The Deaf Heart

“Willy Conley’s debut novel, The Deaf Heart, offers a fascinating, episodic look at one deaf young man’s journey to become a professional biomedical photographer in what always will be a hearing world. Conley draws on his own background—as a playwright, photographer and member of the deaf community—to offer an insightful look into the effort that any person with a 'difference' must make, not only to overcome obstacles and prejudice, but also to help others ultimately appreciate our universal humanity.”—Frank Van Riper, author, photographer, columnist, teacher

“Willy Conley's novel is rich and gripping, handsomely capturing the deaf aspect of human experience.”—David Hays, founder and director of the National Theatre of the Deaf

"The triumph of The Deaf Heart is that Willy Conley doesn’t give us insight into the life of the Deaf but into the life of a highly specific and endearingly real Deaf person. Max is a smart, wryly funny, openhearted character who spends his days as a medical photographer and his off-hours gleefully exploring Galveston, Texas, from its upper crust to its seedy underbelly, with a cast of vividly drawn sidekicks. Their adventures will make you laugh, break your heart, and make you see—and hear—your own world in a new way."—Marisa de los Santos, New York Times bestselling author of Belong to Me and The Precious One

“The essence of Conley's insightful writing involving 'the Deaf experience' clearly comes from the heart of a photographer and playwright, and one who happens to be deaf. It is moving and sometimes funny."—Christopher Durang, Tony Award-nominated and Obie Award-winning playwright and actor

"Willy Conley achieves a deeply personal, memoir-like quality in his fiction. You will be taken to a little known world that opens your eyes and makes you cherish your ears."—Paul Boor, MD, Professor and Pathologist, University of Texas Medical Branch