Temple Grandin says of this book, “I will be your guide on a tour of the autistic brain. I am in the unique position to speak about both my experiences with autism and the insights”. “I was fortunate to have been born in 1947. If I had been born ten years later, my life as a person with autism would have been a lot different.”

Grandin was taken to a neurologist by her mother when she noticed the symptoms that we now label as autism. She describes the labels, given to those on the various spectrums, as clumsy system of behavioral profiling and she is critical of the “Autism Spectrum Disorder” conclusions.

She reviews the evolution of causes over the years from 1947 when it was thought that autism was possibly caused by “refrigerator moms” (lack of maternal warmth).  This has evolved and changed, of course, to current thoughts about, “observable neurological and genetic evidence”  and conclusions, including environmental factors, that may be responsible for particular symptoms.

Quotes by Dr. Temple Grandin

 “Impaired social interactions and withdrawal may not be the result of a lack of compassion, incapability to put oneself into someone else’s position or lack of emotionality” 
 

“Neuroanatomy isn't destiny. Neither is genetics. They don't define who you will be. But they do define who you might be. They define who you can be.”