“One of the most remarkable books I’ve ever read. It’s truly moving, eye-opening, incredibly vivid.”—Jon Stewart, The Daily ShowNAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BYNPR • The Wall Street Journal • Bloomberg Business • BookishFINALIST FOR THE BOOKS FOR A BETTER LIFE FIRST BOOK AWARD • NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERYou’ve never read a book like The Reason I Jump. Written by Naoki Higashida, a very … BESTSELLER
You’ve never read a book like The Reason I Jump. Written by Naoki Higashida, a very smart, very self-aware, and very charming thirteen-year-old boy with autism, it is a one-of-a-kind memoir that demonstrates how an autistic mind thinks, feels, perceives, and responds in ways few of us can imagine. Parents and family members who never thought they could get inside the head of their autistic loved one at last have a way to break through to the curious, subtle, and complex life within.
Using an alphabet grid to painstakingly construct words, sentences, and thoughts that he is unable to speak out loud, Naoki answers even the most delicate questions that people want to know. Questions such as: “Why do people with autism talk so loudly and weirdly?” “Why do you line up your toy cars and blocks?” “Why don’t you make eye contact when you’re talking?” and “What’s the reason you jump?” (Naoki’s answer: “When I’m jumping, it’s as if my feelings are going upward to the sky.”) With disarming honesty and a generous heart, Naoki shares his unique point of view on not only autism but life itself. His insights—into the mystery of words, the wonders of laughter, and the elusiveness of memory—are so startling, so strange, and so powerful that you will never look at the world the same way again.
In his introduction, bestselling novelist David Mitchell writes that Naoki’s words allowed him to feel, for the first time, as if his own autistic child was explaining what was happening in his mind. “It is no exaggeration to say that The Reason I Jump allowed me to round a corner in our relationship.” This translation was a labor of love by David and his wife, KA Yoshida, so they’d be able to share that feeling with friends, the wider autism community, and beyond. Naoki’s book, in its beauty, truthfulness, and simplicity, is a gift to be shared.
Praise for The Reason I Jump
“This is an intimate book, one that brings readers right into an autistic mind.”—Chicago Tribune (Editor’s Choice)
“Amazing times a million.”—Whoopi Goldberg, People
“The Reason I Jump is a Rosetta stone. . . . This book takes about ninety minutes to read, and it will stretch your vision of what it is to be human.”—Andrew Solomon, The Times (U.K.)
“Extraordinary, moving, and jeweled with epiphanies.”—The Boston Globe
“Small but profound . . . [Higashida’s] startling, moving insights offer a rare look inside the autistic mind.”—Parade
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This helped me understand what an autistic persons life is like.
I don’t know what I was expecting when I picked this book up off the shelf, but I was surprised by the level of anguish expressed by this young writer. We are often led to believe that the emotional experiences of individuals on the non-verbal portion of the spectrum, are muted, or dulled, by the fact that they have autism. Rather, their emotions are experienced in much the same way as anyone else’s. As a matter of fact, their emotional life can be heightened by the fact that individuals with autism are not always able to express themselves in a way that truly conveys how they are feeling.
I can’t say I enjoyed this book, because it hurt my heart, but I do appreciate the perspective, and hope that I am able to put this new information to good use in the future.
This was a hopeful book for families who deal with Autism.
This book is a must-read for any one who works with students with autism. It offers an “insiders” look into why people with autism may do the things we see as questionable. It is written mostly in a question-answer format and is a quick, but eye-opening, read.
A book about autism, from a person who lives with same. So, not done by a practice author, but had some helpful and amazing points.
I am a teacher and read a lot about autism, but this filled in so many blanks since it is from an autistic boys prospective
A true story that’s very moving and enlightening!
A must read to understand we all have different talents.
Everyone should read this title.
It was great as you could enter the mind of an autistic person and it helped you understand what a 13 year old boy was thinking. I read the book and then gifted it to a mother with an autistic boy and she just raved about it because it gave her insight into what her son was thinking and going through and how he felt, what he like and disliked. Excellent!
If you have ever wondered how autistic children think and feel, this is a must read.
Everyone who knows a person with autism should read this book.
Written for children,
Interesting to think of the world of people w autism
This book will give you an inside perspective of what it feels like to have autism. Very informative. And to think that it was written by a child.
This young man affords people with only vague knowledge a tremdous amount of understand very quickly. I applaud his determination of spirit.
Autism has always been a mystery to me. So wonderful to have insights. Thank you!
A interesting read to achieve a better understanding of autism. I found the book to be filled with insights into the challenges of an autistic child and young adult.
I do not believe that this was written by a teenager with autism. It clearly was “informed” by an adult caregiver
Excellent read about autism. I have recommended it to 4 people already. A unique picture of this young man’s journey with autism and how he thinks.