NeuroTribes, Steve Silberman
NeuroTribes, Steve Silberman
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NeuroTribes
The Legacy of Autism and the Future of Neurodiversity

Author: Steve Silberman, Oliver Sacks

Narrator: William Hughes

Unabridged: 18 hr 46 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 08/25/2015


Synopsis

This New York Times bestseller 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 lifelong disability or a naturally occurring form of cognitive difference akin to certain forms of genius? In truth, it is both 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.

About Steve Silberman

Steve Silberman (1957–2024) wrote the award–winning, bestselling nonfiction book on autism, NeuroTribes. As a journalist, he covered science and cultural affairs for Wired and other national magazines for more than twenty years. He was awarded the AAAS Kavli Science Journalism Award for Magazine Writing. His writing has appeared in the New Yorker, Time, Nature, and Salon.

About Oliver Sacks

Oliver Sacks (1933–2015) was the author of more than a dozen books, including The Mind’s Eye, Musicophilia, The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat, and Awakenings, which inspired both the Oscar-nominated film and a play by Harold Pinter. The New York Times has referred to him as “the poet laureate of medicine,” and he was a frequent contributor to the New Yorker and the New York Review of Books. He lived in New York City, where he was professor of neurology at the NYU School of Medicine for many years.

About William Hughes

William Hughes is an AudioFile Earphones Award–winning narrator. A professor of political science at Southern Oregon University in Ashland, Oregon, he received his doctorate in American politics from the University of California at Davis. He has done voice-over work for radio and film and is also an accomplished jazz guitarist.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Abigail on December 23, 2015

I read this book a couple of months ago, but only got around to reviewing it now. As a parent of multiple kids with autism I had been very eager to get hold of copy, especially as from the reviews I had read it seemed the author must have read my mind before he set out to read the book. The premise......more

Goodreads review by Beth on August 28, 2015

I received this book through the LibraryThing Early Reviewers Program, and I'm very glad I did. As the mother of an autistic child, the subject matter of autism is very personal for me. NeuroTribes was educational and affirming. I was genuinely astonished at how enjoyable the book was, long-winded t......more

Goodreads review by David on April 10, 2019

This is a fascinating book about autism. The first part of the book focuses on the history of research into the syndrome. It describes how early researchers tried to formulate the causes of autism, including the pitifully sidetracked idea that cold parents are responsible for the syndrome. The book......more

Goodreads review by Aaron on September 26, 2015

As a history of autism and its diagnosis, treatment, and social acceptance, this is a solid book. Could have used some more editing (the author often provides way too much detail on various players' bios and historical background. For example there's a good 30 pages devoted to a summary of the Nazi......more


Quotes

“Beautifully told, humanizing, important…showing us there are other ways to think and work and live.” New York Times Book Review

“Silberman has surely written the definitive book about [autism’s] past.”  The Economist (London)

“A comprehensive history of the science and culture surrounding autism studies…an essential resource.” Nature

“A historical tour of autism, richly populated with fascinating and engaging characters, and a rallying call to respect difference.” Science magazine

“The best book you can read to understand autism.” Gizmodo

“Epic and often shocking…Everyone with an interest in the history of science and medicine—how it has failed us, surprised us and benefited us—should read this book.” Chicago Tribune

“Required reading for every parent, teacher, therapist, and person who wants to know more about autism.” Parents Magazine

“A well-researched, readable report on the treatment of autism that explores its history and proposes significant changes for its future.” Kirkus Reviews

“Essential reading for anyone interested in psychology.” Temple Grandin, New York Times bestselling author

“This gripping and heroic tale is a brilliant addition to the history of autism.” Uta Frith, professor emeritus,  University College London


Awards

  • #1 Amazon bestseller
  • Samuel Johnson Prize for Nonfiction
  • Boston Globe Book of the Year
  • New York Times Book Review Notable Book
  • NPR’s Great Reads
  • BuzzFeed Books Pick
  • Gizmodo Pick
  • Audible Editors Top Pick
  • A PBS NewsHour-New York Times Book Club Pick
  • California Book Award