Cultural Books

 Cultural Book Studies for Interpreters

All Books = 1.0 CEUs each

Choose from over 75 curated non-fiction titles that explore the complex cultural identities of the diverse clients we serve in the Deaf community. 

How does it work?  

Step 1: Choose the book and register to receive an immediate download link to the on-line Reflection Form.

Step 2: Purchase & read your book. (Due to copyright law, participants must purchase their own book.  E-book versions available for most titles)

Step 3: Answer 6 questions in casual, written responses using the new one-click online Reflection Form. (4/6 questions participants choose from a list of options)

SUBMIT & Earn CEUs!  Ginevra Deianni, RID CMP Sponsor, will review the Reflection Form and award CEUs directly to your RID transcript (for RID members), and/or Certificates of Completion for non-RID interpreters

* Feel free to email us for more explanation or to request sample questions 

DESCRIPTIONS OF AVAILABLE OPTIONS:

• "Agatha Tiegel Hanson: Our Places in the Sun" by: Kathy Jankowski Deaf women's history is laid out in this power story of Agatha Tiegel Hanson's life.  Learn about audism and sexism in the early Gallaudet years, and the influence of her Deaf architect husband, Olof Hanson. ($95, 1.0 PS CEUs + PPO)
• "Alone in the Mainstream" by: Gina A Oliva: This is the biography of a Deaf woman's experiences in the mainstream education system. ($95, 1.0 PS CEUs + PPO)
• "Ambivalent Encounters: Childhood, Tourism, & Social Change in Banaras, India" by: Jenny Huberman:  Enter the world of the riverfront ghats in Banaras India to learn about the cultural, gender, and economic childhood norms in one of India's most famous cities. ($95, 1.0 PS CEUs)
• "American Chica" by: Marie Arana:  This novel examines dual-cultural identity from a latina/Peruvian and American woman's perspective.  ($95, 1.0 PS CEUs + PPO)
• "The Art of Being Deaf" by: Donna McDonald:  Take a journey with Donna McDonald from little 'd' Deaf identity to capital "D" as she explores a literature review of Deaf writing and experiences in the Deaf community. ($95, 1.0 PS CEUs + PPO)
• "Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother" by: Amy Chua:  This controversial book explores Chinese immigrant values in the US and how they are manifested in family structures and expectations ($95, 1.0 PS CEUs)
• "Be Opened: The Catholic Church & Deaf Culture" by: Lana Portolano: Peek into the history of how the Catholic church has connected with the Deaf community, including Deaf leaders who pushed for sign language rights and access. ($95, 1.0 PS CEUs + PPO)
• "The Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death & Hope in a Mumbai Undercity" by: Katherine Boo:  This book takes readers into the slums of Mumbai to explore culture, politics and community.  A video link of Deaf culture in Mumbai is included for a compare & contrast cultural exploration. ($95, 1.0 PS CEUs + PPO)
• "Being Heuamnn: The Unrepentant Memoir of a Disability Rights Activist" by: Judy Heumann:  Dive into the life of one of the leaders of the disability rights movement, identifying challenges and triumphs against the powers of ableism. ($95, 1.0 PS CEUs + PPO)
• "Being Mortal" by: Atul Gawande:  This novel explore the human issue of mortality, morbidity, and aging in American culture and our current medical system. ($95, 1.0 PS CEUs)
• "Being Seen: One DeafBlind Woman's Fight to End Ableism" by: Elsa Sjunneson: An honest journey into Elsa's lived experience, she highlights covert & overt areas of ableism & audism with a call to action for us all to foster a more inclusive and equity society. ($95, 1.0 PS CEUs + PPO)
• "Black Like Me" by: John Howard Griffin:  Explore issues of race and discrimination (parallel to the Deaf experience) in this classic cultural anthropology experiment where a white man transforms himself to pass as a black man in the 1950s Jim Crowe south. ($95, 1.0 PS CEUs + PPO)
• "The Body Keeps The Score" by: Bessel van Der Kolk:  Deepen your understanding of trauma, focusing on how it impacts our work as interpreters within the Deaf community ($95, 1.0 PS CEUs)
• "Born A Crime" by: Trevor Noah:  This book is a heartfelt memoire, speckled with humor, that pulls the reader into the life of a mixed race "colored" child as apartheid ended in South Africa.  ($95, 1.0 PS CEUs + PPO)
• "Born on the Edge of Race & Gender" by: Willy Wilkinson:   Follow the journey of a trans man and LGBTQ/disability advocate.  His story examines the complexity of multiple identities as an LGBTQ person of color and the powers of oppression faced in society.  ($95, 1.0 PS CEUs + PPO)
