Lehrer, Jonah. Imagine: How Creativity Works. (2012).
Appropriate for: Adults
I wasn't reading this book in the context of my autism reading, but in it I found a short passage about Asperger's that was interesting. Clay Marzo, at 22, is one of the most famous surfers in the world. His Asperger's allows him to focus for hours at a time on surfing, losing himself really since the water soothes him, and his obsessive knowledge about the ocean and how it works allows him to be innovative in his style. He is a wonderful example of how a narrow interest can actually expand one's world and how, contrary to some Asperger's researchers beliefs, autism and the literal-mindnessess that often goes with it, does not have to stifle creativity. [NOTE: Since I posted this review, Lehrer was called out for making up quotes from Bob Dylan, so his credibility is totally gone. However, Clay Marzo is, in fact, an autisitc surfer, so google him and check out his story.]
Offit, Paul A., M.D. Autism’s False Prophets: Bad Science, Risky Medicine, and the Search for a Cure. (2008).
Appropriate for: Parents of children on the spectrum
This book is the antidote to McCarthy’s books and it is what every parent who has to answer the question, “What about vaccines?” should arm themselves with. The author clearly states right there in the prologue, “the reason I say vaccines don’t cause autism is that they don’t.” From there Offit, a vaccine expert, meticulously traces the origins of the “MMR vaccine causes autism” assertion back to the discredited researcher who originated the faulty theory, Andrew Wakefield. He clearly states why alternative treatments at best do nothing and at worst can be very harmful. He also explains why so many parents are susceptible to these false claims and information; how the media plays a role in perpetuating a controversy that doesn’t truly exist and why it is so difficult to communicate science. This book covers all the terms that are bandied about—mercury, thimerisol, chlelation, DAN, supplements, epidemiological studies vs. laboratory studies. It is a truly valuable resource that will arm you to present an accurate response to misinformed friends and family.
Ratey, John J., M.D. A User’s Guide to the Brain: Perception, Attention, and the Four Theaters of the Brain. (2001).
Appropriate for: Anyone interested in the science of the brain
I, like many other parents, I’m sure, have been telling my child for years that his brain “works diffferently” than most people’s and that the “wiring” isn’t the same. But I really had no idea what that really meant, so I thought I’d educate myself with this book. While the author says in the introduction that he explains the brain through metaphors and analogies instead of technical language, I studied English literature so it still seemed pretty technical to me. He uses Temple Grandin as his example of a typically autistic person and emphasizes how she was able to essentially retrain her brain to adapt to society. The good news is that he often writes how the brain never stops developing and there is a “balance between nature and nurture.” However, the most interesting to me was one study he cites that identified “four neurofunctional deficits in autism”—canalesthesia, “a problem with the hippocampus, the memory center of the brain,” “a problem with the amygdala that disrupts the ability to assign emotional significance to events as they happen,” “asociality, a problem with the oxytocin system that leads to less bonding and affiliative behavior,” and “extended selective attention, a problem with the temporal and parietal lobes that causes overprocessing of primary representations, where the brain gets stuck on some detail.” This is the information I was (sort of) looking for. What I can actually do with it now, I’m not sure.
Schreibman, Laura. The Science and Fiction of Autism. (2005).
Appropriate for: Parents of children on the spectrum
Schreibman covers all the historical and current debates and controversies surrounding autism, specifically diagnosis, cause, and treatment. Those wanting to know more about the technical aspects of diagnoses (for example, which symptoms are unequivocally autistic), will find this to be an interesting read. The sections on treatment will probably interest most parents would, particularly the content on which treatments are not proven by scientific standards (like auditory integration therapy and sensory integration therapy) and those that the author views as just plain bogus (like facilitated communication, rapid prompting, and animal therapies). SPOILER ALERT: Schreibman reports that the efficacy of gluten-free/casein-free diets is supported by little evidence, and most of that is purely anecdotal. She also cites scientific data that discounts the theory that the MMR vaccine causes autism, and the link between mercury and autism. Overall, it’s great book for those who want to learn more about the hotly debated arguments in autism.
Silberman, Steve. NeuroTribes: The Legacy of Autism and the Future of Neurodiversity (2015).
