You're the Best!

As a child, Houston Nutt looked like a typical tow-headed boy, with blue eyes, a wide forehead, and a cowlick. Even so, there was something unusual about him; he was born into a deep deaf culture, and sign language was his first language. This would be the focus of his life. In You're the Best! author Emogene Nutt, Houston's wife, pays tribute to this man, who was born during the depths of the Great Depression and eventually became one of the leading figures in expanding opportunities for young deaf students at the Arkansas School for the Deaf. In this memoir, she weaves together treasured family memories, insights, and observations from external sources that place the life of Houston and his family in historical perspective. Emogene reflects on Houston's accomplishments including leading the ASD basketball team to national prominence and bringing to national attention the athletic skills of legendary player Bennie Fuller. Inspiring, heartbreaking, informative, and humorous, this collection of stories honors the life of Houston Nutt who will always be remembered by his signature phrase, "You're the best," which he used to encourage countless students. He died in 2005.