After I graduated with my masters, a group of us speech paths formed a book club focused on books that somewhat related to communication disorders. We would meet and talk about the book, but then we ended up just chatting about our lives. Unfortunately, I had to leaving the group because I moved too far away. Here are some books that would be great for a book club focused on books that have to do with speech therapy:
1) Thinking in Pictures by Temple Grandin (2006)
The classic book written by the legendary Dr. Temple Grandin. When I read this book, I felt like I was getting to look inside the brain of a person who has autism. It’s riveting and a must-read for anyone who works with people with autism.
2) The Diving Bell and The Butterfly by Jean-Dominique Bauby (1998)
Ever wonder what it’s like to be stuck in your body and be unable to communicate with those around you? The book was written by a man who had Locked In Syndrome, which meant that after a stroke he was cognitively intact, but unable talk or move his hands or face. He was able to use eye blinking to communicate and this book was “written” by his eye blinking. The story was so vivid that I was unable to finish it. It was made into a movie.
3) Schuyler’s Monster: A Father’s Journey with his Wordless Daughter by Robert Rummel-Hudson (2008)
Mr. Rummel-Hudson’s daughter has a condition that makes verbal speech almost impossible. In his book, he recounts how they found out and what technology they use to allow Schuyler to communicate with the world. I enjoyed the book immensely and I still follow along on his blog to keep up to date on Schuyler.
4) Look Me in the Eye: My Life with Asperger’s by John Elder Robison (2007)
I’m a memoir junkie so this book appealed to me. It’s not a technical manual, but a story about how someone who thinks a little differently makes sense of the world.
5) The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat by Oliver Sacks (1970)
If you haven’t read anything by Oliver Sacks, I recommend this book. I read it a very long time ago for a psychology class, but by now it’s pretty much a classic. It’s interesting to read about different psychological disorders and think about how funny brains really are.
6) The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time: A Novel by Mark Haddon (2003)
Keep in mind that this book is fictionalized and written about a person with autism not by a person with autism. However, it is a well-written, exciting page turner.
7) The Reason I Jump: The Inner Voice of a Thirteen-Year-Old Boy with Autism by Nagoki Higashida (2013)
I have not read this book, but I’ve heard it’s a good one. It’s a first person account, but translated from Japanese to English. After I read it, I’ll report back!
What books would you add to this list?