Appropriate for: Anyone interested in the history of autism research
This book is more history than science, but it gives an in-depth yet accessible narration of the history of autism and its legacy. Silberman tells the stories of all the well-known names of autism history starting Asperger and including Kanner, Bettleheim, Skinner, Lovaas, and Rimland, along with relatively unknown people who have influenced the way those with autism are treated and perceived, like Lorna Wing, who coined the term "autism spectrum" and advocated for support services for children with autism, and John McCarthy, one of the first contributors to the computer culture of Silicon Valley. He also explores how the movie Rain Main brought autism into the mainstream and how Temple Grandin has influenced the perception of autistic people as those who have special talents. He also reviews how historically children with autism have been treated, sometimes with respect, sometimes as inferior. He also covers the evolution of the autism diagnosis and Wakefield's fateful, flawed case study. His thesis is a "thorough review of history . . . indicates Asperger's notion that autistic people have always been part of the human community and thought they have often been relegated to the margins of society, but ultimately, "neurodiversity advocates propose that instead of viewing this gift as an error of nature . . . society should regard it as a valuable part of humanity's genetic legacy while ameliorating the aspects of autism that can be profoundly disabling without adequate forms of support." It's a book dense with information, but leaves you with hope that we are entering a new era of focusing on appreciation and acceptance rather than a cure.
Vermeulen, Peter, PhD. Autism as Context Blindness. (2012).
Appropriate for: Anyone interested in delving into the perspective taking issues of autism
Context blindness is a deficit in the ability to use context spontaneously and subconsciously to determine meaning. And one who is "context blind," posits the author, has trouble predicing the reactions of others and knowing how to deal with those reactions. Everyone needs context to understand a particular meaning of a word, an expression, a facial expression, a gesture, a concept, or a situation. Those with autism lack this context and the cognitive flexibility to gain it. It's an interesting concept that expands on the theory of mind idea. Typically, people with autism have 1:1 connections with meaning, and this leads to those people misinterpreting situations and conversations. I thought the book might offer some advice on how to deal with this challenge, but it doesn't. In fact, the first six chapters develops the idea of context in almost excruciating detail and in the seventh chapter finally introduces the theory. So, with all this information, I was looking forward to learning what I could do about all of this. However, in the final chapter, the author states that since context happens on a subconsious level, it can't be taught and the best one can hope for for someone with autism is that he can learn to take context into consideration. The one small nuggest that I came away with was that understanding context blindness can help develop more realistic goals. For example, instead of having a goal "Learn to greet people," the goal could be to "Learn how to behave in a store" and offer many possible outcomes; greeting people without talking about the context in which that is appropriate can lead to those context blind situations. If you want a glimpse into the autistic mind, this in an interesting look, but don't look for any advice here.
Appropriate for: Adults
I wasn't reading this book in the context of my autism reading, but in it I found a short passage about Asperger's that was interesting. Clay Marzo, at 22, is one of the most famous surfers in the world. His Asperger's allows him to focus for hours at a time on surfing, losing himself really since the water soothes him, and his obsessive knowledge about the ocean and how it works allows him to be innovative in his style. He is a wonderful example of how a narrow interest can actually expand one's world and how, contrary to some Asperger's researchers beliefs, autism and the literal-mindnessess that often goes with it, does not have to stifle creativity. [NOTE: Since I posted this review, Lehrer was called out for making up quotes from Bob Dylan, so his credibility is totally gone. However, Clay Marzo is, in fact, an autisitc surfer, so google him and check out his story.]
Offit, Paul A., M.D. Autism’s False Prophets: Bad Science, Risky Medicine, and the Search for a Cure. (2008).
Appropriate for: Parents of children on the spectrum
This book is the antidote to McCarthy’s books and it is what every parent who has to answer the question, “What about vaccines?” should arm themselves with. The author clearly states right there in the prologue, “the reason I say vaccines don’t cause autism is that they don’t.” From there Offit, a vaccine expert, meticulously traces the origins of the “MMR vaccine causes autism” assertion back to the discredited researcher who originated the faulty theory, Andrew Wakefield. He clearly states why alternative treatments at best do nothing and at worst can be very harmful. He also explains why so many parents are susceptible to these false claims and information; how the media plays a role in perpetuating a controversy that doesn’t truly exist and why it is so difficult to communicate science. This book covers all the terms that are bandied about—mercury, thimerisol, chlelation, DAN, supplements, epidemiological studies vs. laboratory studies. It is a truly valuable resource that will arm you to present an accurate response to misinformed friends and family.
Ratey, John J., M.D. A User’s Guide to the Brain: Perception, Attention, and the Four Theaters of the Brain. (2001).