• "Breaking the Age Code: How Your Beliefs About Aging Determine How Long You Will Live" by: Rebecca Levy. This book explores ageism and its connection to global cultural beliefs, how this impacts how we are viewed, the opportunities available to us, and ultimately our health. ($95, 1.0 PS CEUs + PPO)
• "The Butterfly Cage: Joy, Heartache & Corruption: Teaching while Deaf in A California Public School" by: Rachel Remach. Get a closer look at the challenging experiences of a Deaf teacher confronting audism in the school system and staff, while role modeling and nurturing Deaf students and families toward paths of success. ($95, 1.0 PS CEUs + PPO)
• "Caste" by: Isabel Wilkerson: This book examines issues of race and economic inequities in society and the powers and oppression that support privilege and subjugation in the US.  ($95, 1.0 PS CEUs + PPO)
• "The Color of Water" by James McBride:  This memoir examines power, privilege, oppression, culture and identity as the child of a mixed-race family. Parallels to the Deaf/CODA experience of isolation & marginalization are explored. ($95, 1.0 PS CEUs + PPO)
• "Crying in H Mart" by: Michelle Zauner:  This book examines inter-generational family perspectives on sexism, language, culture, and intersectionality.  ($95, 1.0 PS CEUs)
• "Daring To Drive" by:   Al-Sharif:  This book reveals the powers of oppression and control in Saudi Arabia that keep women subjugated, and the triumph of rebellion that earned Saudi women the right to drive. ($95, 1.0 PS + PPO)
• "Deaf & Hearing Siblings in Conversation" by: Marla C Berkowitz and Judith A Jonas: This book examines the unique relationship and family dynamics between Deaf & hearing siblings, with ethnographic stories and a special focus on power, privilege & oppression. ($95, 1.0 PS + PPO)
• "Deaf People in Hitler's Europe" by: Donna F Ryan & John S Schuchman: From a conference hosted by Gallaudet & US Holocaust Memorial Museum, this collection of essays explores the Deaf experience and impact of deadly policies during WW2. ($95, 1.0 PS + PPO)
• "Deaf Professionals & Designated Interpreters" by: Peter C Hauser:  This truly 'the bible' for interpreters working regularly with a Deaf professional in any field.  Please note: it is a $55 book. Occasionally, it is up for a $5 rental thru Gallaudet/Chicago Press, but make sure to secure the book before you register for this project. (*This is a great to do with a group to share the book cost!*) ($95, 1.0 PS CEUs)
• "Deaf in Dehli" by: Madan Vasishta:  One mans life experiences as a Deaf person growing up and living in Dehli, India. ($95, 1.0 PS CEUs + PPO)
• "Deaf in Japan" by: Karen Nakamura:  This text explores the cultural history of the Deaf community in Japan, and it's connection and contrast to the U.S. ($95, 1.0 PS CEUs + PPO)
• "Disability Visibility" by: Alice Wong:  A collection of written works that share the lived experiences of people with disabilities, including the Deaf experience.  ($95, 1.0 PS CEUs + PPO)
• "Dreams From My Father" by: Barak Obama:  This memoir explores issues of race, class, intersectionality, culture, privilege & oppression through events and encounters in Barak's young life as a multi-racial child and early career as a Community Organizer in Chicago.  ($95, 1.0 PS CEUs + PPO)
• "Educated" by: Tara Westover: Explore the meaning of education, identity and family in this powerful story of a woman who leaves a closed religious survivalist group to discover herself and the world at large.  ($95, 1.0 PS CEUs)
• "The Elements of Ethics" by: W Brad Johnson + Charles R Ridley:  Learn the theory and practice of human ethics when applied to professional problem sets. Dissect the difference between morals and ethics and relate to interpreters' CPC. *Professional Ethics Specialization credit upon request ($95, 1.0 PS CEUs)
• "The Elements of Mentoring" by: W Brad Johnson + Charles R Ridley, 3rd edition:  This book analysis give a higher level overview of the mentoring relationship.  ($95, 1.0 PS CEU)
• "The Enabling Act: The Hidden Story of How the ADA Gave the Largest US Minority Its Rights, by: Lennard J Davis:  peek behind the curtain for an inside view of the bipartisan efforts and community advocates who enacted the ADA and its subsequent impacts on Deafcommunity. ($95, 1.0 PS CEUs) 
• "Extreme Self Care: 12 Practical & Inspiring Ways to Love Yourself More" by: Cheryl Richardson: Examine your values and be able to identify if you honor them in your professional behaviors. Activities and reflections offer insights and support the courage to change. Note: this book with the subtitle: "Transform your life One Month at a Time" is the same text - both will work for this project. (1.0 PS CEUs, $95)
