"Born on a Blue Day" - Daniel Tammet

I found this book a while back walking through a bookstore and thought "That reminds me of something my husband would say." So, I checked it out from the library.

It is written by a man who has Asperger's and is also a savant. He also has synesthesia, which we learned just recently, my husband has as well. Synesthesia is when 2 or more different sense parts of the brain mix things up (seeing word and/or numbers in different colors, textures, patterns, etc...).

It is very interesting reading his descriptions of how he perceives things, like numbers and words. "Born on a Blue Day" is a reference to the day he was born, which to him, the word is a blue word.

Another interest to me is his descriptions of his life and feelings while he was growing up. He wasn't diagnosed as autistic until he was in his twenties. It shows how, through help from his family, he was able to make a life for himself. He volunteered in a foreign country, teaching English. He moved out of his parent's house to live with his partner. He memorized pi to over 22,500 digits. He was able to overcome some of his sensory issues and travels by airplane.

It's pretty amazing to read about his experiences. I hope that this book helps anyone who doesn't understand what it is like to be autistic, and a light for those who are autistic that they find a way to succeed in this world. I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants to come away with something they didn't know before.