David Owen (3) (1955–)

Very interesting overview of how hearing works, the history of the understanding of hearing problems, and newer technologies that are even now in development to help with hearing loss.

I picked it up from the library because I have family members with either hearing loss or hearing sensitivity.

It made a lot of sense to me that our world has gotten louder and louder since the industrial revolution and that our culture hasn't really picked up on the realities of sound levels that can damage hearing.

There was also the fact that, even in pre-industrial times, the weapons of warfare were damaging to people's hearing, but losing hearing was considered normal or expected for soldiers and that if you complained, that meant you weren't "manly." This unhealthy attitude has persisted almost through today, when it sounds like the military is finally starting to provide adequate hearing protection for soldiers that will dampen the sounds that hurt their ears and let through the sounds that they need to pay attention to.

Learning that the huge expense of hearing aids is tied to the field of audiology was eye-opening for me. Audiologists can probably be useful in some contexts, but the whole hearing aid market sounds like a racket since consumers have typically not been allowed to adjust their hearing devices themselves and must go to an audiologist to do so, upping the expense.

Interesting to know that this is changing and to learn about some of the newer devices in the works which slip past the FDA by not claiming to be hearing aids per se.

I bought a couple of copies of this book for family and friends after reading. The topics sometimes jumped around, so it wasn't always a smooth read, but overall the writing was good and the subject fascinating.… (more)

Wow what an amazing book.
If you live in the western United States this should be required reading.
Most of what people think and believe about water and it’s use in the west is wrong.
I love this book because the author didn’t just fill it with facts and lead the reader to incorrect conclusions as often happens, just to justify an agenda by the author.
In Where The Water Goes, the author traces the Colorado river from high atop the continental divide all the way to Mexico. Each chapter is dedicated to different sections of the river what other rivers feed into it and how the water is used.
The book tries to explain as clearly as possible
How water rights in the west are completely different than anywhere else.
The Law of The River what it is and what it means.
The Colorado River Compact, the upper and lower basins and states and what they are entitled to.
Where Mexico fits in.
How most of the water used in the Colorado front range originated in the other side of the continental divide and how it gets there.
One of the things I liked best is how the author broke down how there are no easy answers, to even what appear to be simple straight forward situations and questions.
This is a truly fascinating book!

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This book club choice was much more wide ranging than I expected and very interesting. I wish I had read the section on hearing aids when I was trying to get my Mom to try hearings aids and she complained that they were way too expensive. As usual, she was completely right! This was a really comprehensive look at the causes of hearing loss and wide variety of ways it is "treated" and so many other angles on hearing loss that I had only marginally considered. It was also well-written and engaging and had a nice balance of personal stories and research. I learned alot and enjoyed learning it!… (more)