A very moving memoir and a very interesting look into what it’s like to develop hearing loss and its profound impact on life.

This was truly a heartfelt and emotional memoir about love, disability, and navigating life. I listened on audio and very much enjoyed the experience. I’ve never heard of NF2, so I appreciate the author sharing his story.

I really liked the second half, when he talked about starting a family and navigating raising children and marriage.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the gifted copy!

Goodness, this was a bit of a heart ache at times. I was so invested in Matt's story that I opening sobbed with him when he was discussing his trials. Brilliant.

I do wish we had a bit more about the music, but overall this was so very good!

Thank you to the publisher, author, and/or Netgalley for the ARC. All thoughts are my own!

The soundtrack of silence is a memoir of a man living with N2F, a rare genetic condition that leads to hearing loss over time. Matt uses his love and appreciation for music to document his struggles and coping with this disorder. I felt this was a great exploration of this rare disorder, with a view at his coping skills and support system. However, some aspects of the book had weird transitions or appeared disjointed.

This was a really interesting read but I had the expectation that he would delve a bit deeper into the songs he chose - if you go in knowing it’s more about life and less about the music, you’ll love this!

Matt Hay has written a memoir that will resonate with its audience. It is a story of his hearing loss but, more importantly, about his life and those around him, including his wife.

Young Matt did not completely realize that he heard the world differently from others though he was making efforts to compensate. He discorered that he would completely lose his hearing at a very vulnerable time in his life. So, what did he do and how did his life go on?

Readers will find that this title is most aptly named. Music played a key role in his coping and strategy.

This is a story of a person finding their way. It will be especially welcome to those who have faced a hearing impairment but also, I think, speaks to a wider audience.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for this title. All opinions are my own.

An interesting and thoughtful memoir that really makes you think about how you interact with the world. I really enjoyed this uniquely written read.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a copy of this book. All opinions in this review are my own.

Biographies are generally not my cup of tea, but I am so glad I took a chance and read this book. This is an autobiographical story of a man who was born with hearing loss and his experience fully losing his hearing & gaining it back. Matt Hay does a great job explaining the feelings and thoughts he was having during the course of his hearing loss and subsequent treatments, as well as explaining complex medical information that the average person would probably not be exposed to. It really reminded me how much I can take my hearing for granted, and how important it is for society to be accessible. It confirmed that I really want to learn ASL, and that science is amazing when it comes to improving the lives of people when we give it access. I did end up listening to this as an audiobook as well, and I was really happy, albeit surprised, to see it was narrated by the author. This is not the longest book in the world, but it packs a big punch. I recommend picking it up if you are a biography reader, have hearing loss, or really just want to see the world from a little bit of a different point of view.

This was such a moving memoir about one man’s journey loosing his hearing. Often times the stories we are told are about those born with hearing loss, or loose their hearing quickly so it was interesting to read a book about hearing loss over an extended amount of time.

This memoir tells Matt Hay’s unique story about one with hearing loss. As a kid, he couldn’t hear as well as other kids, but a combination of being able to fake it and denial meant no one else ever knew. But as his hearing loss grew worse in college, he discovered he had a rare condition where he was growing tumors on his auditory nerves, and that he was going to go completely deaf. Then came many surgeries which made things both much worse before they became somewhat better.

I really enjoyed reading Matt’s story and his testament to both perseverance through tough times and his commitment to living as normal life as possible with all that he goes through. . Also loved the framing device of the book - as a music lover, in preparation for losing his hearing, he memorized songs he loved note by note, and each chapter starts with a lyric, and then throughout the book he sprinkles favorite lyrics as they apply to the moment.

My thanks to NetGalley for the free copy in exchange for my honest review. Matt Hay, the author, was born with a hearing loss and growing up he never realized that was not how everybody heard until he went totally deaf. It deals with his friends, his parents and how nobody knows how to cope with this. Matt shows how different people address his hearing loss. He meets Nora and falls in love just as he has gone totally deaf. The book shows the good and bad in people and how Matt and Nora tackle this problem during their life.

