Unstrange Minds

[naomikritzer]

At the library yesterday, I picked up a book called Unstrange Minds: Remapping the World of Autism by Roy Richard Grinker. He's a Professor of Anthropology whose older daughter (now in her teens) has autism. The book takes both a historical and cross-cultural approach -- discussing in some detail how autistic children are diagnosed and treated in India and Korea, and also talking about both the history of the autism diagnosis and whether so-called feral children might have in fact been autistic.

He also tells his daughter's story in some detail. Isabel was diagnosed in 1994, when autism was still considered rare and baffling by most school districts. (In discussing the rise in autism cases, Grinker comes down very strongly on the side of this being the result of better diagnosis.) He talks about experiences, both in and out of school, that Isabel found most helpful. (For example, at one point they signed her up for French classes. This came out of her fascination with Monet and the book Linnea in Monet's Garden, but he noted that a language class provides a lot of social training -- you rehearse, over and over again, how to say things like, "Hello. How are you? I am fine." And instead of doing this with a therapist or a parent, you get to do this with neurotypical peers who are operating on basically the same level you are because they're also learning the language.) He doesn't prescribe anything in particular -- he is not Jenny McCarthy, and this book was not written to convince other parents that anything he did is the One True Way to Fix Autism. He just tells his daughter's story, mixed in with fascinating nuggets about autism diagnosis in South Korea, South Africa, and India, and the history of autism diagnosis and treatments.

I'm not sure whether his personal narrative or the cross-cultural stuff was more compelling, but I found this book absolutely riveting. This is what I read in between trick-or-treaters last night, and then I sat up reading until I was done.

Comments

[haddayr.livejournal.com]

I want to read this! I love the cross-cultural stuff.

[naomikritzer]

I posted this in part because I thought several people on my friendslist would find this book at least as interesting as I did, and you were one of them.

He also tucks in all sorts of nuggets about cross-cultural views on mental health more generally and it's FASCINATING.

[swords-and-pens.livejournal.com]

We have this on the shelf at home. Jamie finished it a while back, and now it is in my "to read" pile. NPR did an interview with Grinker a while back, which was fascinating. It may be worth hunting down.

[wrenb.livejournal.com]

I remember hearing him on the radio, talking about visiting Monet's garden. It sounded really interesting. Now to go put the book on hold!

[jimhines.livejournal.com]

This sounds like a great read, and exactly the sort of thing I'm looking for as research on a future project... Thanks!

[sylvia-rachel.livejournal.com]

It sounds a bit like the The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down of autism.

::goes to put book on hold at library::

[naomikritzer]

That's not a bad comparison, actually.

[sylvia-rachel.livejournal.com]

Well, I definitely want to read it, then. The Spirit Catches... is an amazing book.

[imponderabilias.livejournal.com]

Oh, I really want to read this one. I'd heard the title but didn't know much more about it, and your review really makes me want to start reading right now (unfortunately, I have 4 articles due in the next two weeks).

Now you should read "George and Sam" by Charlotte Moore, because I know you'll find all the stuff about England fascinating and her writing is sooooo good.