THE REASON I JUMP

The Reason I Jump by Naoki Higashida - Naoki was a 13 year old boy with autism when he answered the questions that make up the bulk of this book.  It's not so much narrative as it is a guide to what is going on inside the head of someone who has great difficulty communicating with people.  What we learn is that just because someone doesn't communicate easily, doesn't mean that they are not richly intelligent, thoughtful and deeply emotional human beings.  Naoki describes his thought process clearly, and when something in his life is good and positive, he explains why he acts as he does.  At the same time he describes the difficult times and what is happening in his brain when to the outside world he appears miserable.  The biggest lesson for me is one which I learned long ago - the less one tries to control others, the better for all concerned.  There is something simple and beautiful about this book which becomes a powerful look at how one person experiences life.