I love a good story, a book that maintains dramatic tension across several hundred pages. Recently I came across such a story in an unexpected place.

I work with computers, networks and software systems; nevertheless I’d like to know more about autism and ABA therapy. Such knowledge is hard to come by without becoming a clinician. I even have a now outdated copy of the standard ABA textbook – which is notably lacking in dramatic tension 🙂

In the 1993 book “Let Me Hear Your Voice“, Catherine Maurice (a pseudonym) describes what it was like dealing with autism thirty years ago. It’s a great story, and so, has not become outdated.

As to its current clinical value, I wouldn’t know. However, quoting from the afterword by Dr Ivar Lovaas: “Catherine Maurice presents the clearest description that I have read of the abnormal development of autistic children and the problems one encounters in seeking treatment for autism. By reading this book, students and professionals will gain a better understanding of the problems these children present and the stresses that parents experience. This understanding will enable them to offer more effective help.”