The history of autism and autism advocacy are the subjects of the book'' In a Different Key: The Story of Autism'' written by John Donvan and Caren Zucker. The book discusses such issues as the

Refrigerator mother theory The Refrigerator mother theory, also known as Bettelheim's theory of autism, is a controversial psychological theory that the cause of autism is a lack of maternal (figurative) warmth. Evidence against the refrigerator mother theory began in t ...

and the possibility of an autism epidemic. Donald Triplett, perhaps the first person diagnosed with autism, and psychiatrist Leo Kanner are also covered, as is the ongoing debate concerning the

neurodiversity Neurodiversity refers to diversity in the human brain and cognition, for instance in sociability, learning, attention, mood and other mental functions. It was coined in 1998 by sociologist Judy Singer, who helped popularize the concept al ...

movement, especially with respect to low-functioning autistics.

Story

The book starts by focusing on Donald Triplett, the first recorded child to be diagnosed with autism. It discusses how he was treated and his family life. The book continues with the

refrigerator mother theory The Refrigerator mother theory, also known as Bettelheim's theory of autism, is a controversial psychological theory that the cause of autism is a lack of maternal (figurative) warmth. Evidence against the refrigerator mother theory began in t ...

, which claimed that parents were the main cause of autism.

Leo Kanner Leo Kanner (; born Chaskel Leib Kanner; June 13, 1894 – April 3, 1981) was an Austrian-American psychiatrist, physician, and social activist best known for his work related to autism spectrum disorder. Before working at the The Henry Phipps Psy ...

and

Bruno Bettelheim Bruno Bettelheim (August 28, 1903 – March 13, 1990) was an Austrian-born psychologist, scholar, public intellectual and writer who spent most of his academic and clinical career in the United States. An early writer on autism, Bettelheim's wo ...

's role in the formation of this theory is examined, with emphasis on Kanner's position vis à vis the refrigerator mother. The authors discuss the importance of redefining the disorder so that more people with autism can receive treatment and improve their quality of life. After looking at the beginnings of modern autism research, how autism is defined, and whether the disorder is a benefit or a deficit, the authors close the book with discussion of the increase in public knowledge about autism, the MMR vaccine controversy, and the

debate.

Reception

'' Kirkus Reviews'' wrote that the book was compelling and well-researched, and the authors blended the search for treatment with the personal stories of various individuals. ''Spectrum'' wrote that the book provided a meticulous, absorbing stepwise chronology of how the perception of autism changed from being unknown to being abhorred, then later accepted.

Ari Ne'eman Ari Daniel Ne'eman (; born December 10, 1987) is an American disability rights activist and researcher who co-founded the Autistic Self Advocacy Network in 2006. On December 16, 2009, President Barack Obama announced that Ne'eman would be appoint ...

has criticized the book for sympathizing with a parent who murdered their autistic child, and has claimed that the book misrepresents the neurodiversity movement.

Awards

''In a Different Key'' was a finalist for the 2017

Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction The Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction is one of the seven American Pulitzer Prizes that are awarded annually for the "Letters, Drama, and Music" category. The award is given to a nonfiction book written by an American author and published duri ...

, described by the reviewers as "a passionate work of advocacy that traces public perceptions about autism from chillingly cruel beginnings to a kinder but still troubling present."

References

External links

Official website

Feature Documentary website
{{Autism resources American non-fiction books Books about autism Documentary films about autism 2016 non-fiction books Broadway Books books