From the publisher (edited for space):

Here, in Temple Grandin's own words, is the story what it is like to live with autism. Temple is among the few people who have broken through many the neurological impairments associated with autism. Throughout her life, she has developed unique coping strategies, including her famous "squeeze machine," modeled after seeing the calming effect squeeze chutes on cattle. She describes her pain isolation growing up "different" and her discovery visual symbols to interpret the "ways of the natives" Thinking In Pictures also gives information from the frontlines of autism, including treatment medication, and diagnosis, as well as Temple's insight into genius, savants, sensory phenomena, etc. Ultimately, it is Temple's unique ability describe the way her visual mind works and how she first made the connection between her impairment and animal temperament that is the basis of extraordinary gift and phenomenal success.


From amazon.com (edited for space):

...in Thinking in Pictures Grandin returns to tell her life history with great depth, insight, and feeling. "I don't want my thoughts to die with me. I want to have done something ... I want to know that my life has meaning ... I'm talking about things at the very core of my existence." Grandin's clear exposition of what it is like to "think in pictures" is immensely mind-broadening and basically destroys a whole school of philosophy (the one that declares language necessary for thought). Grandin, who feels she can "see through a cow's eyes," is an influential designer of slaughterhouses and livestock restraint systems. She has great insight into human-animal relations. It would be mere justice if Thinking in Pictures transforms the study of religious feeling, too.

An absolutely incredible book. Not a particularly easy read as Grandin's directness can at times make the reading seem "dry", however this is a must-read for anyone interested in autism.

Ring Guidelines Please:

Please journal book when received.

Please PM the next person on the list for their address before you’re finished. This should move the book along in a more timely fashion.

Please read and pass on in a timely fashion (I understand that we all have other commitments & financial responsibilities. However, if you cannot pass the book along within 4-6 weeks, at least send me a PM that you still have the book. I worry.)

Please add another journal entry and journal the book as “traveling” when you send it to the next person on the list.

Finally, if you wish to be moved down the list for any reason-let me know. I’d rather rearrange the list than see the book stall. Any other problems or concerns, feel free to pm me.

I hope that you enjoy the book and thanks for allowing me to share it with you : )

List Order:
LyzzeBee UK
FutureCat NZ
lmn60 AUS
hunnyb AUS
roadrunner TX
KarenZero NY
BlueAmazon CA
ldpaulson CA
buffra WV
Aisling78 MA
krin511 MD
SuorClarisse CAN
Back to me

posted out to LyzzyBee via Global Priority on Wed. Sept. 14. It should be there in about a week.

Enjoy : )

Received today and I'm over half way through it already. It's wonderful! I was going to lend this to my next door neighbour who has a young son just diagnosed autistic - but instead I have just ordered a copy for me and a copy for her from Amazon! I know she will draw a lot of interest, reassurance and comfort from it - as indeed am I. As someone at the very end of the spectrum, with mild Aspergers, it's so nice to know why I am super-reactive to (prescription!) drugs and am not alone in my ability to see flickering lights where everyone else sees plain ones!

Brilliant - thank you so much again bookreadera for spotting this on my wishlist and offering me a place on the ring.

Contacting FutureCat for address...

A truly wonderful and inspiring book, both about her life and the treatment of children and adults on the autistic spectrum, _and_ about the ways she works with animals in abbatoir facilities to make their experiences as gentle as possible. Amazing.

I have FutureCat's address so will be sending it off shortly.

RELEASE NOTES:

Posting to FutureCat on Tuesday

Arrived safely in New Zealand today.

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A really fascinating inside view of autism, giving insights not only through its subject matter, but through Grandin's writing style - it's hard to imagine a non-autistic author devoting such a long chapter to a discussion of almost every drug used in the treatment of autism and their effects, for example.

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Finally on its way to lmn60. Sorry about the delay - it's been a bit tricky getting near a post office lately.

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Arrived safely in my letter box today! Have a couple ahead of it, but I'll get to this one ASAP!

Just wanted to let you know that I haven't forgotten this book. It's sitting on my bedside table and I should start it in the next couple of days... sorry about the delay!

What an intriguing book this one is! I found myself grateful to Temple Grandin for explaining what autism is like from the 'inside'. I have been inspired by her ability to overcome her developmental disability and live life on her own terms.
I have found this book to be extremely useful both professionally and personally - I recently have been working with the family of a young boy that I suspect has autism and have found myself describing Temple's experiences and anecdotes as one way of explaining how their son may well be viewing the world.
Thanks so much for sharing this book with us all, bookreadera. I'ts been enormously helpful for me - so much so that I may well search out another copy for my permanent collection. (Who says bookcrossing harms book sales!)

