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A review by burdasnest
NeuroTribes: The Legacy of Autism and the Future of Neurodiversity by Steve Silberman
challenging
informative
reflective
slow-paced
4.75
Truly a (western) cultural history of autism, rather than a clinical reference. There are contemporary people and families navigating autism in our modern world, accounts of folks centuries ago who were almost certainly autistic, and then individuals and families throughout the "discovery" and development process through to our current understanding of neurodivergence. Silberman does an excellent job of making every single one of their stories human, relatable, and interesting, and situating them in context. He also holds immense empathy for and interest in people on the autism spectrum, without being patronizing or dismissive. His writing felt like a hug, even while some of the stories were difficult to swallow.
While the underlying theme is acceptance and inclusion, this is not necessarily a detailed guide for activism. Which is fine, it's not in the scope of the book, but those looking for that kind of treatise rather than a comprehensive history should look elsewhere.
The only reason I didn't give this 5 stars was that unfortunately, it heaps an uncomfortable amount of praise and credit on Asperger. But it was an issue of timing- this book was written and published just before comprehensive research on Asperger's involvement with the Nazis became available. I read the audiobook, but someone who read a more recent edition of the print said that there's an addendum at the end that addresses this controversy.
While the underlying theme is acceptance and inclusion, this is not necessarily a detailed guide for activism. Which is fine, it's not in the scope of the book, but those looking for that kind of treatise rather than a comprehensive history should look elsewhere.
The only reason I didn't give this 5 stars was that unfortunately, it heaps an uncomfortable amount of praise and credit on Asperger. But it was an issue of timing- this book was written and published just before comprehensive research on Asperger's involvement with the Nazis became available. I read the audiobook, but someone who read a more recent edition of the print said that there's an addendum at the end that addresses this controversy.