From Publishers Weekly
Autism is no longer considered a rare, stigmatized disorder; it's one that touches the lives of an increasing number of individuals worldwide. Grinker, director of the George Washington University Institute for Ethnographic Research, is one example of this phenomenon. Driven by the 1994 autism diagnosis his daughter, Isabel, received, Grinker endeavors to collect the myriad scientific, historical and cultural components of autism into an accessible primer. The book is divided into two parts—academic and anecdotal—throughout which the author illustrates his daughter's development and how his family has coped and developed alongside her. The first section recounts the history of autism, from the illness's initial description in 1943, its once taboo status and the erroneously cited causes of autism. Special attention is given to the evolving diagnostic criteria and the increase in prevalence rates. In the emotionally powerful second portion, Grinker details the experiences of parents of autistic children in South Africa, South Korea and India, how their respective societies view the disorder (often negatively) and the obstacles surmounted to increase awareness of autism, its treatment and management. While this grounds the book, the lengths to which Grinker goes to prove to the parents of autistic children they are not alone needn't have been so extensive. (Feb.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Anthropologist Grinker, whose daughter was diagnosed with autism in 1994, asks whether there is a sudden epidemic of autism and whether that would be such a bad thing. While the media is quick to point to a recent explosion of autism (from 1-in-10,000 children to an estimated 1-in-158 in little more than a decade) and call it a crisis, many question that depiction's accuracy. Since autism was first described in the 1940s, and nearly 40 years passed before the American Psychiatric Association accepted it as a developmental disorder, the so-called epidemic may only reflect more refined diagnostics and better reporting. Epidemic or no, Grinker is grateful for the attention, for he feels that the more autism, which actually now covers a spectrum of disorders, is put in the spotlights of public, medical, and political scrutiny, the more help and support will become available to diagnosed children and their families. Grinker's worldwide scope embraces the personal experiences of families with autistic children from the U.S. to Africa and adds dimension and power to his position. Donna Chavez
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Review
"Beautifully explores autism . . . ranks with Uta Frith's Autism: Explaining the Enigma as one of the great general books on autism." -- Library Journal
"Hands down, Unstrange Minds is the most useful book of the bunch for anyone who is interested in learning more about autism." -- USA Today
"[A] beautifully written look at autism through the lens of history and culture." -- UPI
"[I]mpassioned and thoughtful." -- Medscape Pediatrics online
About the Author
Roy Richard Grinker is Professor of Anthropology and Director, George Washington University Institute for Ethnographic Research. He is the author of four other books, including the widely acclaimed In the Arms of Africa: The Life of Colin M. Turnbull. He lectures widely at universities and to parents and professionals involved in autism. He lives in Cabin John, Maryland.
