In 'Mother Tongue,' author Sara Nović examines deaf history, and writes her own
About this episode
Sara Nović discusses her memoir 'Mother Tongue' and her experiences as a deaf mother navigating language and identity.
Acclaimed author Sara Nović lost her hearing at age 12. Since then, she’s learned ASL, written the best-selling novel True Biz, mothered two children, and even discovered a knack for playing the piano — something she feels, rather than hears. Nović’s new memoir, Mother Tongue, follows her journey from teenagehood through motherhood as she grapples with a tough but fascinating question: What is a primary language? In today’s episode, Nović joins NPR’s Elissa Nadworny to discuss the book, how being deaf shapes the world around her, and her own approach to cultivating a multilingual household. To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookoftheday See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy
People in this episode
Host: Elissa Nadworny
Guest: Sara Nović
Topics covered
- deaf history
- memoir
- multilingual households
- ASL
- motherhood
- language
Keywords
- deaf
- ASL
- memoir
- language
- motherhood
- Sara Nović
- True Biz
Mentioned in this episode
Books & works: Mother Tongue, True Biz
More episodes of NPR's Book of the Day
- Ann Patchett’s 'Whistler' and 'Tom Lake' are novels written with love in mind
- 'A Pair of Aces' is about two women who face down the mob in 1930s New York
- In 'Keeper of My Kin,' Ada Ferrer struggles with being her mother's "chosen one"
- Maggie O'Farrell's novel 'Land' takes readers to a famine-ravaged yet resilient Ireland
- In 'View From the East Wing,' Jill Biden reflects on the debate that changed history
- Two new books ask: What would you do if you encountered alien life?
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the NPR's Book of the Day podcast page.