Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I don't believe that "The Reason I Jump" is actually the "inner voice of a thirteen-year-old boy with autism." The level of self-awareness and insight into others expressed in this book would be hard to believe if it had been written by any 13 year-old, with or without Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Many people are faulting Facilitated Communication for the lack of authenticity. Personally, I had the feeling that at least part of the deception was deliberate. The book is written in a Q&A format with Higashida supplying the answers. It's unclear who is asking the questions. At first, the responses are thoughtful, but straightforward. As the reader gets sucked in, the concepts being expressed become much more advanced and abstract. This gradual transition gave me the feeling of being manipulated. Here is an excerpt from the last question as an example: Q58 What are your thoughts on autism itself? We are more like travelers from the distant, distant past. And if, by our being here, we could help the people of the world remember what truly matters for the Earth, that would give us a quiet pleasure. Now that the book was featured on the Daily Show and has become a #1 Best Seller, I hope to see some investigation into the authenticity of the original version as well as the fidelity of the translation from Japanese to English. Knowing the truth about who authored this book and with what method is VERY important for these reasons: 1) It's dangerous and disrespectful to promote false hope regarding ASD and Facilitated Communication 2) I would hate for anyone to be capitalizing on the vulnerability of people who have loved ones with autism by marketing a book under false pretenses If I try to think of this book as a parent's best guess for what his child with autism might be thinking, I still wouldn't recommend it. There are too many generalizations and this parent <cough> David Mitchell <cough> exudes a sense of moral superiority that leaves a bitter taste. P.S. If I could write a separate review for the introduction, I would give it -1 star. "The Reason I Jump" is on my shelf next to "A Million Little Pieces" and "Three Cups of Tea."