From a medical point of view, the more unfortunate thing is that we do not really know much about the condition, precisely how it affects the human mind, and perhaps more importantly, how autistic people perceive the world.
However, we are slowly progressing for the best, and The Reason I Jump by Naoki Higashida may help us to push things much further and faster.
To give you a bit of background knowledge, Naoki Higashida is a teenager who is afflicted with severe autism. For many years he did not know how to communicate with the world, falling into isolation and despair. However, with time he was taught a system of communication, to the point where today he can, although somewhat painstakingly, write entire books.
To give you a bit of background knowledge, Naoki Higashida is a teenager who is afflicted with severe autism. For many years he did not know how to communicate with the world, falling into isolation and despair. However, with time he was taught a system of communication, to the point where today he can, although somewhat painstakingly, write entire books.
The Reason I Jump is basically, at least from what I gathered, Higashida’s attempt at helping the world understand how he and those afflicted with autism perceive the world. In the process of showing the differences between us, Higashida is also trying to demonstrate how in the end, autistic people are perfectly capable of understanding others’ words and emotions, empathizing with them, having dreams, hopes, desires, and more.
Higashida is extremely disarming and honest in his approach here. He doesn’t shy away from more or less controversial topics, nor does forego questions which may be considered offensive.
He explains as simply and as clearly as possible what he feels and wants when certain things happen, and what his automatic reactions and reflexes are. Long story short, this book opens to us the mind of a person afflicted with severe autism so that we may better understand not only the condition, but more importantly, the ones afflicted by it.
If you happen to know an autistic person, then as many people have claimed, it will tremendously help you to understand them, whether they are an acquaintance, a friend or a family member. By understanding the thought process engendered by autism, you will have the ability to understand how that person feels and why it is that way.
If you happen to know an autistic person, then as many people have claimed, it will tremendously help you to understand them, whether they are an acquaintance, a friend or a family member. By understanding the thought process engendered by autism, you will have the ability to understand how that person feels and why it is that way.
All in all, The Reason I Jump is an inspiring, educative and very heartwarming effort deserving of every single praise it gets, and from what I believe, it will be used to expand our knowledge on autism in the years to come. If the condition interests you in any way, this is the definite book to read to learn on the subject.
 | Naoki HigashidaNaoki Higashida is a rather unusual Japanese author, being afflicted with autism and having nevertheless published number books, some of which earned him literary awards. In an attempt to explain what it is like to live for autistic members of our society, he wrote what remains for now his magnum opus, The Reason I Jump. |
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