Not bad. I've seen her speak so not much new there, but it was interesting to hear how she dealt with some of the tougher, least socially acceptable parts of autism, though she didn't go into depth at all. I wish she'd told more about what interventions were used to help her. It gives a good general picture and is easy to read, but I don't think it helps professionals too much. I was also kind of hoping for a more detailed explanation of the squeeze machine, and how to create one for other students.

Have to admit that I was a little disappointed by this book. Don't get me wrong, it's an amazing and uplifting story, but I had gone in thinking that it would be more in-depth than it turned out to be. Not sure how I thought that was going to happen since it was a first-person story. Each chapter takes a section of Temple Grandin's life and explains what she learned and some of her experiences. It doesn't go much into her changes to the cattle chutes and changes that she's been the cause of in the beef industry, so perhaps that's what I thought it was missing.

Temple Grandin's (first) autobiography. An interesting look an autism "from the inside", occasionally interwoven with paraphrases of research results when relevant.

What a treat to read from someone on the inside looking out instead of the other way around. There are so many profound nuggets of gold in here, it's hard to summarize it all here. I want to get my hands on a good used copy to make it mine and refer to it from time to time. Temple is a voice who should be heard and she is due to all her advocacy work on behalf of children and parents everywhere. Enlightening read!

I'd really rate this as a 3.5 if there were half-point ratings. It's the true story of Temple Grandin and her childhood in the 1950s when autism was a labelled that held little hope for children. Fortunately, she had a mother who believed in her and a mentor who helped her achieve what she could do.

This was an amazing book written by an amazing woman. I admire her so much. I wish I could have achieved in my life at least half of what she has. Her advice and message in this book stand true. My experience with working with those afflicted with autism has led me to the same conclusions as what she presents in her book. I recommend this book highly to everyone. It is a window to the inner-workings of the mind.

An interesting look into the world of autism by someone who has largely left it behind. This is the author's first book and her most personal, so some excuses must be made for the fact that it is not as polished as her later works on animal behavior. Plus, she tries to explain general concepts about autism using her own personal experiences, which makes for an easier method of understanding the world of autism, but a slightly more disjointed personal history. I came out of this very impressed with the author's mother and the lengths she went to in order to develop her daughter's potential instead of just institutionalizing her, which was more common in those days. If only all families had access to the sort of resources and small classes that the Grandin family's affluence afforded them, autism would lose a lot of its stigma. And I came to appreciate the author's position that too much reliance on medication can take away the very internal drives that lead people to succeed -- although decreased use of medication would need to be paired with more insightful and dedicated teaching and care, such as the author received, in order for the success to come (in my opinion).

As a pedi OT and and tactile defensive person myself, I found this inside account of autism and sensory processing disorder really fascinating. Well-written and easy to read, thought provoking, and a nice mix of science and personal. For a diagnosis in which social connection is one of the main difficulties, the emphasis on the necessity of love and "responsive affection" in all interactions with kids with autism was a refreshing reminder. The effectiveness of vestibular and tactile input, both in Temple's life and the research she cites, is a great testament for sensory integration treatment. Really enjoyed this book from start to finish!

This book was life changing for me in the way it impacted the work I do with children. I am continually in awe of Temple Grandin and the extraordinary contributions she has made not just to those with Autism, but to society as a whole. This book is a a very captivating look into her childhood, a glimpse at a mother who loved her and fought for her endlessly ,and her own "light bulb"moment that finally gave her some peace when the world around her became too overwhelming and stimulating. Couldn't put it down! Loved it !

One of the chapters of Oliver Sacks’s An Anthropologist on Mars was about Temple Grandin – an autistic animal scientist. As a matter of fact, that book was named after her. During a conversation with Sacks, Grandin mentions that she feels like she’s an anthropologist on Mars: with her brain not having the innate ability of understanding other people’s emotions and motives and the intricacies of social interactions, she constantly feels like she’s in an alien territory.

This book is Grandin’s autobiography and her account of her struggle with autism and how she managed to overcome her handicap and become “normal.” I read the book not so much because I was intrigued by her life story, but mostly to see how an autistic person writes. You can definitely tell that something’s different about her from her writing.

Ok, so she’s odd, and so is her writing. She sees an animal chute (used to hold farm cattle during castration and vaccination and branding) in her aunt’s farm and she loves it because it satisfies her need for tactile sensation. (She cannot stand human touch, like many other autistics.) Fixation is another autistic trait – and she becomes fixated on animal chutes and squeeze machines. Eventually, she gets into the business of designing animal chutes and becomes quite successful.

In the end, the book tells an endearing story. She was very lucky to have a very loving and understanding mother. In a lot of places, autistics just get branded as retards and are condemned to rot away. I remember when my severely autistic nephew was a little kid, we all thought that he was just being cute when he’d just sit and rock back and forth and hum for a long time. We didn’t know that repetitive motion was a telling sign of a brain disorder.

This is a very interesting book for anyone interested in autism. Temple Grandin shows that certain "autistic tendencies" can actually be strengths. This was written awhile ago, so some of her terminology is now politically incorrect. I wish she didn't refer to herself as a "recovered autistic" - she didn't recover, she used it to her advantage! She shows that people with autism can become amazing members of society, with a little luck and the right guidance.

Memorable descriptions from inside the autistic head of Grandin; truly illuminating.