• “Factory Girls: From Village to City in a Changing China” by  Leslie T Chang:  Get an unprecedented view into the factory labor system of Chinese goods through the lives of young women who sacrifice their autonomy to provide for their families. ($95, 1.0 PS CEUs)
• "Finding Latinx: In Search of Redefining Latino Identity" by Paola Ramos:  Explore the US latino/x identity across various intersectionalities and geographies to uncover the roots of cultural identity and nationalism, and the forces of power & oppression at play. ($95, 1.0 PS CEUs + PPO)
• "Finding Zoe: A Deaf Woman's journey of Love, Identity, & Adoption" by: Brandi Rarus:  This revealing story of a Deaf woman's unique family journey bravely explores themes of Deaf culture and identity (inside & out of the Deaf community) as she forms a Deaf-centered, loving home for a new child. ($95, 1.0 PS CEUs)
• "Forbidden Signs: American Culture and the Campaign against Sign Language" by: Douglas C Baynton:  Learn about the early American campaign to suppress the use of sign language, led by Alexander Graham Bell and follow these arguments into our modern day struggles in Deaf education.  ($95, 1.0 PS CEUs + PPO)
• "Found in Translation" by: Nataly Kelly & Jost Zetzsche: Stories from 'the field' of how interpretations, and life as an interpreter, affects our lives.($95, 1.0 PS CEUs)
• "Get Your Elbow Off The Horn" by: Jack Gannon: A lifelong advocate for the Deaf community, Jack takes readers through his rural childhood in the Ozarks and continues into his experiences as a student, educator, coach, husband, parent, and community leader. ($95, 1.0 PS CEUs)
• "Growing Old in Silence" by: Gaylene Becker: Learn how Deaf culture has more in common with non-US cultures regarding their reverence for seniors as keepers of language and a rich cultural past.  ($95, 1.0 PS CEUs)
• "Haben: The Deaf-Blind Woman Who Conquered Harvard Law" by: Haben Girma:  Haben guides readers through her journey as a Deaf-Blind immigrant in the US, the barriers she triumphed and her rise to become an accommodation champion. ($95, 1.0 PS CEUs)
• "Hands of My Father" by Myron Uhlberg:  This is a historic CODA memoire that looks back a the experiences of oppression, isolation and discrimination Deaf families faced in the early 20th Century of the US.  ($95, 1.0 PS CEUs + PPO)
• "The Hidden Treasures of Black ASL" by: Carolyn McCaskill, et al.  Explore the history, evolution and preservation of Black ASL.  Issues of power, oppression and linguistic analysis bring the stories of the Black Deaf community into focus. ($95, 1.0 PS CEUs + PPO)
• "How To Be an Antiracist" by: Ibram X Kendi:  Examine ethics, history, law, and science, and lived experiences to dismantle systemic racism and unconscious bias, with practical step to achieve a future free from racial oppression.  ($95, 1.0 PS CEUs + PPO)
• "If You Lived Here, I'd Know Your Name" by: Heather Lende:  Step inside cultural life in rural Alaska to witness family and community values similar to the Deaf community in this small town 90-miles north of Juneau, accessible only by water or air. ($95, 1.0 PS CEUs)
• "I'm Down by: Mishna Wolfe: This book looks at racial identity, stereotypes and economic oppression in a true story memoire about a white girl whose father truly believed he was black. ($95, 1.0 PS CEUs)
• "Infidel" by: Ayaan Hirsi Ali:  This best-selling novel outlines the history of Muslim views that have lead to extreme beliefs, and one woman's journey to escape this life. ($95, 1.0 PS CEUs + PPO)
• "In the Land of Invisible Women" by: Qanta Ahmed: An American trained, British female doctor moves to Saudi Arabia to live and work amongst Saudi culture. ($95, 1.0 PS CEUs + PPO)
• "The Invention of Miracles: Language, Power & Alexander Graham Bell's Quest to End Deafness" by: Katie Booth: .Journey through the life of AGB, exploring the complexity of his relationship with the Deaf community and the impacts his legacy made that we still battle now. ($95, 1.0 PS CEUs + PPO)
• "Legal Rights: The Guide for Deaf & Hard of Hearing People" by: NAD:  Sharpen your understanding of the laws that give Deaf people accessibility and civil rights.  *Legal Specialization credits available upon request. ($95, 1.0 PS CEUs + PPO)
• "Made to Hear" by: Laura Maudlin: .Examine audism and ableism in the proliferation and power of medical/biotechnology, specifically with cochlear implants, and early intervention in families with Deaf children ($95, 1.0 PS CEUs + PPO)
• "Monique & the Mango Rains" by: Kris Holloway: This book is the memoire of a Peace Corps volunteer living in Mali, Africa as a maternal-infant health care worker and her life-long friendship with a village woman. ($95, 1.0 PS CEUs + PPO)
