of noise in our post-Industrial Revolution world: the loudest noises pre-Industrial humans were used to hearing were waterfalls and thunder, but we now experience noises that loud on a daily basis (think: music in headphones, leaf blowers, subway cars). More than any other sense we have, hearing is extremely fragile - there is absolutely no surgery, medicine, or device that can correct or restore hearing once impaired, particularly if that impairment is caused by one loud noise (e.g. a shotgun blast close to your head) or constant exposure to loud noises (e.g. working in a factory or a loud restaurant).
Owen presents an overview of modern hearing problems, focusing more on the all-too-common problem of hearing loss rather than just deafness. I can't overstate how important this book is - I bet you know someone with hearing loss or maybe have experienced it yourself in the form of tinnitus, old age, or overexposure to noises. My dad has fairly severe hearing loss and the level of isolation and miscommunication he's felt in the past few years is astounding. He's tried two expensive hearing aids, Bose HearPhones (which work very well), and will be getting a cochlear implant in a few months. But for a family man and a music lover, nothing has really worked to restore hearing to his life as it was before, and nothing likely will. Owen's book helps me both understand his struggles better, gives me tips for improving communication with him, and presents me with options for what to do about his hearing.
He notes that there is no better time to be deaf than the present, as the capabilities of technology and medical treatments are improving constantly. However, our society places an undue stigma on deafness and hearing loss, and refuses to reckon with the issue in the dignified way it deserves, acknowledging that hearing, once lost, is almost impossible to regain. Particularly moving to me was the story about Chilmark, a community on Martha's Vineyard, that had a very large population of deaf people in the nineteenth century due to a common genetic mutation. The community was isolated from the rest of the U.S. at this time, and didn't even know that deafness was an uncommon issue. They went on with daily life as if nothing was abnormal - everyone on the island knew how to sign, and communication was smooth and seamless between hearing and non-hearing people. Owen notes that if we all knew how to sign, we wouldn't have to grapple with expensive and barely effective technologies to improve hearing, we wouldn't have to shout to people with hearing issues, we wouldn't have to rely on "huh??" in every other sentence. In our increasingly loud world, maybe that method of volume control is actually the simplest.
sunn_bleach's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
fast-paced
3.5
A solid primer on hearing - and one that could easily be double the length. I do wish that the author spent a little more time on Deaf/deaf culture, especially in the controversy within the community concerning cochlear implants. I also wish that information on dBa and attenuation went a little more in-depth, but perhaps that's my own experience in the epidemiology of hearing loss talking! Still, a good primer on hearing loss and sound for non-specialists, even if it occasionally dips into a paternalistic writing tone.
Content Warnings
Minor: Cursing
beththebookdragon's review against another edition
4.0
An intriguing and well written book about hearing, hearing loss, how our ears work, tinnitus, caring for our hearing, and much more.
cameliarose's review against another edition
4.0
Volume Control is an informative book on hearing. David Owen's chatty style makes it easy to read.
The book covers how hearing works, conductive hearing loss, hearing loss and tinnitus. It discusses American Sign Language and oralists in education for deaf communities. I find the cochlea implants very interesting. It also explains why traditional hearing aids so expensive and how traditional manufactures refuse to change it. My favorite is the chapter about new, high-tech based hearing enhancing gadgets, which are not allowed to be called hearing aids because of FDA regulation nevertheless fulfilling the same functions and more.
I chose to read the book because I, too, have tinnitus. Sadly there is no cure yet, but it's comforting to know that technology can help me cope with it, if I need it.
Our hearing is under-protected, not only for people in noisy jobs such as heavy machinery operators, carpenters, soldiers and rock musicians, but ordinary people in everyday life. It's because our world is increasingly loud and our understanding of hearing loss was very limited until recently. Loud sound not only destroys the hair cells in your inner year, but also causes neural degeneration--the latter was not discovered until 2006, and the damage can not be detected easily by conventional hearing tests used by audiologists. Current sound regulation and hearing protection in US and worldwide is inadequate. Don't wait until you suffer from hearing loss or tinnitus. Be more aware of the sound in your surroundings. Perhaps it is time to invest Boss Hearphones or at least a pair of Etymotic earplugs.
The book covers how hearing works, conductive hearing loss, hearing loss and tinnitus. It discusses American Sign Language and oralists in education for deaf communities. I find the cochlea implants very interesting. It also explains why traditional hearing aids so expensive and how traditional manufactures refuse to change it. My favorite is the chapter about new, high-tech based hearing enhancing gadgets, which are not allowed to be called hearing aids because of FDA regulation nevertheless fulfilling the same functions and more.
