Product Description

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #63545 in Books
• Published on: 2008-01-28
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 352 pages

From Publishers Weekly
Autism is no longer considered a rare, stigmatized disorder; it's one that touches the lives of an increasing number of individuals worldwide. Grinker, director of the George Washington University Institute for Ethnographic Research, is one example of this phenomenon. Driven by the 1994 autism diagnosis his daughter, Isabel, received, Grinker endeavors to collect the myriad scientific, historical and cultural components of autism into an accessible primer. The book is divided into two parts—academic and anecdotal—throughout which the author illustrates his daughter's development and how his family has coped and developed alongside her. The first section recounts the history of autism, from the illness's initial description in 1943, its once taboo status and the erroneously cited causes of autism. Special attention is given to the evolving diagnostic criteria and the increase in prevalence rates. In the emotionally powerful second portion, Grinker details the experiences of parents of autistic children in South Africa, South Korea and India, how their respective societies view the disorder (often negatively) and the obstacles surmounted to increase awareness of autism, its treatment and management. While this grounds the book, the lengths to which Grinker goes to prove to the parents of autistic children they are not alone needn't have been so extensive. (Feb.)
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From Booklist
Anthropologist Grinker, whose daughter was diagnosed with autism in 1994, asks whether there is a sudden epidemic of autism and whether that would be such a bad thing. While the media is quick to point to a recent explosion of autism (from 1-in-10,000 children to an estimated 1-in-158 in little more than a decade) and call it a crisis, many question that depiction's accuracy. Since autism was first described in the 1940s, and nearly 40 years passed before the American Psychiatric Association accepted it as a developmental disorder, the so-called epidemic may only reflect more refined diagnostics and better reporting. Epidemic or no, Grinker is grateful for the attention, for he feels that the more autism, which actually now covers a spectrum of disorders, is put in the spotlights of public, medical, and political scrutiny, the more help and support will become available to diagnosed children and their families. Grinker's worldwide scope embraces the personal experiences of families with autistic children from the U.S. to Africa and adds dimension and power to his position. Donna Chavez
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Library Journal LJ Best Books, 2007
"Anthropologist Grinker's affecting investigation communicates a much-needed truth: autism is both a disease (biological) and an illness, i.e., a life-altering experience completely at odds with society. Hope then comes like a bullet via vignettes of parents from America to Korea who've adapted to their children's `unstrange' worldviews."

Customer Reviews

Of Two Minds on This Book
As a social scientist, I found this book to be superlative. The breadth of analysis and critical thinking is truly impressive.

As a mother of a child who's been diagnosed as high functioning on the autism spectrum disorder, I found this book lacking. I probably don't have a stronger visceral reaction because my son is doing really well and the interventions we've provided for him have worked wonders over the past 12 months. He'll be four in the fall and he appears very neurotypical.

It's difficult for me to recommend this to the small group of women I know whose children are on the spectrum. We have a listserv and I think they would be insulted if I mentioned this book. While Dr. Grinker has had time and perspective to write this book, there are many parents who are too close to the issue to appreciate what Dr. Grinker is trying to say.

While I laud Dr. Grinker's work as an anthropologist, I don't see the applicability for many parents whose children are on the spectrum. Some of us are worried sick and don't have the luxury to look at the 30,000 mile high view of how autism has been defined and is being battled worldwide.

A Good Read for Students of Psychology & Sociology
An anthropologist and father of an autistic child presents fascinating information on historical, cultural and personal aspects of autism spectrum disorders. Stories from parents in cultures very different from America, like Korea and India, are both interesting and sometimes shocking and heartrending--but the book finds positive progress to be the rule of the day in every place that autism has been recognized as a separate disorder from psychosis and mental retardation. Most moving are the author's own stories of his family. There is much in their experience that would be helpful to other families dealing with autism, if they encountered this book among the growing body of literature about, by, and for parents of autistic children.

Unstrange Minds
I had to read this book for Professor Grinker's Anthropology class at GW. Despite being mandatory, I found the book to be very interesting--demonstrating a new view of autism from both a statistical and personal perspective. I'd definitely recommend this book to anyone looking to learn more about the disorder.