• "Mother-Father Deaf" by: Paul Preston:  This novel is a loving collection of family stories and histories from an American CODA that highlight Deaf culture. ($95, 1.0 PS CEUs)
• "Mother Delight Rice: The Life Story of Mother Delight Rice and Her Children: The First Teacher of the Deaf in the Philippines” by Ronald Hirano: This personal research project was done by one of Mother Delight Rice's former foster children, in cooperation with her family.  Learn about the history of this hero in the  US & Filipino Deaf communities. ($95, 1.0 PS CEUs) 
• "My Stroke of Insight" by: Jill Bolte Taylor:  A neuroscientist's medically detailed description of her brain hemorrhage/stroke and subsequent recovery. ($95, 1.0 PS CEUs)
• "Nine Hills to Nambonkaha" by: Sarah Erdman: This book is the story of a Peace Corps volunteer's immersion into the culture of the Ivory Coast of Africa. ($95, 1.0 PS CEUs + PPO)
• "Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea" by: Barbara Demick: Explore North Korean culture & political power, with some added research on the Deaf community, as compared to our American values. ($95, 1.0 PS CEUs + PPO)
• "Orchid of the Bayou: A Deaf Woman Faces Blindness" by: Cathryn Carroll & Catherine Hoffpauir Fischer:  This memoir guides us through through Catherine's journey to find her Deaf identity and face the changes that Usher's syndrome and the Deaf-Blind experience brings her and her family. ($95, 1.0 PS CEUs)
• "On Golden Mountain" by: Lisa See & Kate Reading: The book in the story of one Chinese-American's family history and their integration into American life through work and community over two generations. ($95, 1.0 PS CEUs + PPO)
• "On The Beat of Truth" by: Maxine Childress Brown: Explore themes of intersectionality, audism, and racism in this memoire of being Deaf & Black through the eyes of a hearing daughter in the 1950s.  ($95, 1.0 PS CEUs + PPO)
• The Power of Ethics:  The book provides a framework to help interpreters define their own principles & ask the right questions when facing a dilemma using 6 forces that drive ethics beyond the edge of law and the CPC. (1.0 PS + Ethics Studies credit $95)
• "Reading Between The Signs: Intercultural Communication for Sign Language Interpreters" (any edition) by: Anna Mindess: Explore historic and new issues relevant to the nexus of Deaf and hearing cultures and the role of interpreters that continues to evolve with the community, including techniques to work more effectively with a Deaf heart. ($95, 1.0 PS CEUs)
• "Seeing Voices" by Oliver Sacks:  This groundbreaking book exposed hearing people for the first time to a cultural exploration of the Deaf community through the eyes of a prominent neurologist.  ($95, 1.0 PS CEUs + PPO)
• "Seeing in Sign Language: The work of William Stokoe" by Jane Maher: This book traces the process that Stokoe followed to prove scientifically that ASL met the full criteria of linguistics―phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics and use of language―to be classified a fully developed language. ($95, 1.0 PS CEUs + PPO)
• "Signing & Belonging in Nepal" by: Erika Hoffman-Dilloway:  This book takes you into the Nepal Deaf community, exploring the deep cultural identity and modern efforts of inclusion in signing-dominant villages. ($95, 1.0 PS CEUs)
• "Signs of Resistance: American Deaf Cultural History 1900 - World War II" by: Susan Burch: This book narrates Deaf people's relentless struggle against hearing oppression in the early twentieth century, highlighting Deaf heroes and milestones that must never be forgotten. ($95, 1.0 PS CEUs + PPO)
• "The Spirit Catches You & You Fall Down" by: Anne Fadiman: This book recounts the tragic cultural story of a Hmong family stuck in the American medical system without cultural mediators and very few interpreters. (A must-read for medical interpreters!) ($95, 1.0 PS CEUs + PPO)
• "Talking Hands: What Sign Language Reveals about the Mind” by Margalit Fox:  Join a world-reknown group of ASL Linguists who travel to a remote Bedouin village in Israel where a sign language is used by all villagers Deaf and hearing in almost complete isolation. ($95, 1.0 PS CEUs)
• "Thanks for the Feedback: The Science and Art of Receiving Feedback Well" by: Douglas Stone & Sheila Heen:  The gift is in the receiving.  Learn why it is so challenging to receive, yet crucial to success as a professional. With insights from neuroscience & psychology, learn practical methods to be a better interpreter and mentor. ($95, 1.0 PS, CEUs)
