“Autism and Us” offers a historical view of autism but lacks firsthand autistic perspectives. While the shared struggles across time resonate, the book prioritizes the past over current realities and scientific explanations over autistic voices. It’s a valuable contribution, but a more nuanced portrayal of autistic experiences is needed.
Reading “Autism and Us: Old As Time” by Eustacia Cutler brings mixed feelings for me as an autistic adult. Cutler’s detailed look at how autism was seen and treated in the past shows a clear picture of how people misunderstood and judged those with autism. It makes me feel connected to those who lived before us, recognizing that we share similar struggles. However, sometimes I feel that the book looks at autism more from a non-autistic point of view rather than truly reflecting what it’s like to be autistic.
Historical Context vs. Modern Reality
The book goes deep into the past, looking at old texts, medical treatments, and how culture responded to autism. While it’s useful to see this background, the focus on the past sometimes overshadows what life is like for autistic people today. As someone living with autism now, I would have liked more focus on current challenges and achievements, which seem a bit overlooked in the book.
Personal Stories: Real or Altered?
The personal stories in the book are powerful. They make the facts and history come alive, showing us the human side of autism through the ages. However, as an autistic reader, I sometimes wonder if these stories were picked or changed to fit a certain story the author wanted to tell. This could lead to a simplified or distorted view of what it’s really like to live with autism.
Scientific Approach vs. Lived Experience
The book has a lot of detail about how scientists and doctors have viewed and treated autism over the years. This is impressive, but it can also be frustrating. While it’s important to understand the medical view, the book sometimes misses the nuances of what autistic people actually experience. Science doesn’t always capture the personal and subjective sides of being autistic, and the book would benefit from including more about autistic people’s own voices and experiences.
Conclusion
“Autism and Us: Old As Time” is a book that adds to the discussion about autism. For avid autistic readers like me, it connects us to our past and reflects our ongoing struggles. However, there’s a longing for a portrayal that more accurately represents the varied and rich experiences of autistic people themselves, without the filter of a non-autistic interpretation. This book is a step in the right direction, but it’s clear that more work is needed to fully capture the wide and deep experiences of autistic individuals in literature and research.
