A comprehensive, beautifully written journey recounting the treatment of children who are different from the norm. There are horrific counts of Hitler’s orders to terminate babies and children that did not conform to his version of “normal.” This added atrocity to the list of Hitler’s reign of terror is still echoing through my bones.
My most important takeaway is how society treats people who do not meet their standard of normal. Spending money for a cure for individuals who process differently is not the answer. We need to focus on helping them flourish as they are. In school, in our work environments, in our daily lives we cannot be good at everything. We all need to find the things we are happy doing and can excel at and help others find their path too. In addition, creating sensory-friendly environments for those with cognitive differences should be the goal.

Well written history of autism. Parents and students alike are having problems understanding autism. I'll be recommending this to my students and families.

I have to admit that I didn't read this title cover to cover. I found myself browsing it, which was, in fact, a worthwhile aproach. I liked being able to think through pieces of this title, rather than trying to absorb it all at once.

I found this to be well-written and impressively researched. The historical data was intense and extensive, and overall the book is heavier on the “legacy of autism” part of the subtitle and lighter on the “future of neurodiversity.” As a mom of an autistic son and having my own point of view re: what matters, I wanted more about neurodiversity, but that’s just my preference, not an indictment of the book at all, which was well worth the read.

As someone who has volunteered with children who have autism for years, I appreciate the encompassing scope and depth of knowledge in this book