I have just received hunnyb's address and will get it out to her early next week.

Received this today with 2 other bookcrossing books - yipee! :) This looks very interesting, thanks!

Just an update - I am getting through this in between the Christmas/ New Year rush :) It's very interesting so far, with the insights into how different people think about things.

Very interesting book made all the remarkable given its author. She provides lots of useful information about the treatment of autism as well as insights into what it is like living with it. The animal sections really struck a chord with me - it's beautiful that we are finally learning how to empathise with them.

Thanks for sharing this! It's off to roadrunner now :)

This arrived yesterday. I'm reading one ring with one waiting. I'll get to this asap and send it one its way.

Very interesting book that makes the world of autism so much more understandable. She was a bit difficult to read as she tends to be a bit "dry" and some parts are repetitive but overall this is a good book full of information. Thanks for sharing!

This is leaving today via Media Mail to visit KarenZero.

Just arrived - pretty fast there! Will read ASAP.

2/28: Almost done. Sorry for the delay!

I enjoyed this book and am definitely interested in reading Animals In Translation. I fouund it interesting to read about how she reconciled her feelings about animals as well as the afterlife with her profession.

Thanks bookreadera for sharing the book! It will be off to BlueAmazon tomorrow - apologies for the delay!

just arrived! will get going and get it out to ldpaulson!

I haven't been able to get anywhere with this. Will make one more concerted effort, but it goes to ldpaulson on Friday, read or not.

Thanks for the ring - sorry to be lame!

having said I couldn't get into it, I sat down and mostly devoured it. Didn't read every word, perhaps [found a tad dry] but I am SO glad I made it to the end, when it is the best.

The entire last chapter, Stairway to Heaven, on Religion & Belief, was wonderful. If nothing else - read that!

off on its journey - thanks for ringing.

Found in the mailbox and am currently reading as time permits. Apologies for not journaling sooner, but busier-than-usual life events have been monopolizing my time.

Absolutely fascinating. There were some rough patches. Frustrating and too graphic in sections dealing with slaughter. Emotional detatchment makes for some difficulty in relating to Grandin, particularly in trying to understand how she really views the cattle with which she works. She states throughout that she empathizes and understands them, and yet her views on eating them are not given until the conclusion of the book and are brief in comparison to other interrelated topics.

Caught it! Thanks

I was really interested in reading this, as I've worked with severely autistic individuals. But life got in the way and I never got to it. I wanted to keep things moving, so I've passed it on.

Thanks for sharing anyway.

I am so sorry that I never journaled that the book reached me safely -- I thought I must have, and when I went online today to add an entry of what I though of it, I discovered that I actually hadn't. So I apologize to bookreadera, you have probably been wondering if the book had even reached me safely or if it was lost in the mail.

This was an incredibly interesting book. I am a preschool teacher, and over teh years I have worked with several children who were ultimately diagnosed with variying degrees of autism, so it was facinating for me to have this glimpse into the mind of an adult with autism. Those children have long since left my classroom, and are no longer the 3- and 4-year-olds that I remember, but I will always think about them and hope they are doing well.

Grandin's narative jumps around quite a bit, from her perspectives of autism, to livestock, to her childhood, and back again, so sometimes it was difficult to follow her line of thinking. But, reading this book gave me a unique insight into being autistic, and I hope that the children I have worked with can someday reach their ultimate potential, as Grandin did.

I will PM the next in line, and mail this book out as soon as I receive an address -- hopefully before the end of the week. Thank you, bookreadera, for sharing this book as a ring. I enjoyed it.

This poor book has had so much trouble continuing on its journey! I PMed the next in line, krin511, who originally asked to be skipped, and then tried PMing the bookcrosser after her (SuorClarisse) several times, with no response. I also posted an ISO message in the forums. I got in touch with krin511 one last time, and she was now ready to read this book. So thinking in Pictures will finally be leaving my home this week.
Thank you again, bookreadera, for sharing this interesting book as a ring, and for your patience as its visit in Massachusetts stretched on much too long.

The book arrived today. I'll probably start it this weekend if not before.

I finished this book over the weekend. Like others have said, the writing can be a bit dry and disjointed, but I learned a lot about autism and animal behavior.

Mailed today to bookreadera.

arrived back home.

Thanks to everyone who participated in this ring. I know this is not the most entertaining or easiest of reads, but I think it is of immeasurable value to anyone wishing to understand autism.

Back on the PC shelf...