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zoeythekat's review against another edition
5.0
"The Reason I Jump" is a beautiful book written by Naoki Higashida, outlining his experiences with autism. It is an incredibly unique look at autism because autistic individuals typically have trouble communicating. Higashida is able to provide personal accounts which debunk many theories and stereotypes that have been speculated about autism.
I was astounded by the differences between what I had heard about autism, even in college courses, and what Higashida shares as his perspective. I was also astounded by how well I related to the text.
"The Reason I Jump" is a poignant, beautiful, and important read.
I was astounded by the differences between what I had heard about autism, even in college courses, and what Higashida shares as his perspective. I was also astounded by how well I related to the text.
"The Reason I Jump" is a poignant, beautiful, and important read.
kate_albers's review against another edition
5.0
This book was fascinating. I first heard about it (as I am sure most people did) on The Daily Show. Intrigued, I picked it up. It's wonderful. Told in a Q and A format, the book answers questions like "Why don't you like to be touched?" and "Why do you jump?" A must read for everyone.
shelled's review against another edition
3.0
Given the emotional review on The Daily Show, I was expecting more. Perhaps because I live with someone who experiences this every day but am fortunate enough that he can share his experiences with me, the book had little in the way of revelations. A good read for people who want some insight but be aware that, as the author reminds us, all people are different.
jannanhouse's review against another edition
5.0
Excellent book about the world of autism, told from the first person perspective. Interesting format. Highly recommend for those readers interested in understanding autism.
wjacksonata's review against another edition
3.0
I read this based on a recommendation from someone - cannot remember who (which is unfortunate, as it may have provided some context). The book is a quick read, and definitely enlightening. The largely Q&A format is good too. What struck me most was learning about the sensory aspect of autism - how over-stimulating things can be, and the steps needed to modulate stimuli. I can see why the book was like a gift to David Mitchell - and surely to other parents of autistic children.
aseroff's review against another edition
4.0
A quick read that can also feel repetitive, the series of questions and answers are best suited to reflection than anything else. But with over 50 different explanations to various questions about autistic behavior, you are bound to be struck by at least one of them, improving your communication strategies for autistic people for good.
blueacorn1991's review against another edition
informative
reflective
fast-paced
0.5
I was very curious to read this book, but was utterly disappointed. I was hoping for an insightful read of a non-verbal person with autism, but in stead I read something that felt like someone roleplaying an autistic person. Online I read that there was controvery about if this book was truly written by Higashida, and I have the gut feeling to agree.
In the foreword people with autism are described as 'heroes' and in the foreword and in the book itself autistic lives are described as 'suffering' and a burden to others.
On top of that the contant use of 'us' to describe the author's personal experience really irked me. It implies that all autistic people do and think as described in this book, and that's just completely untrue.
The short stories included also did not make sense to me, and often had me wondering why they were there, as they had nothing to do with the subject of the book.
All in all, I finished it because it was a very short read, otherwise I would have DNF'ed it. Back to the thrift store it goes.
In the foreword people with autism are described as 'heroes' and in the foreword and in the book itself autistic lives are described as 'suffering' and a burden to others.
On top of that the contant use of 'us' to describe the author's personal experience really irked me. It implies that all autistic people do and think as described in this book, and that's just completely untrue.
The short stories included also did not make sense to me, and often had me wondering why they were there, as they had nothing to do with the subject of the book.
All in all, I finished it because it was a very short read, otherwise I would have DNF'ed it. Back to the thrift store it goes.
stringsn88keys's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed the "insight" from this book, but considering that this is a translation from Japanese, I wonder how much embellishment and interpretation is involved.