03-15-2007, 03:44 PM
Book offers insight into mind of autistic savant
March 14, 2007
By Seema Kumar
Caddo Magnet High junior
It's not often that you are able to immerse yourself completely into the life of another. But Daniel Tammet's "Born on a Blue Day" is one of those treasures that does allows you to do just that.
The book is a memoir of Tammet's life with a form of autism, known as Asperger's Syndrome. This condition affects social skills and is associated with repetitive behaviors, technical patterns of thought and other uncoordinated controls. Tammet also has Savant Syndrome, which is usually characterized by a person being handicapped in some areas, but extraordinary in others.
The novel takes the reader through the stages of Tammet's life, from his early years to adolescence to falling in love. From the very start, Tammet's naiveté becomes apparent by his actions as a young child. The reader is able to grasp a concept of what living with Asperger's is like, as Tammet meticulously notes many miniscule details that contributed to his childhood. He has to eat exactly 45 grams of porridge each morning, and must count the number of clothing items he is wearing.
The novel focuses on the physical [?] disabilities of Tammet's conditions, and it is not until the latter half that the book shifts attention to the achievements Tammet accomplished in spite of his limitations. The reader grows up with Tammet, travels with him to Lithuania, watches him discover his sexuality, sees him fall in love and admires him as he learns more about himself.
The beauty of this novel comes from its simplicity. Though the central plot surrounds a subject that is extensive, abstract and difficult to understand, the novel is written in such a way that the reader can relate to Tammet's endeavors in life. It is candid and honest, and the situations which Tammet is placed in evoke a sense of sympathy by the reader as their eyes open to a world of Asperger's Syndrome.
While I enjoyed this novel due to the understanding I gained from it, it is certainly not for everyone. It is not a light-hearted, superficial read and dwells upon the hardships of growing up with a disease. However, "Born on a Blue Day" offers an unusual perspective of writing. The occasional drawings in the book allow the reader to engross himself in Tammet's life, and bring the complex subjects back down to earth.
Daniel Tammet's "Born on a Blue Day" will certainly catch the eye of many readers as an emerging book that offers an unrivaled insight inside the extraordinary mind of an autistic savant.
March 14, 2007
By Seema Kumar
Caddo Magnet High junior
It's not often that you are able to immerse yourself completely into the life of another. But Daniel Tammet's "Born on a Blue Day" is one of those treasures that does allows you to do just that.
The book is a memoir of Tammet's life with a form of autism, known as Asperger's Syndrome. This condition affects social skills and is associated with repetitive behaviors, technical patterns of thought and other uncoordinated controls. Tammet also has Savant Syndrome, which is usually characterized by a person being handicapped in some areas, but extraordinary in others.
The novel takes the reader through the stages of Tammet's life, from his early years to adolescence to falling in love. From the very start, Tammet's naiveté becomes apparent by his actions as a young child. The reader is able to grasp a concept of what living with Asperger's is like, as Tammet meticulously notes many miniscule details that contributed to his childhood. He has to eat exactly 45 grams of porridge each morning, and must count the number of clothing items he is wearing.
The novel focuses on the physical [?] disabilities of Tammet's conditions, and it is not until the latter half that the book shifts attention to the achievements Tammet accomplished in spite of his limitations. The reader grows up with Tammet, travels with him to Lithuania, watches him discover his sexuality, sees him fall in love and admires him as he learns more about himself.
The beauty of this novel comes from its simplicity. Though the central plot surrounds a subject that is extensive, abstract and difficult to understand, the novel is written in such a way that the reader can relate to Tammet's endeavors in life. It is candid and honest, and the situations which Tammet is placed in evoke a sense of sympathy by the reader as their eyes open to a world of Asperger's Syndrome.
While I enjoyed this novel due to the understanding I gained from it, it is certainly not for everyone. It is not a light-hearted, superficial read and dwells upon the hardships of growing up with a disease. However, "Born on a Blue Day" offers an unusual perspective of writing. The occasional drawings in the book allow the reader to engross himself in Tammet's life, and bring the complex subjects back down to earth.
Daniel Tammet's "Born on a Blue Day" will certainly catch the eye of many readers as an emerging book that offers an unrivaled insight inside the extraordinary mind of an autistic savant.