Arts & Literature
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Deaf Utopia: A Memoir―and a Love Letter to a Way of Life
A heartfelt and inspiring memoir and celebration of Deaf culture by Nyle DiMarco, actor, producer, two-time reality show winner, and cultural icon of the international Deaf community
Before becoming the actor, producer, advocate, and model that people know today, Nyle DiMarco was half of a pair of Deaf twins born to a multi-generational Deaf family in Queens, New York. At the hospital one day after he was born, Nyle "failed" his first test-a hearing test-to the joy and excitement of his parents.
In this engrossing memoir, Nyle shares stories, both heartbreaking and humorous, of what it means to navigate a world built for hearing people. From growing up in a rough-and-tumble childhood in Queens with his big and loving Italian-American family to where he is now, Nyle has always been driven to explore beyond the boundaries given him. A college math major and athlete at Gallaudet-the famed university for the Deaf in Washington, DC-Nyle was drawn as a young man to acting, and dove headfirst into the reality show competitions America's Next Top Model and Dancing with the Stars-ultimately winning both competitions.
Deaf Utopia is more than a memoir, it is a cultural anthem-a proud and defiant song of Deaf culture and a love letter to American Sign Language, Nyle's primary language. Through his stories and those of his Deaf brothers, parents, and grandparents, Nyle opens many windows into the Deaf experience.
Deaf Utopia is intimate, suspenseful, hilarious, eye-opening, and smart-both a memoir and a celebration of what makes Deaf culture unique and beautiful.
Before becoming the actor, producer, advocate, and model that people know today, Nyle DiMarco was half of a pair of Deaf twins born to a multi-generational Deaf family in Queens, New York. At the hospital one day after he was born, Nyle "failed" his first test-a hearing test-to the joy and excitement of his parents.
In this engrossing memoir, Nyle shares stories, both heartbreaking and humorous, of what it means to navigate a world built for hearing people. From growing up in a rough-and-tumble childhood in Queens with his big and loving Italian-American family to where he is now, Nyle has always been driven to explore beyond the boundaries given him. A college math major and athlete at Gallaudet-the famed university for the Deaf in Washington, DC-Nyle was drawn as a young man to acting, and dove headfirst into the reality show competitions America's Next Top Model and Dancing with the Stars-ultimately winning both competitions.
Deaf Utopia is more than a memoir, it is a cultural anthem-a proud and defiant song of Deaf culture and a love letter to American Sign Language, Nyle's primary language. Through his stories and those of his Deaf brothers, parents, and grandparents, Nyle opens many windows into the Deaf experience.
Deaf Utopia is intimate, suspenseful, hilarious, eye-opening, and smart-both a memoir and a celebration of what makes Deaf culture unique and beautiful.
Editorial Reviews
"A cheerful but sobering account of [DiMarco's] life so far, peppered throughout with a broad-strokes history of Deaf persecution and advancement. . . . Genuinely informative, and rather ambitious as far as celebrity memoirs go. He does not see himself not as some kind of unicorn, that rare Deaf celebrity to gain a foothold in the hearing world, but as part of an intergenerational struggle." -- New York Times
"Nyle DiMarco welcomes you to his world. . . . his book covers the harmonious and heartbreaking parts of his childhood. . . . The book also serves as an education for readers who may not know key facts about Deaf people or moments in Deaf history. . . .Something tells us we'll all be living in DiMarco's 'Deaf Utopia' soon enough." -- USA Today
"Activist and model DiMarco debuts with an immensely inspiring story of the experiences, people, and culture that made him "the proud Deaf man I am today." Expertly weaving in seminal moments from Deaf history. . . . This exuberant account isn't to be missed." -- Publishers Weekly(starred review)
"Unique and vividly written, the memoir effectively serves a dual purpose: to showcase the author's life and exuberant pride as a Deaf individual and to bring increased awareness to the Deaf community by spotlighting "the beauty, power, [and] magic of ASL. An honest, heartfelt, and thoroughly memorable portrayal of growing up Deaf." -- Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"DiMarco's pride in his Deaf community radiates from every page of Deaf Utopia. . . . [This book] is generous to its hearing readers . . . and it takes the unique step of conveying ASL conversations that employ the grammar and rhythms of ASL as far as possible. . . . This joyful memoir celebrates DiMarco's ambition and adaptability, his journey to understand his queerness, and the vibrant Deaf community that made him who he is." -- Booklist
"An eye-opening and engaging tale of what it is like to grow up in the Deaf community. . . . DiMarco's memories, told with a true gift of storytelling and filled with his big personality, are funny and enlightening for any reader." -- Library Journal (starred review)
