Michael Chorost

Rebuilt

Michael Chorost had been hard of hearing since birth. Up to the age of 36 he had managed with a hearing aid, but then his hearing failed completely. This meant that he needed a cochlear implant, which meant a big change in his life. In Rebuilt:My Journey Back to the Hearing World (alternatively subtitled How Becoming Part Computer Made Me More Human), he tells his story

You might not think that having such an implant makes you part computer, but Chorost make a persuasive case of why he might be considered a cyborg. The device electronics doesn't simply replace missing parts of the ear - it creates its own interpretation of sounds. Chorost tell how he had the choice of several different programs for the interpretation. Which one was most correct? - its a meaningless question, since what we use as a criterion of correctness is simply another program (implemented organically) to interpret sounds. Chorost explains how this led to a new understanding of the works of philosophers questioning the reality of what we experience. His new thoughts also lead him to take stock of his life, which up to then had been somewhat solitary, using computer dating (technology again) to search for the 'one true love'. So there's much more to this book than simply report on a medical procedure, and I'd recommend it to anyone who wants to understand our relationship with technology, and what we need to do to deal with it sensibly.

Amazon.com info

Paperback 240 pages
ISBN: 0618717609
Salesrank: 153396
Weight:0.35 lbs

Published: 2006 Mariner Books

Amazon price $11.16

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Amazon.co.uk info

Hardcover 240 pages
ISBN: 0285637509
Salesrank: 346898
Weight:0.79 lbs

Published: 2006 Souvenir Press Ltd

Amazon price £12.53

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Amazon.ca info

Paperback 240 pages
ISBN: 0618717609
Salesrank: 284281
Weight:0.35 lbs

Published: 2006 Mariner Books

Marketplace:New from CDN$ 5.96:Used from CDN$ 28.96

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Product Description
After Michael Chorost suddenly lost what was left of his hearing, he took the radical step of having a cochlear implant -- a tiny computer -- installed in his head. A technological marvel, the device not only restored to him the world of sound but also could be routinely upgraded with new software. Despite his intitial fear of the technology's potentially dehumanizing effects, Chorost's implant allowed him to connect with others in surprising ways: as a cyborg, he learned about love, joined a writing group, and formed deeper friendships. More profoundly, his perception of the world around him was dramatically altered. Brimming with insight and written with charm and self-deprecating humor, Rebuilt unveils, in personal terms, the astounding possibilities of a new technological age.

Product Description

After Michael Chorost suddenly lost what was left of his hearing, he took the radical step of having a cochlear implant -- a tiny computer -- installed in his head. A technological marvel, the device not only restored to him the world of sound but also could be routinely upgraded with new software. Despite his intitial fear of the technology's potentially dehumanizing effects, Chorost's implant allowed him to connect with others in surprising ways: as a cyborg, he learned about love, joined a writing group, and formed deeper friendships. More profoundly, his perception of the world around him was dramatically altered.

Brimming with insight and written with charm and self-deprecating humor, Rebuilt unveils, in personal terms, the astounding possibilities of a new technological age.

Insightful... and a peek at the future ****
Michael Chorost does an excellent job of explaining the human side of cochlear implantation, offering a perspective that just understanding the mechanics does not. I found myself drawn into the book as he described his feeling of despair, as the little bit of hearing he did have mysteriously failed one day. Chorost also provides an insightful view of life in the Signing community, and how the implant may ultimately result in its demise. While I don't agree with those who call this 'genocide', those chapters provided an interesting and thought-provoking point of view. The book is not flawless. Sometimes the author's meanderings on life as a cyborg seem to have no clear destination in sight. But the perspectives provided more than made up for the occasional drift. As someone interested in Augmented Reality, I viewed these chapters as a sneak preview of what the next few years will bring. I also found Chorost's discussion of his sex life to be gratuitous, by which I mean that had it been omitted, I wouldn't have finished the book saying "That was a great book; I only wish I knew more about what he did in bed." But others may find these passages make the protagonist more human. I guess that's what makes horse races. All in all, definitely a worthwhile read if you're interested in getting beyond the electrodes and MIPs and understanding the human side of all this.

Insightful... and a peek at the future ****

Michael Chorost does an excellent job of explaining the *human* side of cochlear implantation, offering a perspective that just understanding the mechanics does not. I found myself drawn into the book as he described his feeling of despair, as the little bit of hearing he did have mysteriously failed one day.

Chorost also provides an insightful view of life in the Signing community, and how the implant may ultimately result in its demise. While I don't agree with those who call this 'genocide', those chapters provided an interesting and thought-provoking point of view.

