Thinking in Pictures, Expanded Edition: My Life with Autism [Paperback]

Temple Grandin (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 10, 2006

Temple Grandin, Ph.D., is a gifted animal scientist who has designed one third of all the livestock-handling facilities in the United States. She also lectures widely on autism—because Temple Grandin is autistic, a woman who thinks, feels, and experiences the world in ways that are incomprehensible to the rest of us.

In this unprecedented book, Grandin delivers a report from the country of autism. Writing from the dual perspectives of a scientist and an autistic person, she tells us how that country is experienced by its inhabitants and how she managed to breach its boundaries to function in the outside world. What emerges in Thinking in Pictures is the document of an extraordinary human being, one who, in gracefully and lucidly bridging the gulf between her condition and our own, sheds light on the riddle of our common identity.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“I hardly know what to say about this remarkable book. . . It provides a way to understand the many kinds of sentience, human and animal, that adorn the earth.” –Elizabeth Marshall Thomas, author of The Hidden Life of Dogs

"There are innumerable astounding facets to this remarkable book. . . . Displaying uncanny powers of observation . . . [Temple Grandin] charts the differences between her life and the lives of those who think in words." –The Philadelphia Inquirer

“A uniquely fascinating view not just of autism but of animal–and human–thinking and feeling, [providing] insights that can only be called wisdom.”
–Deborah Tannen, author of You Just Don’t Understand

About the Author

Temple Grandin has a Ph.D. in animal science from the University of Illinois, and has designed one third of all the livestock-handling facilities in the United States, and many in other countries. She is currently an associate professor of animal sciences at Colorado State University and a frequent lecturer at autism meetings throughout the country. She lives in Fort Collins, Colorado.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 270 pages
• Publisher: Vintage (January 10, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0307275655
• ISBN-13: 978-0307275653
• Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 0.6 x 8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (73 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #145,855 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Temple Grandin earned her Ph.D. in animal science from the University of Illinois, went on to become a professor at Colorado State University, and wrote two books on autism, including the seminal THINKING IN PICTURES. One of the most celebrated--and effective--animal advocates on the planet, Grandin revolutionized animal movement systems and spearheaded reform of the quality of life for the world's agricultural animals.

Catherine Johnson , Ph.D., is a writer specializing in neuropsychiatry and the brain and is the author of three previous books, including SHADOW SYNDROMES with John J. Ratey. She lives with her husband and three sons in New York. Two of her sons have autism.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

100 of 103 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Insightful and Thought-Provoking, November 5, 2006

By 

T. Burgess (Indianapolis, IN) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Thinking in Pictures, Expanded Edition: My Life with Autism (Paperback)

This book is absolutely amazing. I have 2 children with Asperger's and Temple Grandin's insight into why people with autism have certain behaviors was eye-opening. It also gave me a whole new perspective on what thought processes may effect their ability to learn abstract things and socialize with others. I would highly recommend this book to anyone. Even if you don't personally know someone with autism it can certainly give you a first-hand look at how different people think differently.

66 of 69 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An enlightening glimpse into the autistic mind, September 14, 2006

By 

Clinton B. Mckinlay "Clint M." (South Jordan, UT) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Thinking in Pictures, Expanded Edition: My Life with Autism (Paperback)

I have a 6-year-old autistic son. Though we love him tremendously, my wife and I have struggled greatly in raising him. This breakthrough book has helped us approach our interactions with him in a more effective manner. It also sheds precious insight into the autistic world for any curious or thoughtful person with an interest to know more. Thank you Temple Grandin for your remarkable achievements in life, which give us great hope for our son. And thank for giving us invaluable perspective on autism. You have blessed the lives of countless people.

63 of 68 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating mind, November 26, 2006

By 

Lynetta Anne "lynettaann" (San Francisco, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Thinking in Pictures, Expanded Edition: My Life with Autism (Paperback)

Whether you know anyone with Asperger's or not, this book will enlighten and expand your thinking about how minds work and what it means to be human. As in most areas, most people assume that other people think and perceive the same way that they do, and that this is the "only right way to do it." But when everyone thinks the same way, break-through thinking is almost impossible.

Reading this book I wondered if, without the awe-inspiring differences, we would have ever moved out of mud huts. It seems to me that the lessons stretch far beyond what it means to have Aspergers, although learning what that means is an incredible gift.

We need to treat our differences with awe, wonder and respect and recognize how people who are "differently wired" have helped to shape our world.