The Reason I Jump: The Inner Voice of a Thirteen-Year-Old Boy with Autism

by Naoki Higashida

KA Yoshida (Translator) and David Mitchell (Translator)

A story never before told and a memoir to help change our understanding of the world around us, 13-year-old Naoki Higashida's astonishing, empathetic book takes us into the mind of a boy with severe autism. With an introduction by David Mitchell, author of the global phenomenon, Cloud Atlas, and translated by his wife, KA Yoshida.
     Naoki Higashida was only a middle-schooler when he began to write The Reason I Jump. Autistic and with very low verbal fluency, Naoki used an alphabet grid to painstakingly spell out his answers to the questions he imagines others most often wonder about him: why do you talk so loud? Is it true you hate being touched? Would you like to be normal? The result is an inspiring, attitude-transforming book that will be embraced by anyone interested in understanding their fellow human beings, and by parents, caregivers, teachers, and friends of autistic children. Naoki examines issues as diverse and complex as self-harm, perceptions of time and beauty, and the challenges of communication, and in doing so, discredits the popular belief that autistic people are anti-social loners who lack empathy.
     This book is mesmerizing proof that inside an autistic body is a mind as subtle, curious, and caring as anyone else's.

• ISBN10: 0345807820
• ISBN13: 9780345807823
• Publish Date: 22 March 2016 (first published 27 August 2013)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: CA
• Imprint: Vintage Canada
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 192
• Language: English
• URL: https://penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/isbn/9780345807823

Reviews

[wcs53]

This book, written by a 13 year old Japanese boy with autism, was a fairly interesting and enlightening read. Although I'd read some of the reviews, both negative and positive, I came into it with an open mind. Having a teenager in our house with autism, but whois more verbal, I wanted to see if there were any common threads or things that I would recognize. Autism is a fairly wide spectrum, so I knew there would be some differences in experience. Some things were similar, but others I had no reference point for, which is pretty much what I expected.

It's a decent read and the translation seems to have kept with the spirit of the author, although it is hard to tell. For those wishing for some insight into what it is like to live with autism this book may be a good starting point, but there's a lot more to it than what is contained in this small volume. There are many other helpful books out there, but this one could be a good place to start.

[lovelybookshelf]

Originally posted on my blog, A Lovely Bookshelf on the Wall:

Naoki Higashida is thirteen years old and severely autistic, "a writer still with one foot in childhood," as described in the introduction by translator David Mitchell. He is nonverbal, communicating via an alphabet grid. Written in Q&A format and concluding with one of Higashida's short stories, The Reason I Jump is a quick read which offers a peek into the mind of an autistic child.

I think it's important to remember this is one person's perspective. The word "we" is used so often in his responses, it'd be easy to make sweeping assumptions that Higashida's perceptions mirror what others with autism experience; but we all know that autism disorders vary greatly from person to person. However, The Reason I Jump offers unique insight and hopes to clear up common misunderstandings. For example, "calming down" might look different than we'd expect: repetitive movement could help to calm while trying to sit still makes things worse. Outward "childish" behavior is often motivated by intricate thoughts and emotions within. Higashida explains why making eye contact is difficult. He expresses frustration at being talked down to, as well as the assumption that his feelings aren't as subtle and as the feelings of others.

Yet...here comes the dose of skepticism: I couldn't help but wonder about the incredibly profound manner in which Higashida expresses himself, especially his perceptions of the world around him and when comparing his own experiences with those of "normal" people. He is impressively astute and at times, downright philosophical. I thought, how trustworthy was the translation process? I did some Googling, and I found this New York Times article (among others) which brought up a number of valid concerns.

Even so, that didn't negate the positive aspects of The Reason I Jump. At the very least, Higashida challenged me to consider people and look at life from angles that had never before crossed my mind. Well worth the read, even with the grain of salt.