The book is not flawless. Sometimes the author's meanderings on life as a cyborg seem to have no clear destination in sight. But the perspectives provided more than made up for the occasional drift. As someone interested in Augmented Reality, I viewed these chapters as a sneak preview of what the next few years will bring.

I also found Chorost's discussion of his sex life to be gratuitous, by which I mean that had it been omitted, I wouldn't have finished the book saying "That was a great book; I only wish I knew more about what he did in bed." But others may find these passages make the protagonist more human. I guess that's what makes horse races.

All in all, definitely a worthwhile read if you're interested in getting beyond the electrodes and MIPs and understanding the human side of all this.

Very Well-Written ***
This is a very well-written book but it was very technical and dry in places. I still ordered my own copy of it since the subject matter is an important one for my family. I have a CI too and I don't consider myself to be a cyborg or part computer. I consider myself lucky and fortunate to be in a time where this is possible. I lost my hearing suddenly before we left for a trip out west to the Rockies at the age of 34 and a young mom of twin boys that were not even two yet. Scary? Oh you betcha. I got mine for a variety of reasons but mainly because I needed to hear. Like the author of this book, I had grown up wearing hearing aids. So getting the implant was a necessity for me and one that I am eternally grateful for. This book is very interesting in the aspect of technology and how cochlear implant works. This book would be perfect for my husband and dad to read since they love anything technical. But all the references to science fiction turned me off as well as his personal stories about his dating/sex life. I honestly don't care about that so that is why this is rated a three stars instead of a four. If they were trimmed out or modified, then this would be a four. I really do appreciate the section on how the Deaf Culture changed from the year of 2000 to 2004 (or something like that). I did watch the movie, "Sound and the Fury" and for the first time in my life, I had a glimpse of what the Deaf Culture is about (not that I agree with it). This author went into more details (and got me to order more books on that subject) about something that has changed since I was a child. As a mother of a HOH child who may be a candidate for a CI, this book is helpful in sharing information that I may not get otherwise. This is an interesting book and a great introduction to cochlear implants and how it affects one man's life and how it affects society today. It is a good read and a helpful one. 4/28/08

Very Well-Written ***

This is a very well-written book but it was very technical and dry in places. I still ordered my own copy of it since the subject matter is an important one for my family.

I have a CI too and I don't consider myself to be a cyborg or part computer. I consider myself lucky and fortunate to be in a time where this is possible. I lost my hearing suddenly before we left for a trip out west to the Rockies at the age of 34 and a young mom of twin boys that were not even two yet. Scary? Oh you betcha. I got mine for a variety of reasons but mainly because I needed to hear. Like the author of this book, I had grown up wearing hearing aids. So getting the implant was a necessity for me and one that I am eternally grateful for.

This book is very interesting in the aspect of technology and how cochlear implant works. This book would be perfect for my husband and dad to read since they love anything technical. But all the references to science fiction turned me off as well as his personal stories about his dating/sex life. I honestly don't care about that so that is why this is rated a three stars instead of a four. If they were trimmed out or modified, then this would be a four.

I really do appreciate the section on how the Deaf Culture changed from the year of 2000 to 2004 (or something like that). I did watch the movie, "Sound and the Fury" and for the first time in my life, I had a glimpse of what the Deaf Culture is about (not that I agree with it). This author went into more details (and got me to order more books on that subject) about something that has changed since I was a child. As a mother of a HOH child who may be a candidate for a CI, this book is helpful in sharing information that I may not get otherwise.

This is an interesting book and a great introduction to cochlear implants and how it affects one man's life and how it affects society today. It is a good read and a helpful one.

4/28/08

Great book for HOH, deaf, DEAF, and even those with perfect ears. *****
When I started going deaf, people often said "Well worse things can happen". That is certainly true. Deaf is not dead. But there is a connection that maybe only a poet should make, and Michael Chorost was deaf and is a poet, so he can speak with a poetic inner voice that rings true, even though I will never be able to hear anything really ring again. For now, I have not yet gotten a cochlear implant and simply struggle to hold on to my rapidly diminishing hearing by increasingly expensive and often frustrating hearing aids. Michael's story has helped me to better accept my loss: technology cannot give me back my hearing the way it was, but it can help, and I am certainly not dead. Indeed, compared to Michael and many others, I am really very lucky, since I had many long years of good hearing, and now I look forward to more years of great living even with the hearing loss. I thank Michael for helping me to gain a measured, realistic, perspective on my deafness. This is a book about living, not just about living with a disability.