Appropriate for: Anyone interested in the science of the brain
I, like many other parents, I’m sure, have been telling my child for years that his brain “works diffferently” than most people’s and that the “wiring” isn’t the same. But I really had no idea what that really meant, so I thought I’d educate myself with this book. While the author says in the introduction that he explains the brain through metaphors and analogies instead of technical language, I studied English literature so it still seemed pretty technical to me. He uses Temple Grandin as his example of a typically autistic person and emphasizes how she was able to essentially retrain her brain to adapt to society. The good news is that he often writes how the brain never stops developing and there is a “balance between nature and nurture.” However, the most interesting to me was one study he cites that identified “four neurofunctional deficits in autism”—canalesthesia, “a problem with the hippocampus, the memory center of the brain,” “a problem with the amygdala that disrupts the ability to assign emotional significance to events as they happen,” “asociality, a problem with the oxytocin system that leads to less bonding and affiliative behavior,” and “extended selective attention, a problem with the temporal and parietal lobes that causes overprocessing of primary representations, where the brain gets stuck on some detail.” This is the information I was (sort of) looking for. What I can actually do with it now, I’m not sure.
Schreibman, Laura. The Science and Fiction of Autism. (2005).
Appropriate for: Parents of children on the spectrum
Schreibman covers all the historical and current debates and controversies surrounding autism, specifically diagnosis, cause, and treatment. Those wanting to know more about the technical aspects of diagnoses (for example, which symptoms are unequivocally autistic), will find this to be an interesting read. The sections on treatment will probably interest most parents would, particularly the content on which treatments are not proven by scientific standards (like auditory integration therapy and sensory integration therapy) and those that the author views as just plain bogus (like facilitated communication, rapid prompting, and animal therapies). SPOILER ALERT: Schreibman reports that the efficacy of gluten-free/casein-free diets is supported by little evidence, and most of that is purely anecdotal. She also cites scientific data that discounts the theory that the MMR vaccine causes autism, and the link between mercury and autism. Overall, it’s great book for those who want to learn more about the hotly debated arguments in autism.
Silberman, Steve. NeuroTribes: The Legacy of Autism and the Future of Neurodiversity (2015).
Appropriate for: Anyone interested in the history of autism research
This book is more history than science, but it gives an in-depth yet accessible narration of the history of autism and its legacy. Silberman tells the stories of all the well-known names of autism history starting Asperger and including Kanner, Bettleheim, Skinner, Lovaas, and Rimland, along with relatively unknown people who have influenced the way those with autism are treated and perceived, like Lorna Wing, who coined the term "autism spectrum" and advocated for support services for children with autism, and John McCarthy, one of the first contributors to the computer culture of Silicon Valley. He also explores how the movie Rain Main brought autism into the mainstream and how Temple Grandin has influenced the perception of autistic people as those who have special talents. He also reviews how historically children with autism have been treated, sometimes with respect, sometimes as inferior. He also covers the evolution of the autism diagnosis and Wakefield's fateful, flawed case study. His thesis is a "thorough review of history . . . indicates Asperger's notion that autistic people have always been part of the human community and thought they have often been relegated to the margins of society, but ultimately, "neurodiversity advocates propose that instead of viewing this gift as an error of nature . . . society should regard it as a valuable part of humanity's genetic legacy while ameliorating the aspects of autism that can be profoundly disabling without adequate forms of support." It's a book dense with information, but leaves you with hope that we are entering a new era of focusing on appreciation and acceptance rather than a cure.
Vermeulen, Peter, PhD. Autism as Context Blindness. (2012).
Appropriate for: Anyone interested in delving into the perspective taking issues of autism
Context blindness is a deficit in the ability to use context spontaneously and subconsciously to determine meaning. And one who is "context blind," posits the author, has trouble predicing the reactions of others and knowing how to deal with those reactions. Everyone needs context to understand a particular meaning of a word, an expression, a facial expression, a gesture, a concept, or a situation. Those with autism lack this context and the cognitive flexibility to gain it. It's an interesting concept that expands on the theory of mind idea. Typically, people with autism have 1:1 connections with meaning, and this leads to those people misinterpreting situations and conversations. I thought the book might offer some advice on how to deal with this challenge, but it doesn't. In fact, the first six chapters develops the idea of context in almost excruciating detail and in the seventh chapter finally introduces the theory. So, with all this information, I was looking forward to learning what I could do about all of this. However, in the final chapter, the author states that since context happens on a subconsious level, it can't be taught and the best one can hope for for someone with autism is that he can learn to take context into consideration. The one small nuggest that I came away with was that understanding context blindness can help develop more realistic goals. For example, instead of having a goal "Learn to greet people," the goal could be to "Learn how to behave in a store" and offer many possible outcomes; greeting people without talking about the context in which that is appropriate can lead to those context blind situations. If you want a glimpse into the autistic mind, this in an interesting look, but don't look for any advice here.
