The Little Book of Hearing Aids 2019: The Only Hearing Aid Book You'll Ever Need

When I first suspected I had hearing loss, I didn’t know what to do and where to begin. Fortunately, I ordered this book from amazon and it turned out to be my Dr. Spock for hearing loss and hearing aids. From the first page, author Geoffrey Cooling gently and humorously walked me through the various stages from acknowledgement to audiologist visit, understanding the audiogram, categories of hearing loss, the impact of hearing loss on confidence - balance - energy, styles and brands of hearing aids, digital vs. analog, wonders of Bluetooth, assistive listening devices, hearing aid maintenance, and so much more.Equally important, he helped adjust my attitude. I initially thought if I need a hearing aid, I will get one that fits way inside my ear so no one will know. He helped me realize the number one thing is the ability to hear well (sounds and word recognition). Forget vanity. Anyone who thinks less of me for wearing hearing aids or feels sorry for me is living in the dark ages, and is borderline ignorant or worse. I feel fortunate to be the beneficiary of today’s incredible digital technology and am proud to wear them. So much better than people whispering behind your back that you can’t hear.I have this book on my kindle, as well as a hard copy. I still refer to it when questions arise. It guided me through what was a depressing point of my life and often made me smile. With hearing aids, my life has become so much better. I never realized how much I was missing. If you know someone who is having difficulty hearing, or who has just entered the hearing loss world, this is the perfect gift!

This is the best consumer information  for hearing aids I have read, since I began using hearing aids in 2010.  I was immediately impressed with its usefulness.  The style is unique and the information is presented in a manner that I found easy to use. His advice regarding Real Ear Measurements hit a high note for me. I struggled with poor functioning hearing aids until I found an audiologist who made REM adjustments. It was night and day differences. This book is an excellent reference book. I highly recommend it.

As a prospective hearing aid consumer, I needed to have independent and reliable information. This book seems to cover all the questions a neophyte doesn't know but can appreciate. From definitions to manufacturers to advice, I feel I can go into my initial consult with a better understanding of the multiple concerns. I would advise readers to have a tablet when going through the book, especially if the reader is uncomfortable with jargon, technical terms, and electronics. I read the e-book so maybe something was lost. I also wanted to see the various acronyms redefined throughout the text.

I just recently bought hearing aids and I found this book to be entertaining and a big help to evaluate the hearing aid seller and the aids that I purchased. The book is short but very comprehensive in explaining all the current hearing aids in 2019. My hearing aid provider did a great job measuring my hearing as explained in the text and the description of my particular ones was excellent. If you want many technical details simplified about most all of the current hearing aids this is the book for you. I am a retired electrical engineer and I found the book to be great.

I bought this book to learn the basics and everything else. If you want to learn about hearing aids, the manufacturers, the business and everything else about this industry this is the book! Very easy to read!Geoffrey Cooling writes a great book and makes you laugh at times. He has a nice way to translate the gobbledgook of hearing aids, their technology levels, the pros and cons and much more.I highly recommend this book to everyone that has a parent experiencing hearing loss.

I read this book to guide me as I face a new set of hearing aids. I now feel that I am a more informed consumer. One drawback to the book is that it is written for a UK reader, but an obvious effort is made to help the US reader. A second criticism is that the book could have used a bit more editing. Overall, it is worth a read, and it might be useful as a reference as one seeks out hearing aids.

A lot of generic, general chapters that did nothing to help me pick a hearing aid brand.

I am bringing myself up to speed on the hearing aid industry as I make my first purchase. It is all very confusing at first and it is hard to tell what is good, unbiased information and what is essentially marketing. This book covers it all, from hearing aid theory to an overview of hearing aid types. Even a description of the sales/distribution network and how the consumer is affected by the various business models that are used. I had already been scouring the internet for weeks and meet with two audiologists before reading this book. Now I understand what happened at those appointments, and it wasn't exactly as I had been led to believe by one of them.I am in the USA, whereas the author is in the UK. However, this edition of the book has been updated to be relevant to consumers in both locations.

Punctuation and grammar mistakes litter this little book, which is a pity because it deserves the best production possible. However, the sense is always clear and they do nothing to prevent a 5-star rating. This is a mine of information, well presented and easy to understand. The author's critiques of the industry and his explanations of literally everything else to do with hearing aids are deep and refreshingly open. Revelations abound, both of things we know about and others that have never even occurred to us. Nobody contemplating the purchase of hearing aids should fail to read it.

In the process of accessing hearing help and found this book to be a invaluable source to some ne like myself who knows absolutely nothing about hearing aids or hearing aid issues.

Read this before considering a hearing aid!