Not Even Wrong: A Father's Journey into the Lost History of Autism [Paperback]

Paul Collins (Author)

Book Description

Release date: March 24, 2005

In Not Even Wrong, Paul Collins melds a memoir of his son's autism with a journey into this realm of permanent outsiders. Examining forgotten geniuses and obscure medical archives, and beginning to see why he himself has spent a lifetime researching talented eccentrics, Collins shows how these stories are relevant and even necessary to shed light on autism.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Collins elucidates, with great compassion, what it means to be 'normal' and what it means to be human." (Los Angeles Times )

"Brilliant." (Vanity Fair )

"Striking…Brave man, brave book." (Washington Post )

"A genre-bending spellbinder." (Newsday )

"This is a smart, compassionate study of autists-'the ultimate square pegs'-and how they see the world..." (Publishers Weekly )

"[A] fascinating portrait of his son. (Entertainment Weekly )

"A thoroughly touching and engaging look at autism through the ages, told from the perspective of a loving father." (Booklist )

"Exceptionally well written and a joy to read." (Library Journal )

"Collins paints a vivid picture of parenting, and provides a fascinating history of the disorder." (Psychology Today )

About the Author

Paul Collins is the author of Sixpence House and Banvard's Folly: Thirteen Tales of People Who Didn't Change the World. He edits the Collins Library for McSweeney's Books and lives in Portland with his wife and son.

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Bloomsbury USA (March 24, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1582344787
• ISBN-13: 978-1582344782
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #304,961 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Paul Collins is a writer specializing in science history, memoir, and unusual antiquarian literature. His 7 books have been translated into 10 languages, and include Sixpence House: Lost in a Town of Books (2003) and The Murder of the Century: The Gilded Age Crime That Scandalized a City & Sparked the Tabloid Wars (2011). His freelance work includes pieces for the New York Times, Slate, and New Scientist, and he appears on NPR Weekend Edition as its resident "literary detective" on odd old books.

Collins lives in Portland, Oregon, where he teaches in the MFA program at Portland State University.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Simply Splendid! April 27, 2006

By Sharon Afzal

Format:Paperback

Paul Collins has crafted a brilliant novel that is inspiring without being unrealistic. He cleverly interweaves his experiences with being a father of a child who is autistic, the history of the study of autism, and added in some biographies of people who are "suspected" autists.

I wasn't sure about this book when I bought it. I have read many books on ASD, some have too much scientific data for me to actually get into the spirit of the message. This is not one of those books! It is extremely user friendly and does not contain so much information in such a short format that you can't relate.

I highly recommend this book for anyone who is dealing with ASD, interested in the study of ASD, or is looking for answers. A fantastic read! Thank you Mr. Collins!

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars "It's not a tragedy, it's not a sad story, it's not the movie of the week. It's my family." too. June 8, 2006

By M. Harris

Format:Paperback

My son has ASD and I've got all the books they tell you to buy to find out more about Autism-- this one should be added to the list! Initially I bought this book as a gift for my husband for Father's Day, I read the first page and was hooked. When he saw what I was reading I said, Happy Father's Day and went back to the page. Not Even Wrong has securely found itself added to my list of all time favorite books. Thank you, Mr Collins, for such a great book that everyone should read and all ASD families will treasure.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Must Read for Anyone Interested in Autism September 30, 2007

By N. A. Prianti

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I loved this book. It was uplifting, informative and interesting. I especially appreciated the love that permeated throughout this book. You can feel it between Paul, his wife and (autistic) son.

So many books about autism focus on "fixing" what's wrong with the autist. On page 225 of the paperback version of "Not Even Wrong", Paul writes, "Autists are the ultimate square pegs, and the problem with pounding a square peg in a round hole is not that the hammering is hard work. It's that you are destroying the peg." I couldn't agree more. As the mother of an 11 year old autistic boy, I love who he is.

Paul Collins weaves his experiences with his son and his findings from his research trips into a beautiful, informative memoir with an extensive resource section in the back.

Purchase two copies of this book. You'll want one to pass along and one to keep.