"Nyle DiMarco welcomes you to his world. . . . his book covers the harmonious and heartbreaking parts of his childhood. . . . The book also serves as an education for readers who may not know key facts about Deaf people or moments in Deaf history. . . .Something tells us we'll all be living in DiMarco's 'Deaf Utopia' soon enough." -- USA Today
"Activist and model DiMarco debuts with an immensely inspiring story of the experiences, people, and culture that made him "the proud Deaf man I am today." Expertly weaving in seminal moments from Deaf history. . . . This exuberant account isn't to be missed." -- Publishers Weekly(starred review)
"Unique and vividly written, the memoir effectively serves a dual purpose: to showcase the author's life and exuberant pride as a Deaf individual and to bring increased awareness to the Deaf community by spotlighting "the beauty, power, [and] magic of ASL. An honest, heartfelt, and thoroughly memorable portrayal of growing up Deaf." -- Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"DiMarco's pride in his Deaf community radiates from every page of Deaf Utopia. . . . [This book] is generous to its hearing readers . . . and it takes the unique step of conveying ASL conversations that employ the grammar and rhythms of ASL as far as possible. . . . This joyful memoir celebrates DiMarco's ambition and adaptability, his journey to understand his queerness, and the vibrant Deaf community that made him who he is." -- Booklist
"An eye-opening and engaging tale of what it is like to grow up in the Deaf community. . . . DiMarco's memories, told with a true gift of storytelling and filled with his big personality, are funny and enlightening for any reader." -- Library Journal (starred review)
Readers Top Reviews
Star WandsingnrnK
Wow. What I can say about this book is that I learned so much from it. Nyle Dimarco has written an amazing testament to what the world of someone born deaf is like and how it is not an impairment in any way. In many ways it is empowering. I was fascinated to learn about the history of deaf culture. I felt really sad for Nyle and for the generations of deaf Americans who had their ASL stifled by people who felt they should learn to speak (curse you Alexander Graham Bell!). But in the end, you can tell Nyle has come out the other side a good person and a great human being. I was invested in his journey from start to finish. Also kudos to his wonderful mother for sticking to her guns and standing up for her children. I would encourage anyone looking to learn about the deaf community or even just a great read to pick this up. You won't be disappointed.
Kristy CarrStar
I preordered book through Facebook site and was told my book would have an autograph, but it did not was soooo disappointed:(
Pageturner in NYC
Nyle DiMarco's inspiring and inventive memoir beautifully captures his joy of growing up, along with his twin brother, in a home with three other generations of Deaf family members and the frustrations of navigating a world designed for and run by hearing people. The innovative way in which DiMarco and coauthor Robert Siebert tell these stories is by interspersing American Sign Language (ASL) into the English text. What is known as ASL gloss is a transcription, sign by sign, of ASL on the page, and it is represented in the memoir in ALL CAPS. ASL gloss has its own style rules, so it can be read initially as broken English. But it reminds readers that ASL is syntactically different from spoken or written English. After graduating with a mathematics degree, DiMarco began freelance modeling and appeared on "America's Next Top Model" in 2015 and "Dancing with the Stars" the following year. He won both competitions. (The chapter on "DWTS" is a rollercoaster of emotions.) He was outed by a Deaf vlogger at age 26 and came out on Twitter as "sexually fluid." This memoir affords him the space to explore his sexuality with much more depth and honesty. Mixed in with his empowering autobiographical tales are fascinating historical facts and stories from Deaf history and culture. He explains the difference between ASL and Signed Exact English (SEE); how the average lip-reader captures only around 30% of a speaker's words; and the invention in the 1960s of the teletypewriter (TTY), which could be considered a kind of text messaging between Deaf people using the machine. DEAF UTOPIA is an empowering, eye-opening and beautifully expressed memoir. DiMarco's remarkably thoughtful, confident and inspiring memoir is a real treat. It's educational and unforgettable.
Kingsley7Pageturn
For anyone who wants to understand Deaf Culture/Real-Life situations. That is the book to read! While I was reading, I was like, "Oh yes, that!" related to Deaf experiences numerous times! Nyle is wicked funny! Thank you, Nyle, for sharing this with the world, especially the language deprivation of the Deaf children!
jonjonKingsley7Pa
Nyle DiMarco weaves an incredible tale describing his upbringing in a Deaf household, his experiences balancing on the tight rope that is between the Deaf and hearing worlds, his journey with his sexuality, and provides valuable insight on his journey to notability in Hollywood. I laughed, I cried, and I related.
