Eardrums

In this innovative study, Tyler Whitney demonstrates how a transformation and militarization of the civilian soundscape in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries left indelible traces on the literature that defined the period. Both formally and thematically, the modernist aesthetics of Franz Kafka, Robert Musil, Detlev von Liliencron, and Peter Altenberg drew on this blurring of martial and civilian soundscapes in traumatic and performative repetitions of war. At the same time, Richard Huelsenbeck assaulted audiences in Zurich with his “sound poems,” which combined references to World War I, colonialism, and violent encounters in urban spaces with nonsensical utterances and linguistic detritus—all accompanied by the relentless beating of a drum on the stage of the Cabaret Voltaire. Eardrums is the first book-length study to explore the relationship between acoustical modernity and German modernism, charting a literary and cultural history written in and around the eardrum. The result is not only a new way of understanding the sonic impulses behind key literary texts from the period. It also outlines an entirely new approach to the study of literature as as the interaction of text and sonic practice, voice and noise, which will be of interest to scholars across literary studies, media theory, sound studies, and the history of science.

Tuning the Eardrums invites the reader to approach listening as an intentional act. Gary Diggins draws upon his background as a musician and therapist in order to help individuals become more present to the ever-shifting nature of sound, music, words, or even silence. This guidebook considers our aural sense from multiple angles and provides practical ways to relate to someone or something through deep listening. The content mixes personal stories, psycho-spiritual principles, scientific research with mindful and musical practices. In a time when distractions and multi-tasking abound, this book helps us remain attentive as we receive or respond to the unseen world of sound.

A man standing in a darkened room notices that someone is breaking in via the window. He waits until the intruder is inside then holds him at gunpoint. The two then embark on the most audacious conversation any author has ever had the nerve to write. By the end of the book you'll be exhausted by the tales each man tells, each more unbelievable than the last. The climax will leave you gasping!

In field and laboratory experiments designed to study overall blast effects, incidental observations were made of the ears of over 490 animals. Those inside structures were exposed to a variety of 'atypical' blast waves. Those located inside shock tubes or in the open when high explosives were detonated were exposed to fairly 'typical' wave forms. An attempt was made to relate the incidence of eardrum rupture to various elements of the measured pressure-time curves. The association was not the same for 'typical' and 'atypical' wave forms. Within the limits of the meager differences were noted and discussed with emphasis on the apparent wide variability in tolerance for which an explanation was proposed.

“Everything you ever wanted to know about ears from two outstanding physician scientists. I loved this book!” —Donna Shalala, Former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services In The Ear Book, Drs. Thomas J. Balkany and Kevin D. Brown, recognized experts on ears and hearing, explain how the anatomy of the ear facilitates hearing and balance and then examine the causes, symptoms, and treatment of common problems of the outer, middle, and inner ear. Their explanations take the mystery out of hearing aids, the proper care of ears, and how the pressurized conditions of scuba diving and air travel affect the ears. And they debunk ear-related myths—from the notion that exposure to loud noise strengthens the ear to the idea that tinnitus can be cured with nutrients—and urge readers to stop using ear candling or Q-tips to get rid of wax. Drs. Balkany and Brown address such common questions as: Can dizziness be cured? How loud is too loud? Why do my ears ring? Do cochlear implants work for nerve deafness? What promise do innovations in gene therapy and stem cell therapy hold for the future? Fully illustrated and including helpful tables, hearing preservation tips, a glossary of terms, lists of ear medications and resources, and suggestions for further reading, The Ear Book is sure to be a welcome family guide. “This book is gem for everyone with questions about their ears. I highly recommend it—especially the chapter on Myths of the Ear!” —D. Bradley Welling, MD, PhD, Harvard University Department of Otolaryngology

Millions of Americans experience some degree of hearing loss. The Social Security Administration (SSA) operates programs that provide cash disability benefits to people with permanent impairments like hearing loss, if they can show that their impairments meet stringent SSA criteria and their earnings are below an SSA threshold. The National Research Council convened an expert committee at the request of the SSA to study the issues related to disability determination for people with hearing loss. This volume is the product of that study. Hearing Loss: Determining Eligibility for Social Security Benefits reviews current knowledge about hearing loss and its measurement and treatment, and provides an evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of the current processes and criteria. It recommends changes to strengthen the disability determination process and ensure its reliability and fairness. The book addresses criteria for selection of pure tone and speech tests, guidelines for test administration, testing of hearing in noise, special issues related to testing children, and the difficulty of predicting work capacity from clinical hearing test results. It should be useful to audiologists, otolaryngologists, disability advocates, and others who are concerned with people who have hearing loss.