Synopsis -
This unique first-person account offers a window into the mind of a high-functioning, 27-year-old British autistic savant with Asperger's syndrome. Tammet's ability to think abstractly, deviate from routine, and empathize, interact and communicate with others is impaired, yet he's capable of incredible feats of memorization and mental calculation.
Besides being able to effortlessly multiply and divide huge sums in his head with the speed and accuracy of a computer, Tammet, the subject of the 2005 documentary Brainman, learned Icelandic in a single week and recited the number pi up to the 22,514th digit, breaking the European record. He also experiences synesthesia, an unusual neurological syndrome that enables him to experience numbers and words as "shapes, colors, textures and motions."
Tammet traces his life from a frustrating, withdrawn childhood and adolescence to his adult achievements, which include teaching in Lithuania, achieving financial independence with an educational Web site and sustaining a long-term romantic relationship. As one of only about 50 people living today with synesthesia and autism, Tammet's condition is intriguing to researchers; his ability to express himself clearly and with a surprisingly engaging tone (given his symptoms) makes for an account that will intrigue others as well.
Review -
I enjoy being surrounded by diversity, and there is nothing more diverse about human beings than how our minds work. I didn't realize I was neurodivergent until I was a young mother. Suddenly so much of my life began to make sense. I enjoy reading books by diverse authors, especially those that highlight the beautiful differences in how we experience the world around us - such as this one.
Buy the Book: Amazon US ~ Amazon CA
Meet the Author -
Daniel Tammet is a writer, linguist and educator. A 2007 poll of 4,000 Britons named him as one of the world's "100 living geniuses". He is the creator of 'Optimnem', a website company that has provided language learning instruction to thousands around the globe. His 2006 memoir 'Born On A Blue Day' describing his life with high-functioning autistic savant syndrome was a Sunday Times (UK) and New York Times bestseller. It has sold over half a million copies worldwide, and been translated into 18 languages.
Tammet is the subject of the 2005 award-winning documentary film 'Brainman' which has been shown in more than 40 countries. He has also made appearances on the 'Late Show With David Letterman', 'ABC News', '60 Minutes', and 'Good Morning America', and been featured in the 'Times', 'Guardian', 'Telegraph', and 'Independent' (UK) 'New York Times', 'International Herald Tribune', 'The Advocate', 'Der Spiegel', and 'Le Monde' (front page) among many others.
Ted Talks - Different Ways of Knowing
Review -
I enjoy being surrounded by diversity, and there is nothing more diverse about human beings than how our minds work. I didn't realize I was neurodivergent until I was a young mother. Suddenly so much of my life began to make sense. I enjoy reading books by diverse authors, especially those that highlight the beautiful differences in how we experience the world around us - such as this one.
Born on a Blue Day takes a different approach from other books I have read by autistic authors. While he does share how having Asperger's affects his life, a larger part of the book focuses on how his savant abilities are experienced. Tammet has a rare form of Synesthesia known as number-form. Numbers, days of the week and word appear as colors, shapes, textures, motions, and even personalities.
It might sound confusing, but as I read I began to see the inherent beauty in how he experienced numbers and words. The color, size, shape and flow of what he sees in his mind and feels emotionally, can be drawn on paper. And there are benefits. Synesthesia aids memory retention and mathematical calculations. "When solving math problems, he experiences these numbers as evolving shapes, allowing him to "see" the answers emerge rather than calculating them consciously." For Tammet, it has also helped him learn new languages at an incredible speed.
One of the most positive points of this book is that, despite being having a brain that sees and experiences the world differently, and despite having the challenges of Asperger's, Tammet has become a part of the larger world. He has deep friendships, a loving family, and a long time committed partner. And through this book, speaking engagements, and partnering with researchers, he is helping others who are different to know they have a place in the world.
Buy the Book: Amazon US ~ Amazon CA
Meet the Author -
Tammet is the subject of the 2005 award-winning documentary film 'Brainman' which has been shown in more than 40 countries. He has also made appearances on the 'Late Show With David Letterman', 'ABC News', '60 Minutes', and 'Good Morning America', and been featured in the 'Times', 'Guardian', 'Telegraph', and 'Independent' (UK) 'New York Times', 'International Herald Tribune', 'The Advocate', 'Der Spiegel', and 'Le Monde' (front page) among many others.
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