Books: The Lost Deaf Children and other stories, by Cooper Nickerson
The Lost Deaf Children and Other Stories, by Cooper Nickerson
(Self-published, 266 pages, $19.95 softcover) — Cooper Nickerson offers
a different twist on deafness.
The Waterloo writer veers away from the traditional deaf literature and
weaves dark and mysterious themes into this eclectic collection of 15
stories. He mentions but does not dwell on hearing aids, cochlear
implants, sign language and specialist schools. Instead, he introduces
unique characters and places them in circumstances that result in
unpredictable — and sometimes shocking — outcomes.
As we enter this deaf storyteller’s world, we encounter lost children,
vampires and other supernaturals.
In a story titled The Stray, a 400-year-old female vampire arrives in
Halifax for her annual hunting tour of the Maritimes. At a
neighbourhood Tim Hortons, she picks up a deaf, homeless man and
converts him to a vampire.
In Maxine, His Daughter, an alien wrapped in silky scarves impregnates
an unsuspecting woman. The resulting child is gifted, but has no ears.
The title story is set on the northeastern seaboard of the United
States in 1876. Jerome, a shipwreck survivor, drifts for days on a
broken ship hatch before arriving at a remote island that is populated
by deaf people.
While I enjoyed reading all the stories, I was drawn in particular to
Matter of the Heart. In this piece, a 54-yearold man receives a heart
transplant. When he returns home, he starts using sign language and
expresses a desire to become deaf.
The Lost Deaf Children and Other Stories follows in the footsteps of
Nickerson’s first book, Hear Like the Deaf People, which he published
in 2010. Both are available through Amazon.com or through the author’s
own website at http://www.coopernickerson.com .
Joanne Guidoccio is a Guelph writer.
The Lost Deaf Children and Other Stories
Amazon link:
http://www.amazon.ca/Lost-Deaf-Children-Other-Stories/dp/1554838991
Hear Like the Deaf People
Amazon link:
http://www.amazon.ca/Hear-Like-People-Cooper-Nickerson/dp/192658256X
Source: