Piece Comment

Review of For a Deaf Uncle


This short piece from producer Judah Bruce Leblang addresses an ironic issue, considering that it's a radio essay: hearing loss. Judah is currently in his late forties, and he's confronting the prospect of going deaf. He's seeing doctors, getting discouraging audiograms, and being presented with dispiriting diagnoses. The experience has given Judah occasion to remember his late Uncle Jerry, who decades ago confronted the same scenario and who (it seems) met it with some stubbornness and denial. This essay comes with a beautiful economy of words and a delivery that makes it feel more like poetic free verse than prose. I think it would make a great companion piece to go along with any radio feature dealing with hearing loss or the challenge of facing a disturbing medical diagnosis. The producer, Judah Bruce Leblang, is obviously a talented and versatile writer... he's got thirty different essays posted on PRX, dealing with topics ranging from family to aging to national politics.