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

Daniel Tammet

After watching the end of the interview with the author, I purchased and read Born on a Blue Day , a memoir by Daniel Tammet. Tammet is self-described as an autistic savant. He suffers from Asperger’s Syndrome, “a relatively mild and high-functioning form of autism that affects around 1 in every 300 people in the United Kingdom”. I find the subject of autism to be quite fascinating and have enjoyed and recommended two other books about autistic boys. One, fiction, The Curious Incident of a Dog in the Nighttime , was a best seller and I think would probably be enjoyed by just about any reader. The other, The Mind Tree is an incredible story of a very severely autistic young Indian boy and how through the care and treatment provided by his mother and others overcame many obstacles to write an incredible book.

I think the reason I find autism and the individuals affected by it so fascinating is that they are really living on the outer boundaries of where brain and mind are both separate and interactive. The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat , by neurologist Oliver Sachs is another excellent work dealing with the frontiers of brain damage or mal-functioning and some incredible experiences of individuals whose brains and minds often have a monumental disconnect. Tammet’s condition is, as described above, a relatively mild form of autism. His ability to describe himself, coupled with his intelligence, and his somewhat unique savant abilities make this book another fascinating glimpse into mind, brain, personality and psychology. The writing style is very straight-forward and efficient and I found it easy to read and lots of fun to see the world through this unique individual’s eyes. The book is very moving as well as most intriguing and entertaining. I recommend it very highly.

Review by Len Oppenheim

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