I chose to read the book because I, too, have tinnitus. Sadly there is no cure yet, but it's comforting to know that technology can help me cope with it, if I need it.
Our hearing is under-protected, not only for people in noisy jobs such as heavy machinery operators, carpenters, soldiers and rock musicians, but ordinary people in everyday life. It's because our world is increasingly loud and our understanding of hearing loss was very limited until recently. Loud sound not only destroys the hair cells in your inner year, but also causes neural degeneration--the latter was not discovered until 2006, and the damage can not be detected easily by conventional hearing tests used by audiologists. Current sound regulation and hearing protection in US and worldwide is inadequate. Don't wait until you suffer from hearing loss or tinnitus. Be more aware of the sound in your surroundings. Perhaps it is time to invest Boss Hearphones or at least a pair of Etymotic earplugs.
tiedyedude's review against another edition
2.0
DNF: Just wasn't what I was looking for. There is a lot of research being done about the damage our increasingly noisy world can do. This was more about how people cope with hearing loss. There were too many personal accounts for it to be a compelling science-based read, and too much science for it to be emotionally engaging. I tired of it quickly.
dtrain3000's review against another edition
5.0
Volume Control is a fascinating and terrifying summary of how hearing works and of the many ways that hearing loss can occur.
I had a fundamental understanding of how ears worked from my high school biology class. But after reading this book, I have a newfound appreciation for hearing.
The author, David Owens does a marvelous job explaining the physics and biology of hearing in the early chapters. He then talks about the many ways that hearing can be affected through our environment and how these manifest into other issues of our health. Finally, he explains the technology and medical procedures used to reduce hearing loss and provides a glimmer of hope for the future in regards to rebuilding hearing.
Much of the book talks about the various research and science behind concepts. But these are interspersed with personal stories that the author discovered during his research. Owen does a great job at weaving the two together so that the reader understands the full impact of the science.
Volume Control also brings up topics about the Deaf community, whether or not being deaf is really a handicap, and stigmas about hearing loss that I had never thought about. It has opened my eyes (and ears) to issues that I hadn't given a thought about before. I am grateful however, of being more aware and will continue to educate myself in the future.
Volume Control has definitely empowered me to take a more active approach in protecting my hearing. It has also given me a deep admiration and appreciation for hearing. I definitely would recommend to anyone not only to educate oneself, but also because it was a genuinely interesting and well-written. Do not take your hearing for granted!
I had a fundamental understanding of how ears worked from my high school biology class. But after reading this book, I have a newfound appreciation for hearing.
The author, David Owens does a marvelous job explaining the physics and biology of hearing in the early chapters. He then talks about the many ways that hearing can be affected through our environment and how these manifest into other issues of our health. Finally, he explains the technology and medical procedures used to reduce hearing loss and provides a glimmer of hope for the future in regards to rebuilding hearing.
Much of the book talks about the various research and science behind concepts. But these are interspersed with personal stories that the author discovered during his research. Owen does a great job at weaving the two together so that the reader understands the full impact of the science.
Volume Control also brings up topics about the Deaf community, whether or not being deaf is really a handicap, and stigmas about hearing loss that I had never thought about. It has opened my eyes (and ears) to issues that I hadn't given a thought about before. I am grateful however, of being more aware and will continue to educate myself in the future.
Volume Control has definitely empowered me to take a more active approach in protecting my hearing. It has also given me a deep admiration and appreciation for hearing. I definitely would recommend to anyone not only to educate oneself, but also because it was a genuinely interesting and well-written. Do not take your hearing for granted!
pennyriley's review against another edition
5.0
I have hearing loss and decided it was time to educate myself more about it, and about the technological advances in hearing aids, as well as options for not having to spend several thousand dollars per ear to improve hearing. It was informative, at times entertaining, and sometimes quite scientific but never less than engrossing. It also should be required reading for any teen who plays their music too loud, hunters, all of those who work in a noisy environment etc. The damage to your ears that seems to be temporary under those circumstances, is in fact not, but changes the physiology of your ear to brain transmission (OK that's how I interpreted the science). When the ringing goes away, even though the next hearing test shows no change, the damage is done. It includes a history of deaf education and different approaches that have been taken and explains lucidly, and for many people counter-intuitively how being the deaf child of deaf parents has huge advantages, rather than being the deaf child of hearing parents.