First published 2013
Temple Grandin draws from her life as an autistic person to examine fresh scientific discoveries about autism and the brain. Nearly one percent of people receive autism spectrum diagnoses, but new research creates more optimism than before. Grandin presents recent findings about autistic brains alongside genetic studies that advance understanding of the condition. She emphasizes sensory issues that researchers have overlooked for too long. Rather than treating autism as one broad diagnosis, she advocates addressing individual symptoms separately. Grandin argues that parents and teachers should stop concentrating on what autistic children cannot do well. Instead, she calls for nurturing the special talents and perspectives these children bring to the world.
Genres: psychology, neuroscience, medical, non-fiction, biography-memoir, health, academic, disability
Vibes: educational, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: advocacy, personal-experience
240 pages · Hardcover · Houghton Mifflin Harcourt