Neurotribes

I found the timeline of this book confusing, as it runs through a period of time, then circles back to the same period in other areas. Every time I think we're done with World War 2, we're back to the start again. Every time we near modern day, it's back to the 50s. I listened to the audiobook, which may have contributed to the confusion.

It's very interesting to learn how neurodiversity science developed and figuring out what exposure people of different ages would have had.

There's a lot to explore in the field of autism, and Silberman did a yeoman's effort for a complete layperson. There are so many misconceptions – such as the idea that “autism” is a single diagnostic entity, or that there is some explosion in people with autism, or that vaccines (or GMOs or gluten or the pseudoscience du jour) causes autism. So the idea that there could be a book to systematically explore autism and related topics was deeply appealing. However, this is not that book. Silberman's work is so uneven that it's hard to even analyze as a single volume. There are very intently focused parts (mostly, the history of Asperger, and the way in which he isn't a Nazi) and very shallowly explored parts. The use of illustrative individual case histories is helpful, but with such a shallow lens, people blend together.

Some key topics that Silberman touches on will be very interesting to people who have not been previously exposed to the issues: the fact that the autism spectrum is and has always been a spectrum; the intrinsic nature of autism to the personality of autists and the embracing of autism by many adult autists; the idea that “autism” is not necessarily a disorder, but that in many cases is a personality style that could be embraced and that the increased incidence of autism is almost completely accounted for by changing diagnostic criteria. Most of these topics have been widely explored elsewhere, and perhaps the most interesting: neurodiversity, is giving only glancing treatment by Silberman. Overall, the history portions were interesting and well done, and the rest would have benefited from more exposure to the topic.

I'm really conflicted about this book — it's very in-depth, well-researched and written in an engaging fashion. The author goes into exhaustive detail about the history of autism and Asperger's Syndrome ... but relegates the ostensible point of the book (neurodiversity, present and future) to what amounts to an extended epilogue. If you're looking for a comprehensive history of autism, you've found the right book. If you're looking for anything else, keep searching.

Essential reading. Autistic people will shape the 21st century, and this book tells a history.

Mostly History with a dash of future. I am Autistic, and this look at the history of my people was more fascinating and horrifying than even I already knew. In this book, Silberman shows several people from history that were fairly clearly Autistic, progressing from early accounts to newest and from there into the histories of the two men that “co-discovered” Autism in the 20th century. The vast bulk of the book is spent inside the 20th century, with only the last chapter or two in the 21st, but even then it truly is fascinating and horrifying. Absolutely recommended for all, particularly those with Autistics in their lives.

This was a fascinating. It provides new perspectives on autism and seems well researched. It was hard to follow and skipped around a lot. It really is deep, nor a light read.

Autism. It's an ominous label hung around the neck of a young child, a sentence for a life of trouble and difficulty.

But what if it weren't? What if autism was more? What if there were benefits of autism?

That's the idea behind this book, to explore the history of autism and to take a close look at what autism is and is not. Autism isn't something that has suddenly appeared in the last twenty years. Many of our most brilliant scientists probably were on the spectrum. Autism is a spectrum, with many, many shades of autism, in many, many people.

A fascinating study of a fascinating subject.

Currently reading and happily annotating; going to take this one slow.

Also, wow, Cavendish: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Cavendish

This book is amazing. It covers the history of autism, including the many twists and turns around developing the diagnosis and evolving understanding of prognosis and treatment. That sounds sort of boring but it. is. not.

If you or someone you love is “on the spectrum,” or if you work in mental health, or if you are just interested in brains and how they work, this is a must read. (Or a must listen, in my case!)

An eye opener on so many levels.