NeuroTribes: Winner of the Samuel Johnson Prize for Nonfiction

NeuroTribes by Wired reporter Steve Silberman examines autism as a complex subject that has been described in sharply different ways, from a developmental condition and lifelong disability to a naturally occurring form of cognitive difference. Drawing on his earlier article, The Geek Syndrome, Silberman explores why understanding autism matters and considers what this means for society.

Silberman traces the hidden history of autism, described as having been suppressed by clinicians who later became well known for identifying it. Returning to the earliest research, he chronicles the experiences of autistic people and their families across the decades, and investigates why diagnoses have risen so markedly in recent years. The book also looks at the growing movement of neurodiversity and sets out a path towards a more humane world for people with learning differences.

Key details

• Author: Steve Silberman
• Written by a Wired reporter
• Winner of the Samuel Johnson Prize for Nonfiction

Synopsis

NeuroTribes unearths a secret history of autism and revisits early research in the field. It follows the long journey of autistic people and their families through the decades, while seeking answers to why diagnoses have increased in recent years. Silberman also highlights the rise of neurodiversity and outlines an approach aimed at a more humane world for people with learning differences.