In 'Mother Tongue,' author Sara Nović examines deaf history, and writes her own

NPR's Book of the Day

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Books, Arts

4.2 • 672 Ratings

🗓️ 2 June 2026

⏱️ 9 minutes

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Summary

Acclaimed author Sara Nović lost her hearing at age 12. Since then, she’s learned ASL, written the best-selling novel True Biz, mothered two children, and even discovered a knack for playing the piano — something she feels, rather than hears. Nović’s new memoir, Mother Tongue, follows her journey from teenagehood through motherhood as she grapples with a tough but fascinating question: What is a primary language? In today’s episode, Nović joins NPR’s Elissa Nadworny to discuss the book, how being deaf shapes the world around her, and her own approach to cultivating a multilingual household.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Hi there. I'm Melissa Adwarnie, and you are listening to NPR's Book of the Day. When I read fiction, I don't really think about the author behind the characters I love. So getting to read a memoir about an author I love was such a treat. I'm talking about Sarah Novick, who wrote the bestseller True Biz about a deaf boarding school.
0:22.0	She also wrote Girl at War about a 10-year-old surviving the war in former Yugoslavia.
0:27.0	Her latest book is a memoir called Mother Tong.
0:30.5	And it's all about her.
0:31.6	She's deaf, raising kids, both deaf and hearing.
0:35.3	Her memoir goes deep on deaf history.
0:38.9	She lost her hearing as a kid,
0:44.8	and then ultimately goes into how she began to embrace her own deaf identity. I visited her at her home outside Philadelphia for NPR's weekend edition. Author Sarah Novick is obsessed with language.
0:53.1	Its power, how it connects us, and also how it can isolate us.
0:58.0	Her latest book, a memoir, is called Mother Tong. In it, she chronicles losing her hearing at age 12,
1:04.5	learning American Sign Language, and finding a deaf community.
1:08.2	I feel like I'm always evolving, changing, and I think that's part of life as a deaf person.
1:16.6	We're talking to Novick through an ASL translator.
1:19.6	That's the voice you'll hear throughout our interview.
1:21.6	Her story is one about motherhood, deaf history, and how being deaf has shaped who she is and how she parents.
1:29.3	I'm a parent. I'm a writer. I'm a deaf person.
1:34.3	Novik has short, gelled hair, boxy glasses, and when we talk, she's eight months pregnant.
1:40.3	At her house in the Philly suburbs, Novik brings us to a room filled with toys and musical instruments.
1:47.5	She says it's the best room in the house.
1:49.4	I mean, anytime people are here, this is the spot.
1:52.5	We all sit and we meet around here.
1:54.2	Across from a wall of guitars is an upright piano.
	...

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