• "Turn on the Words: Deaf Audiences, Captions, and the Long Struggle for Access" by: Harry G Lang:  Meet the heroes of the Deaf community and their allies who tirelessly fought after the "Golden Era" of silent films ended, excluding Deaf audiences from film and TV access.  ($95, 1.0 PS CEUs)
• "Turning the Tide: Making Life Better for Deaf & Hard of Hearing School Children by: Gina A. Oliva and Linda Risser Lytle: This examines social, linguistic, identity, and education issues for mainstream Deaf children across the US and the impacts into their adulthood.  Solutions for parents, educators, and interpreters in this arena are explored. ($95, 1.0 PS CEUs + PPO)
• "Underground Girls of Kabul: In Search of a Hidden Resistance in Afghanistan" by: Jenny Nordberg:  This book explores gender and power in Afghanistan and the practice of Bacha Posh which raises girls as boys for cultural reasons. ($95, 1.0 PS CEUs + PPO)
• "Voices from the Edge: Narratives about the ADA" by Ruth O'Brien*: This book gives a historic account and explanation of the American with Disabilities Act. *(This is a Legal Specialization Study credit ) ($90, 1.0 PS CEUs)
• "When I Was Puerto Rican" by: Esmerelda Santiago:  This memoire explores themes of cultural identity and linguistic integration as Esmerelda struggles with the journey of being a Puerto Rican-American immigrant. Focus on the powers that require marginalized people to assimilate. ($95, 1.0 PS CEUs)
• "When The Mind Hears: A History of the Deaf" by: Harlan Lane: This detailed look at both the joys and pains of Deaf education's history -  first through the voice of Laurent Clerc, and then through the author Harlan Lane, is a stunning outline of the multi-century struggle with institutes of power & oppression in Deaf people's lives. ($95, 1.0 PS CEUs + PPO)
• "The White House Interpreter" by: Harry Obst: Dive deeply into the theory and practice of our interpreting work through a spoken language professional lens. This rich discussion of linguistics, boundaries, ethics, and client connection brings our complex cultural-linguistic work into focus. ($95, 1.0 PS CEUs)
• "Winning Sounds Like This: A Season with the Women's Basketball Team at Gallaudet" by Wayne Coffey: This book is an inside view of the record-breaking 1998-1999 Deaf women's basketball team and Gallaudet staff who supported them.  Their stories examine Deaf culture, education, personal histories of family, language, oppression and the tenacity required to keep pushing through a world of hearing people triumphing over their assumptions about what it means to be Deaf. ($95, 1.0 PS CEUs)
• "Words in My Hands: A Teacher, A Deaf-Blind Man, An Unforgettable Journey" by: Diane Lane Chambers:  Explore themes of identity, access, communication and connection between a trusted a language provider and a client in this heartwarming story about allyship in our work.  ($95, 1.0 PS CEUs)
• "What the F: What Swearing Reveals About Our Language, Our Brains, and Ourselves” by Benjamin Bergen: A comical and serious explanation of global cultural research on the etymology of taboo words, and their grammatical exceptions. With the primary focus on English, you will also learn the unique way humans swear across several languages, including a chapter on signed languages.  ($95, 1.0 PS CEUs)
• "The Year of Living Danishly", by: Helen Russel:  This book examines cultural values and happiness measures within Denmark, comparing and contrasting them to others.  ($95, 1.0 PS CEUs)

All project curriculum is copyrighted by iCEU Central, LLC.  The book rental or purchase is not included in the project per copyright law.  All RID CEUs are overseen, & administered by RID CMP Sponsor: Ginevra Deianni.  

A Note about CEU calculations: CEUs are calculated at a passive-learning 2:1 time-to-CEU ratio, per RID rules for CMP Activities of this genre. If you have any questions about the time calculations or pre-approved CEU amounts, please contact us.

Why don't you see non-fiction book titles at iCEU Central?   iCEU Central is committed to the highest quality of cross-cultural education and thereby strictly follows RID CMP criteria for sponsorship content selection & approval.  RID rules for CMP projects prohibit works of entertainment to be the sole focus of a CMP project.  For this reason, regardless if a book has characters/plot based in the Deaf community, we do not use works of fiction. Our titles are selected based on teaching use from higher education classrooms intended for cultural anthropology study from lived experiences to broaden our understanding of the diversity of intersectional identities with whom we work as interpreter professionals.