When the Phone Rings, My Bed Shakes

Zazove, deaf since birth, uses a bed-shaking device each morning to wake up. This inspiring first-person narrative tells how he overcame his handicap to establish a thriving practice and a family first in Utah, and eventually in Michigan. Zazove attended Rutgers Medical School and earned his M.D. degree from Washington University. Although he seems to have compensated admirably for his disability, Zazove conveys his apprehensions and notes the constant efforts needed to understand others, particularly professors, patients and children who are unaware of his need to read lips. He portrays his patients--including some amusing eccentrics--vividly. However, unnecessary details, and distractingly verbatim dialogues diminish the impact of the memoir. (Nov.)