I fell in love with Matt and his wife Nora listening to this book. This is such a beautiful story of hope, determination, and love. I love the fact that Matt is able to laugh, and I enjoyed his sense of humor throughout the book. I loved the medical knowledge he provided in an understandable manner. The medical jargon wasn't overwhelming. I learned a lot while listening to this. Matt's love for music was one of my favorite parts of his story. The way he resiliently memorized songs and beats moved me.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC in exchange for my honest and voluntary review.

Matt Hay does not write like a first time author!!! This book is beautifully written and I was sucked in right away! What a journey....... I cried, I cheered, I held my breath. This book shows that we all have a story.

I was really excited about this one by the synopsis; however the execution was lacking. Parts that I kept thinking would have more emotion or be really pivotal moments of the book were glossed over and and then moved on really quickly without any reflection. For example, when Matt didn't get into the naval academy because of his hearing, that should have been a moment. There should have been tears shed or at least some reflection on why it wasn't a big deal. Instead it was just like "this will save my parents money so I can go to school in state." But no comment about your realization that you may have hearing loss? Did anyone in the family have any comment on it then? No comment about everyone being in complete denial about it all? Maybe there was more about this, but I DNFed about 20% in at the lack of reflection. I needed more reflection and a little more emotional vulnerability in a memoir

Matt Hay takes what could be a dismal, depressing topic--gradually going completely deaf in your 20's--and wrote a memoir of triumphing through some extremely difficult challenges. I thoroughly enjoyed his story, felt the anguish of his surgery side effects, and could relate to the meaning he places on songs that have importance during periods of his life. His love story with Nora was quite possibly the most moving romance I have ever read, the real-life story of two people for whom 'in sickness and in health' is more than just a platitude. A wonderful, inspiring story of not letting a disability or health challenge get in the way of achieving your dreams!

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the digital copy of Soundtrack of Silence: Love, Loss,and a Playlist for Life. The opinions in this review are my own.

Matt has a life long journey that he talk about in this memoir , from childhood to adulthood . I listened to audio so I could hear his words in his own voice , it was moving and profound .

Actual rating 3.75

The idea of never hearing music, or a loved one's voice again is a shattering concept that I hope never to experience. Hay took us through that with wit and resilience as he delivered his story with a lot of (for me, a bit too many) musical references that he has tied to his life and showed just what the human spirit can endure and overcome. Honest and well-written, a story worth hearing.

My thanks to St. Martin's Press, the author and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

The Soundtrack of Silence by Matt Hay was a fascinating memoir. Matt Hay has never had great hearing, but he eventually learns that he is slowly losing his hearing due to a condition called NF 2, (neurofibromatosis) which causes tumors, usually noncancerous that grow on your nerves. It documents his slow journey towards total hearing loss, just when he falls in love. He also has to go through several surgeries which cause other issues and needs to go through physical therapy. This is also happening as he's falling in love as well. He loves music and wants to learn how to remember the songs that were so important to him throughout his life. As an avid music fan, I can totally relate to this. As he documents his journey there is a lot of complicated medical information in this story but he does a great job of breaking it down and making it understandable in layman's terms. His medical journey is told in a relatable and humorous way, even though I can't imagine how difficult this has all been. He now gives back to the hearing loss and NF community, as well as running a few marathons. He does have a very supportive wife, family, and friends, as well as a seemingly great attitude to these hurdles he's been thrown. It's a really informative and inspiring memoir which I'd highly recommend reading

Thanks to St. Martin's Press, Netgalley, and the author Matt Hay for the ARC of this memoir.
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I grew up in a home where a radio was always on. I also have friends and family with hearing loss and Matt's story have given me a lot of insight into what living with a hearing aid, cochlear implant or just tinnitus is like and how I can help with communication.

Matt's story was definitely inspiring and he really dealt with much more than the hearing loss having neurofibromatosis 2. It is definitely worth the time it takes to read it and I have some people I will likely gift a copy.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with a digital copy.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I really enjoyed this book. It was inspiring and just wonderful.