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bardicbramley 's review for:
Okay. That took a while. But it was definitely worth it.
I was recommended this book by my university disability officer when I updated her on my recent autism diagnosis. She definitely wasn't wrong when she called it 'a tome', but I'd already written it down in my notes by that point, so I had no choice but to check it out of the library.
I usually read up about things way before they become something seriously affecting me - rather ironically, I like to be prepared - however in my denial, I hadn't been expecting the diagnosis. A book recommendation was exactly what I needed to help me process and understand. I got my diagnosis in the summer of 2020. I started reading this book in October 2020, and have just finished in in February 2021. It was definitely a commitment.
However, at no point did I feel like giving up on it. It may have been long, academic, and difficult at times, but every page felt like a rewarding learning experience. Whether it was an emotional punch to the gut of Asperger and the Holocaust, disgust and anger at the ways autistic children and adults have been treated in the past, a warm connection to the descriptions and voices of autistic advocates and historical personalities, or general awareness of the academic, medical and professional progress around the condition... every page was worth the effort.
I would recommend this book to anyone who wants an in-depth, serious and well referenced insight into the world and history of autism spectrum condition. Whether you are autistic yourself, a close nuerodivergent or disabled 'cousin', a family member of an autistic person, or a professional who wants to be prepared to understand those who are autistic. This fits the bill across the board.
I can't bring myself to give 5 stars, mainly for the small parts of description in the book that felt dragged out. I have not read anything else by Silberman, but I would not be surprised to hear that his writing background is in journalism (having just looked him up whilst writing this, it would seem I'm correct in that assumption).
I would also highlight that from my brief research, Silberman is not himself autistic.
I was recommended this book by my university disability officer when I updated her on my recent autism diagnosis. She definitely wasn't wrong when she called it 'a tome', but I'd already written it down in my notes by that point, so I had no choice but to check it out of the library.
I usually read up about things way before they become something seriously affecting me - rather ironically, I like to be prepared - however in my denial, I hadn't been expecting the diagnosis. A book recommendation was exactly what I needed to help me process and understand. I got my diagnosis in the summer of 2020. I started reading this book in October 2020, and have just finished in in February 2021. It was definitely a commitment.
However, at no point did I feel like giving up on it. It may have been long, academic, and difficult at times, but every page felt like a rewarding learning experience. Whether it was an emotional punch to the gut of Asperger and the Holocaust, disgust and anger at the ways autistic children and adults have been treated in the past, a warm connection to the descriptions and voices of autistic advocates and historical personalities, or general awareness of the academic, medical and professional progress around the condition... every page was worth the effort.
I would recommend this book to anyone who wants an in-depth, serious and well referenced insight into the world and history of autism spectrum condition. Whether you are autistic yourself, a close nuerodivergent or disabled 'cousin', a family member of an autistic person, or a professional who wants to be prepared to understand those who are autistic. This fits the bill across the board.
I can't bring myself to give 5 stars, mainly for the small parts of description in the book that felt dragged out. I have not read anything else by Silberman, but I would not be surprised to hear that his writing background is in journalism (having just looked him up whilst writing this, it would seem I'm correct in that assumption).
I would also highlight that from my brief research, Silberman is not himself autistic.