After English and Spanish, it is the third most common language in North America. Over 22 million people use it daily to communicate. It has its own beauty, its own unmistakable form, and its own inherent culture. It is American Sign Language (ASL), the language of the deaf. NowGabriel Grayson, teacher extraordinaire, has put together a book that makes signing accessible, easy, and fun. Using almost 1,400 photographs, he has created a comprehensive primer to the techniques, words, and phrases of signing. Each word or phrase is accompanied by a photo or series of photos that show hand and body motions and facial expressions. Along with the images are step-by-step instructions for forming the sign, as well as a helpful "Visualize" tip that connects the sign with its meaning for easier memorizatic and recall. Taking With Your Hands begins by examining the fascinating history and nature of both sign language and the deaf community. Next, the book explains the basics of signing, covering such important topics as handshapes fingerspelling, signing etiquette, and more. The remaining sixteen chapters provide over 1,700 words and phrases. Throughout the book, informative insets focus on fascinating aspects of deaf history, deaf culture, and significant deaf personalities. Whether you view sign language as an essential means of communication, or you are simply interested in the world of silent music and visual poetry that this unique language provides, you'll find this book a perfect guide to understanding, duplicating, and remembering the vocabulary of ASL. Open these pages, and surrender your senses to a visually rich language in which you "talk" with your hands and "listen" with your eyes.