Review
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Essential reading for parents and teachers who work
with individuals with autism who remain non-verbal (Temple
Grandin)
There is much to be learned from it about this mysterious
condition that Hihida regards as both a blessing and a curse.
The book's single most important function is to drum into the
sometimes thick heads of us neurotypical readers that people with
autism experience a genuine and usually insuperable disconnection
between what they want to say or do and what their brain allows
them . . . Hihida's writing opens my mind to all sorts of
possibilities for interpreting the behaviour of both my sons . .
. a defining characteristic of autism is held to be lack of
empathy, yet Hihida shows a delicate regard for the
difficulties his condition creates and is adept at explaining his
experiences in language that makes sense to neurotypicals . . .
we should look with gratitude through the porthole he has cleared
on to a submerged world. (Charlotte Moore Observer)
Wise and witty, it offers a second insider's in into the
mysteries of non-verbal autism . . . The evolution of Hihida's
ins is at times almost unbearably moving . . . Ultimately,
though, his self-awareness is uplifting, reminding us to take joy
in life's simple pleasures . . . sage and subtle . . . [a work]
of illuminating beauty. (Emma Claire Sweeney Financial Times)
Once again, the invitation to step inside Hihida's mind is
irresistible . . . Hihida challenges the common belief that
people with severe autism are exclusively literal-minded. Time
and again he uses metaphor to help readers understand his world .
. . if any author can help us get a grip, it's Hihida.
(William Moore Evening Standard)
Hihida's books belong in the small but intense canon of
"locked-in" memoirs, such as Awakenings or The Diving Bell and
the Butterfly . . . Hihida reveals himself to be far more
conflicted than before. The titles show how much the years have
changed him. The Reason I Jump had joy shimmering through it.
Fall Down Seven Times, Get Up Eight - the title is taken from a
Japanese proverb - is about persistence. (Helen Rumbelow The
Times)
Readers are invited to observe the world from Hihida's
perspective - and what a startling perspective that is . . .
Hihida is wise beyond his years and constantly expressing his
gratitude towards his family, above all his resilient mother. His
pronouncements often ring with Yoda-like depth. He sounds like a
village elder and it is impossible not to listen . . .
challenges, even ones as seemingly insurable as those
presented by severe disability, are negotiable. Hope -
Hihida's favourite word - prevails. (Leaf Arbuthnot Sunday
Times)
The Reason I Jump was a game-changer, not only for those with a
special interest in autism, but for anyone interested in the
sheer diversity of human brains. In short essays using
crystalline prose, Hihida made a gentle but devastating case
that autism had been entirely misunderstood: it was not a
cognitive disability at all, but a communicative and sensory one
. . . This follow-up may not have the same surprise value, but it
does something just as inspiring: it shows us how, with a little
luck, plenty of support and a huge a of determination, a
"neuro-atypical" person can forge a happy and fulfilled path into
adulthood . . . Hihida's observations across a whole range of
topics are moving and thought-provoking - all the more so for
coming from the perspective of a social outsider. (Alice O'Keefe
Guardian)
The book rightly challenges the methods and attitudes that
prevail in supporting people with autism. It is rich in metaphor
. . . Fall Down Seven Times, Get Up Eight should be read by many
beyond the circle of parents seeking to understand their child.
It places Mr Hihida among the first rank of gifted writers,
not just writers with autism. (Economist)
Hihida's words are surely a vital message for all those who
love and care for autistic family members or friends . . . his
writing is poetic, with an inspirational tone that reveals wisdom
beyond his years and an acceptance of diversity that we should
all aspire to . . . Hihida holds up a mirror to conventional
assumptions about autism, including those of
professionals, and challenges us to do better . . . The
extraordinary impact that he is making on families across the
world continues. (Anna Remington The Lancet)
Book Description
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Following his ground-breaking international bestseller
THE REASON I JUMP, written when he was only thirteen, Naoki
Hihida offers equally illuminating and practical ins into
autism from his current perspective as a young man.