You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
33 reviews for:
The Power of Neurodiversity: Unleashing the Advantages of Your Differently Wired Brain
Thomas Armstrong
3.65 AVERAGE
33 reviews for:
The Power of Neurodiversity: Unleashing the Advantages of Your Differently Wired Brain
Thomas Armstrong
3.65 AVERAGE
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism
Moderate: Mental illness, Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Minor: Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Forced institutionalization
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
First of all, great news! It focuses on the positive sides of the Neurodiverse and it's overall pretty good!
I did get bothered by the Autism chapter, because the author quoted Temple Grandin SEVERAL TIMES (author of The Autistic Brain, a book I returned because Temple Grandin is just. a supporter of eugenics for autism and a ABA supporter) and the author managed to fail to mention that Hans Asperger was a nazi (whereas the author did in a later chapter called "The Rainbow of Intelligences" mention that the people that made the foundation of the IQ tests were nazi eugenicists.)
but honestly, it wasn't really a bad book. It had some things I found weird (the above here) but the book is actually quite interesting and points out strong points over the course of several chapters about people who are ADHD, Autistic, depressed / bipolar, Dyslexic, have Anxiety, are Schizophrenic, intellectually disabled (Down Syndrome, Williams Syndrome etc.) It mentions many ways on how to improve the lives of the Neurodiverse, including improving their surroundings and advice on what jobs might fit best for those with labels to thrive in (if they are wanting to have a job, of course). It doesn't just focus on jobs, it focuses on their interests, their talents.
it has an alright balance between talking about neurodivergent children and neurodivergent adults. also, it took me by surprise when it told me that neurotypical people didn't exist. Few people are willing to admit that, but by reading this book I can understand where that view is coming from, and how making the term Neurodiverse/Neurodiversity more inclusive can actually help us forward.
I did get bothered by the Autism chapter, because the author quoted Temple Grandin SEVERAL TIMES (author of The Autistic Brain, a book I returned because Temple Grandin is just. a supporter of eugenics for autism and a ABA supporter) and the author managed to fail to mention that Hans Asperger was a nazi (whereas the author did in a later chapter called "The Rainbow of Intelligences" mention that the people that made the foundation of the IQ tests were nazi eugenicists.)
but honestly, it wasn't really a bad book. It had some things I found weird (the above here) but the book is actually quite interesting and points out strong points over the course of several chapters about people who are ADHD, Autistic, depressed / bipolar, Dyslexic, have Anxiety, are Schizophrenic, intellectually disabled (Down Syndrome, Williams Syndrome etc.) It mentions many ways on how to improve the lives of the Neurodiverse, including improving their surroundings and advice on what jobs might fit best for those with labels to thrive in (if they are wanting to have a job, of course). It doesn't just focus on jobs, it focuses on their interests, their talents.
it has an alright balance between talking about neurodivergent children and neurodivergent adults. also, it took me by surprise when it told me that neurotypical people didn't exist. Few people are willing to admit that, but by reading this book I can understand where that view is coming from, and how making the term Neurodiverse/Neurodiversity more inclusive can actually help us forward.
informative
inspiring
fast-paced
I appreciate what the book is trying to do and I do consider the neurodivergent perspective refreshing. It's a good introduction to the movement's basic principles and philosophy. But the ADHD chapter felt icky to me, like the author had a really stereotyped view of the issue, besides implying that there is a real threat of addiction to prescribed stimulant medication (there isn't).
informative
medium-paced
I think I was expecting more from this book. It was written well, but I didn't learn anything extraordinary.
This is a paradigm changing book. I consider myself an open-minded person, but this book pushed some of my stereotypes and assumptions right in my face. And I liked it. Armstrong explains the whole brains of neurodiverse people and not just their "deficiencies." Conclusion: everyone really is special. Warning: he does talk a lot about evolution.
I highly recommend it as a mind-opening experience.
I highly recommend it as a mind-opening experience.
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
Kudos to the author for writing a book that focuses on the positive aspects of having a non-neurotypical brain. The book is a nice start but on the whole came off as quite meager. His theories had a lot of maybes (maybe being overanxious was helpful in a hunter-gatherer society because...) I also found his credentials and facts slim or questionable. As far as I could tell, he is mostly qualified to make these assertions about special education because he taught it for a couple of years? Excuse me, but what?
As the mother of a "neurodiverse" (autistic)child I found him to be quite naive. For instance, he tells what is supposed to be a charming story about how he would write a report for his student's IEP meeting that highlighted all their strengths. Nice but you probably screwed those parents, you ninny. Those meetings are grueling and disheartening, but you need to focus on the shortages in order to get your child the help they need. Those reports of his were sweet but COMPLETELY inappropriate for the setting. Maybe that's why he taught such a short while. He probably enraged desperate parents and teachers. I wish he had left out the entire part about what he thinks needs to happen in education. Lofty ideas with almost no chance of success on a large scale.
He wrote a very upbeat book that never seemed to get its head out of the clouds. Not very useful but a welcome bit of optimism for us struggling parents
As the mother of a "neurodiverse" (autistic)child I found him to be quite naive. For instance, he tells what is supposed to be a charming story about how he would write a report for his student's IEP meeting that highlighted all their strengths. Nice but you probably screwed those parents, you ninny. Those meetings are grueling and disheartening, but you need to focus on the shortages in order to get your child the help they need. Those reports of his were sweet but COMPLETELY inappropriate for the setting. Maybe that's why he taught such a short while. He probably enraged desperate parents and teachers. I wish he had left out the entire part about what he thinks needs to happen in education. Lofty ideas with almost no chance of success on a large scale.
He wrote a very upbeat book that never seemed to get its head out of the clouds. Not very useful but a welcome bit of optimism for us struggling parents