Opened my mind, opened my heart and made sense of many people I've known.

books:


	• Not Even Wrong: A Father's Journey into the Lost History of Autism Paul Collins Bloomsbury USA, 2005 - 256 pages average customer review:based on 7 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

I love this book!

This is my favorite book on autism, period. I adore it.

I am a 30-year-old mom with Asperger Syndrome, my 11-year-old daughter has Autism. As such, I have sought books to keep on hand to give to friends who may be interested in reading about autism. I wish I could afford a whole shelf full of this one!

Paul Collins writing is insightful and deep and it flows well - leading from one chapter into the next, it's a difficult book to put down. This book talks about the author's expolration of the history of autism, and individuals who have lived or are living their own unique lives. At the same time as he's following these leads to find out more about his autism, his own son is diagnosed. It's a beautiful story because of the twists and turns, and because of the lives of people it illuminates so graciously.

I was given an assignment in my graduate Humanities class to recommend one chapter of a book for the whole class to read. I knew immediately it would be this book, but had to think about which chapter. After much deliberation (there are many beautifully written stories that flow together in this volume), I selected Chapter 16. The passage where he sits on the steps of a church to cry after meeting the man with the painted lightbulbs illustrates how this book speaks on what it means to be human, it isn't just a book on autism.

Always eloquent, never condescending - if this is the first book you read on autism you'll start with a deeper understanding. Don't bother reading books that bog you down with those who "suffer from autism" - this book, instead, is about human beings.

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thank you!

I cannot thank the author enough for writing this book. It is the first book on Autism that I have been able to relate to. My son was diagnosed last year and although he doesn't have the remarkable abilities that Morgan does, his behavior is very similar. Finally I saw parents that are like me and my boyfriend. In one of the early scenes Morgan is acting totally looney in front of strangers and the parents just look at each other like "uh". They enjoy their son and his wildness and don't try to reign him in. I also loved learning about the history of austism research and famous autists from history. This was not a subject of any interest to me but the other treats history like a novel and takes you down a fascinating path. I just can't thank him enough.

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Must Read for Anyone Interested in Autism

I loved this book. It was uplifting, informative and interesting. I especially appreciated the love that permeated throughout this book. You can feel it between Paul, his wife and (autistic) son.

So many books about autism focus on "fixing" what's wrong with the autist. On page 225 of the paperback version of "Not Even Wrong", Paul writes, "Autists are the ultimate square pegs, and the problem with pounding a square peg in a round hole is not that the hammering is hard work. It's that you are destroying the peg." I couldn't agree more. As the mother of an 11 year old autistic boy, I love who he is.

Paul Collins weaves his experiences with his son and his findings from his research trips into a beautiful, informative memoir with an extensive resource section in the back.

Purchase two copies of this book. You'll want one to pass along and one to keep.

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Opened my mind, opened my heart and made sense of many people I've known.

I have just finished Not Even Wrong and am in that stunned place of being so moved and so enlightened that I will need time to process it all. This is an amazing book. This author should be on the best sellers list as he consistantly writes with such savvy, humor and dedicated research, unearthing fascinating lessons from history that expand my understanding of this world and the mysteries of life. .

This should be the first autism book you read!

This is the latest book I have read on Autism. I wish it was the first. It tracks parents as they first learn of their son's diagnosis at around 2 years old. Then over the next year and half we follow this small family as they come to terms with ASD. Interspersed is the author's (a history professor) research into prominent stories of oddball characters from the last four centuries, who in the light of modern assessments, may have been autistic. The last two pages felt as if the author had tapped into my own life since my son's diagnosis 2 years ago. If you are a parent coming to terms with some recent devastating news, my advice is that before you read any other book on the subject, even Temple Grandin, start here. I have read 20 autism books in the last few years and this will help you more than any other.

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reviews: page 1, 2

In Not Even Wrong, Paul Collins melds a memoir of his son's autism with a journey into this realm of permanent outsiders. Examining forgotten geniuses and obscure medical archives, and beginning to see why he himself has spent a lifetime researching talented eccentrics, Collins shows how these stories are relevant and even necessary to shed light on autism.

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