Born on a Blue Day: Inside the Extraordinary Mind of an Autistic Savant
Born on a Blue Day: Inside the Extraordinary Mind of an Autistic Savant
Author: Daniel Tammet
Desc: One of the world's fifty living autistic savants is the first and only to tell his compelling and inspiring life story - and explain how his incredible mind works. This unique first-person account offers a window into the mind of a high-functioning 27-year-old British autistic savant with Asperger's syndrome. Tammet's ability to think abstractly deviate from routine and empathize interact and communicate with others is impaired yet he's capable of incredible feats of memorization and mental calculation. Besides being able to effortlessly multiply and divide huge sums in his head with the speed and accuracy of a computer Tammet the subject of the 2005 documentary Brainman learned Icelandic in a single week and recited the number pi up to the 22 514th digit breaking the European record. He also experiences synesthesia an unusual neurological syndrome that enables him to experience numbers and words as "shapes colors textures and motions." Tammet traces his life from a frustrating withdrawn childhood and adolescence to his adult achievements which include teaching in Lithuania achieving financial independence with an educational Web site and sustaining a long-term romantic relationship. As one of only about 50 people living today with synesthesia and autism Tammet's condition is intriguing to researchers; his ability to express himself clearly and with a surprisingly engaging tone (given his symptoms) makes for an account that will intrigue others as well.