Unstrange Minds: Remapping the World of Autism
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.