Great book for HOH, deaf, DEAF, and even those with perfect ears. *****

When I started going deaf, people often said "Well worse things can happen". That is certainly true. Deaf is not dead. But there is a connection that maybe only a poet should make, and Michael Chorost was deaf and is a poet, so he can speak with a poetic inner voice that rings true, even though I will never be able to hear anything really ring again. For now, I have not yet gotten a cochlear implant and simply struggle to hold on to my rapidly diminishing hearing by increasingly expensive and often frustrating hearing aids. Michael's story has helped me to better accept my loss: technology cannot give me back my hearing the way it was, but it can help, and I am certainly not dead. Indeed, compared to Michael and many others, I am really very lucky, since I had many long years of good hearing, and now I look forward to more years of great living even with the hearing loss. I thank Michael for helping me to gain a measured, realistic, perspective on my deafness. This is a book about living, not just about living with a disability.

My Ears Needed This ****
Excellent book for the hearing impaired and non-impaired alike. Much detail on living and learning to adapt in a hearing world. Highly recommended.

My Ears Needed This ****

Excellent book for the hearing impaired and non-impaired alike. Much detail on living and learning to adapt in a hearing world. Highly recommended.

More Human than Human *****
Though a rabid sci-fi fan most of my life, I didn't become interested in the subject of real world cyborgs until my own precipitous hearing deterioration. Chorost's book is fulfilling on many fronts for me: his firsthand experience and knowledge of cochlear implants (which appear to be in my future); his very human account of his social struggles; and his obvious love and breadth of knowledge of science fiction, to name just a few. To my own surprise, I devoured this book in a few days. One of the most engaging and satisfying reads I have had in years. Chorost, in my opinion is, to quote Dr. Eldon Tyrell (or Rob Zombie, if you prefer): "More human than human" in this work.

More Human than Human *****

Though a rabid sci-fi fan most of my life, I didn't become interested in the subject of real world cyborgs until my own precipitous hearing deterioration. Chorost's book is fulfilling on many fronts for me: his firsthand experience and knowledge of cochlear implants (which appear to be in my future); his very human account of his social struggles; and his obvious love and breadth of knowledge of science fiction, to name just a few. To my own surprise, I devoured this book in a few days. One of the most engaging and satisfying reads I have had in years. Chorost, in my opinion is, to quote Dr. Eldon Tyrell (or Rob Zombie, if you prefer): "More human than human" in this work.

Being a cyborg *****
Those of us seeking a cochlear implant to function in a hearing world we can't hope fully to rejoin needed this book. While Chorost's techie (even nerdy) obsession with the fun of the technology sometimes hides the reality of the yawning chasm between 'natural' hearing and the CI form, this is a seering but truthful read - encouraging and, for the non-deaf reader, powerfully evocative of future prosthetic enhancements that will change lives. In Chorost's memorable phrase, those of us 'expelled from the garden' of sound can only hope that he's right, and that the future of CI is of continuing technological triumph. A brilliantly insightful book.

Being a cyborg *****

Those of us seeking a cochlear implant to function in a hearing world we can't hope fully to rejoin needed this book. While Chorost's techie (even nerdy) obsession with the fun of the technology sometimes hides the reality of the yawning chasm between 'natural' hearing and the CI form, this is a seering but truthful read - encouraging and, for the non-deaf reader, powerfully evocative of future prosthetic enhancements that will change lives. In Chorost's memorable phrase, those of us 'expelled from the garden' of sound can only hope that he's right, and that the future of CI is of continuing technological triumph. A brilliantly insightful book.

Absorbing *****
In 2001 Michael Chorost (in his thirties) went completely deaf, he chose to have a cochlear implant from the company Advanced Bionics. Chorst evaluates the social and ethical implications of what it is to be a 'cyborg'. A profound look into the technologies, people and challenges involved in going from silence to hearing. It is entertaining, refreshing and thought provoking. An excellent resource for those interested in Science, Technology or for those who may want to understand cochlear implants.

Absorbing *****

In 2001 Michael Chorost (in his thirties) went completely deaf, he chose to have a cochlear implant from the company Advanced Bionics. Chorst evaluates the social and ethical implications of what it is to be a 'cyborg'. A profound look into the technologies, people and challenges involved in going from silence to hearing. It is entertaining, refreshing and thought provoking. An excellent resource for those interested in Science, Technology or for those who may want to understand cochlear implants.