Neurotribes the legacy of autism and the future of neurodiversity

"A groundbreaking book that 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 devastating developmental disorder, a lifelong disability, or a naturally occur...

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Main Author: Silberman, Steve (Author)
Format: Books Print Book
Language: English
Published: New York : Avery, an imprint of Penguin Random House, [2015]
Subjects:
Summary: "A groundbreaking book that 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 devastating developmental disorder, a lifelong disability, or a naturally occurring form of cognitive difference akin to certain forms of genius? In truth, it is all 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"--Provided by publisher.
Physical Description: 534 pages ; 24 cm
Bibliography: Includes bibliographical references (pages 481-515) and index.
ISBN: 9781583334676 (hardcover)
158333467X (hardcover)
Author Notes: Steve Silberman worked as an editor and writer for Wired magazine for 14 years. His articles have appeared in several publications including the New Yorker, the MIT Technology Review, Nature, Salon, Shambhala Sun, and Time. In 2010, he received the Kavli Science Journalism Award for Magazine Writing. In 2011, Silberman's twitter account made the list of Time magazine's best twitter feeds. His TED talk, The Forgotten History of Autism, has been viewed more than 800,000 times and has been translated into 13 languages. His book, NeuroTribes: The Legacy of Autism and How to Think Smarter about People Who Think Differently, won the Samuel Johnson Prize in 2015.

(Bowker Author Biography)