Daniel Tammet: Born on a Blue Day: Inside the Extraordinary Mind of an Autistic Savant

Abstract

Reviews the book, Born on a blue day: Inside the extraordinary mind of an autistic savant by Daniel Tammet (2007). This is a NY Times best selling memoir from Daniel Tammet, a 28 year old, who has an autism spectrum disorder and is a savant. Daniel's story is both inspirational and instructive. Daniel has a rare neurological condition known as synesthesia, which enables him to experience numbers as colors, shapes, and textures. The fascinating aspect of this book is not Daniel’s brush with fame. Rather, it is his daily struggles on his road to independence. Daniel lives independently and supports himself through websites he created that teach foreign languages. He reviews his life with candor and insightfulness. He also contributes to our knowledge base by volunteering to participate in dozens of brain studies. The most inspirational aspect of the memoir is Daniel’s longing to connect with others around him. Many of us assume individuals on the autism spectrum prefer to be alone. Daniel describes his loneliness and his joy in finding love. He takes stock of what helped him achieve all that he has thus far and now actively nurtures those relationships. His willingness to take risks and move outside of his comfort zone is an inspiration to us all. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)