Dasha's Journal: A Cat Reflects on Life, Catness and Autism (Paperback)

~ T. o. Daria (Author)
Key Phrases: autistic humans, autistic individuals, challenging behaviours, Dasha's Journal, Temple Grandin, Miss Ponytail (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

'Dasha is a brilliant feline! She is flat-out funny, wise beyond her cat years and a true champion of autistics everywhere! Read her journal and let her teach you about autism!" - Liane Holliday Willey, EdD, author of Pretending to be Normal: Living with Asperger's Syndrome'A heartwarming book providing insights into how autistic persons perceive and interact with the world as only a cat can. As Dasha "meows" about her human members of the family we learn how autism is a different, rather than a disordered way of being. This book is a delightful and informative read.'- Stephen M. Shore, EdD, Executive Director of Autism Spectrum Disorder Consulting, Board of Directors for the Autism Society of America and the Asperger's Association of New England 'Dasha's Journal is a charming and original way of explaining the mystery that is autism. Dasha is a cat who lives in an "autistic" family. Her observations on the behaviour of both the autistic and neurotypical members of the family put the "problems" of autism into perspective; we are often told that autistic people are "mindblind", but, as Dasha shows, neurotypicals are just as blind to the ways of those who are "differently abled", whether autistics or cats! The Journal is quirky and amusing, but beneath the humour lies a serious and profound examination of autism and the misconceptions that surround it.'- Charlotte Moore, author of George and Sam: Autism in the Family

Product Description

Just a few weeks old, Dasha the cat found herself in a family with an autistic child. The publication of Temple Grandin's book "Animals in Translation: Using the Mysteries of Autism to Decode Animal Behaviour" turned the household into a research laboratory, with the humans observing Dasha's behaviours and the cat experimenting with the 'human guinea pigs'. The feline perspective provides a new outlook on autism conditions, challenging long established stereotypes and analysing controversies in the field with an unbiased attitude and humour. The text is interspersed with Dasha's 'wisdoms', 'research notes' and definitions of concepts based on her own understanding, such as 'A pet shop is a place where humans come to be adopted by the animals who are brave enough to take a responsibility of looking after them.' Dasha's Journal provides research-based information in an amusing and accessible form and makes serious and complicated issues such as sensory perception, memory, communication, savant skills and challenging behaviours in autism easily understandable for the general reader.

Product Details

• Paperback: 172 pages
• Publisher: Jessica Kingsley Publishers; 1 edition (April 30, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1843105861
• ISBN-13: 978-1843105862
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #885,704 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A very good book, and why, June 3, 2008

By	Edgar R. Schneider - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I am a man with Asperger's Syndrome, the highest-functioning form of autism, and I have, for many years, been involved in autism advocacy. As such, I cannot help but be perplexed by the huge amounts of misinformation abounding in the media, invariably from non-autistic sources. "Dasha's Journal" is the proverbial breath of fresh air. In describing the ins and outs of autism, the author gets it exactly right. These are objective facts.

Style and format are, of course, as the saying goes, in the eye of the beholder. This beholder found it very entertaining. (Disclaimer: I am an unreconstructed cat lover.) It takes a rare literary talent to put across something as seen through the eyes of someone else, especially an animal, and make it convincing. In this, the author has been successful. I should also like to point out that this book is not "pop science". The author gives many sources that "Dasha" uses to make her points, and these can referenced by professionals and others.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of my favorites!, June 4, 2008

By	Liane Holliday Willey, EdD - See all my reviews

I have read at least a hundred books on Asperger syndrome, and this one stands out not only because it is very accurate in its description of autism spectrum disorders, but also because of its narrator's style. Author T.O. Daria sets the stage through his cat Dasha, who serves as the voice of the book. Dasha offers a viewpoint that is unique and gracious and charming. I know it sounds silly to think a narrating cat can do ASD justice, but trust me, the concept works and it works very well. This is the kind of book you can give to anyone, but especially to reluctant readers not sure they want to face the subject of ASD. I highly recommend it.
Liane Holliday Willey, author of Pretending to be Normal: Living with Asperger's Syndrome; Asperger Syndrome in the Family: Redefining Normal; and Asperger Syndrome and Adolescence: The Ups, the Downs, and the Things In-Between.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Not the Cat's Meow, June 1, 2008

By	Dodge Dart (Classic Chrysler City) - See all my reviews

I didn't like this book at all. It's written as if it's in the cat's perspective, like the cat is telling what is going on. It's about a family contending with autism and how the cat views this. Although it's not for me, it really is for cat lovers. It is better than the one about cats with asperger's, but not by much.