I for don blow but I too dey press phone — book review

Some months ago, one of my friends sent a screenshot of this book to me on WhatsApp. She said it reminded her of what I told her about my hearing loss.

I took one look at this and had to ensure I hadn’t mistakenly written a book that I didn’t know about.

I would later find that it was trending on Nigerian Twitter. The proof came in more people sending the screenshot to me saying, “You told me about this too!”

Representation 1 Society 0

I have never read such a relatable book in my life. Despite the difference in details, there were so many similarities in our experiences with hearing loss.

For example, we learned to pronounce words (often wrongly) by ourselves because we never heard them.

We also seem to hear some people better than others, while certain people understand our voices better than most.

When I realized that hearing loss affected my speech, I stopped talking a lot and became insecure about it. I went so long feeling like this that when I decided to speak more, I could not form complete sentences.

Like Hymar, the author, I have also missed my bus stop because I couldn’t tell the bus conductor I wanted to get off.

Why?

I didn’t want the attention of people curious about my voice. So a lot of the time, I sat there hoping someone would get off at my stop so I could join them.

I know it’s crazy. I thought my panic attacks were so silly until I read the same experience in this book.

Read also: All the emotions I feel when I attend networking events as a hearing-impaired person.

Straightforward read

I for don blow but I too dey press phone felt like a guy giving you hot gist about his life on WhatsApp.

He switched between pidgin, Nigerian English and English seamlessly. And he didn’t bother explaining colloquialisms with italics, asterisks, or footnotes to non-traditional speakers.

He knew he was writing for a Nigerian audience and gave it to us the way we like it. And I liked it a lot.

Side note: He deserves a lot of credit for remembering all those people and so many details. I am like that too, and I wonder if it’s related to our hearing loss.

Summary:

I still don’t remember a lot because I am writing this review two months after reading the book. But it was an excellent read and very relatable, even if you have no disability.

Beyond his experience with hearing loss, he also gives a look into his life growing up as a Nigerian in Nigeria. I laughed and felt many emotions as I flipped through the pages.

If I keep typing, I’ll end up narrating the whole book, so let me stop so a brother can get his coins.

Where to get:

I got the book as a Christmas gift. But you can check with popular bookstores or from the author’s social pages.

Have you read I for don blow but I too dey press phone? How did you find it? Also, if you have any questions before purchasing it, drop them in the comments, and I will answer ASAP.