NeuroTribes

The Legacy of Autism and the Future of Neurodiversity

By: Steve Silberman

Narrated by: William Hughes

This New York Times bestseller upends conventional thinking about autism and suggests a broader model for acceptance, understanding, and full participation in society for people who think differently.

What is autism: a lifelong disability or a naturally occurring form of cognitive difference akin to certain forms of genius? In truth, it is both of these things and more—and the future of our society depends on our understanding it. Wired reporter Steve Silberman unearths the secret history of autism, long suppressed by the same clinicians who became famous for discovering it, and finds surprising answers to the crucial question of why the number of diagnoses has soared in recent years.

Going back to the earliest days of autism research and chronicling the brave and lonely journey of autistic people and their families through the decades, Silberman provides long-sought solutions to the autism puzzle, while mapping out a path for our society toward a more humane world in which people with learning differences and those who love them have access to the resources they need to live happier, healthier, more secure, and more meaningful lives.

Along the way, he reveals the untold story of Hans Asperger, the father of Asperger’s syndrome, whose “little professors” were targeted by the darkest social-engineering experiment in human history; exposes the covert campaign by child psychiatrist Leo Kanner to suppress knowledge of the autism spectrum for fifty years; and casts light on the growing movement of “neurodiversity” activists seeking respect, support, technological innovation, accommodations in the workplace and in education, and the right to self-determination for those with cognitive differences.

©2015 Steve Silberman (P)2015 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Very enlightening

Overall excellent, however it was a little hard to follow with back and forth chronology.

Groundbreaking

The most comprehensive history of everything Autism. Heartache, victory, and frustration all rolled into one amazing book. There are human stories woven through statistics and science. Just brilliant.

Life changing, and extremely interesting book!

One of the most amazing books I've read. Very well written and broad in scope.

Exceptionally researched

Well written and researched. It gave me fantastic historical context and perspective on being a parent of a child on the spectrum

mandatory reading worldwide! please.

Educational, inspiring, revolutionizing. My perspective on autism is now forever changed. Explained in the most logical, practical and intelligent manner. I found myself re-reading chapters and shaking my head in accordance and disbelief constantly! I have cried and laughed feeling ever so enlightened. Thank you Mr Silverman.

I am almost 30 and discovered I am Autistic.

I wanted to start reading books and learning about Autism and I started with this one. I learned so much and it was special to me because I was learning about myself. I taught my wife what I was learning and this book was helpful to her too. There's so much in here I recommend it to anyone who wants to know more about Autism and it's relative history.

A clear explanation of and the history of autism

As a pediatric physical therapist who has been involved with autistic children and adolescents for many years, I have experienced those moments where I connected with a child finally reaching into their world and sharing it. This well written book with excellent historical perspective as well as the perspectives of autistic adults is a resource that I wish I had 35 years ago when I began my career. I remember some of the events In this book and hope that I was a positive rather than a negative influence in the lives of these children and their families. I remember voraciously reading Temple Grandin's books to better understand the minds of these incredible little persons. I would highly recommend this book to any person, professional or merely interested. I find that I have some of those autistic characteristics which may be why I gravitated towards children! You might recognize some in yourself and realize that we are all human and that life would be quite boring and probably stagnant without diversity.

Tons of Information About the History of Autism

This book has a LOT of information about the history of autism, which is good because it's interesting but bad because parts of it were a little overwhelming. The middle part, in particular, dragged a bit when the focus becomes targeted on the Holocaust. That being said, I like the book overall and it did give me a better understanding of Asperger's Syndrome and Autism Spectrum Disorders. For years I have felt that far too many people (often physicians) take advantage of parents of children on the spectrum and this book addressed this, which I greatly appreciate.

good book

this field is required so i am writing the things here and it's counting my words

I don't believe in 5 stars.

I love this book. From the start, it delves into current Autism cases and then it delves into the history of Autism research and diagnosis.

The most infuriating part has to do with Leo Kanner aka "The Father of Child Psychiatry." Kanner was a snake oil salesman. A man with no discernable talents who peddled theories that impacted the research and diagnosis of Autism for four decades, by blaming the parents, more directly the mothers for being too driven to succeed in education and careers outside homemaking.

Leo Kanner is a fraud who took credit for others' research especially from colleagues of Hans Asperger whom he recruited here in the USA after fleeing Nazi Germany.