NeuroTribes: The Legacy of Autism and the Future of NeurodiversityNeuroTribes: The Legacy of Autism and the Future of Neurodiversity
Score Modern
What it's about
What is autism? Journalist Steve Silberman tells its hidden history, from early researchers like Hans Asperger and Leo Kanner to the families and autistic people who fought for recognition. He explains why diagnoses have soared and argues for neurodiversity: understanding autism as a natural form of human difference rather than only a disorder.
Why it's worth reading
It won the Baillie Gifford Prize for nonfiction. It's a landmark, compassionate history that changed public conversation about autism.
You'll love it if you liked
The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer
The Gene: An Intimate History
The Immortal Life of Henrietta LacksGood to know
It's long and detailed, best for readers interested in history and science. It's widely praised within the autistic community.
By the numbers
- Readers73 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics54 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller36 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz3 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #39 of the 119 science and ideas books we rank
- #97 of the 198 history books we rank
- #287 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #575 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Thought-provoking, True story
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Quick answers
Is NeuroTribes: The Legacy of Autism and the Future of Neurodiversity worth reading?
Yes. It won the Baillie Gifford Prize for nonfiction. It ranks #575 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 77.5 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is NeuroTribes: The Legacy of Autism and the Future of Neurodiversity about?
What is autism? Journalist Steve Silberman tells its hidden history, from early researchers like Hans Asperger and Leo Kanner to the families and autistic people who fought for recognition. He explains why diagnoses have soared and argues for neurodiversity: understanding autism as a natural form of human difference rather than only a disorder.
How long does it take to read NeuroTribes: The Legacy of Autism and the Future of Neurodiversity?
About 14 hours (546 pages), or about 4 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What awards has NeuroTribes: The Legacy of Autism and the Future of Neurodiversity won?
Baillie Gifford Prize winner (2015).
What should I read after NeuroTribes: The Legacy of Autism and the Future of Neurodiversity?
If you liked it, try The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer by Siddhartha Mukherjee, The Gene: An Intimate History by Siddhartha Mukherjee or The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot.