Post by fee on Apr 2, 2008 17:38:29 GMT 1
I had already read Thinking in Pictures, which is Temple's autobiography, and this was a logical next read.......though it actually far exceeded my expectations.
Temple Grandin is autistic, and has done a huge amount of research and work into how autism affects people across the spectrum, and how autistic people can best be helped to develop and live a full and fruitful life (that's all in TIP). I'm drastically oversimplifying here, but one of her findings is that 'normal' people think in words - they have a language based thought process, but most autistic people think in pictures - a visual thought system. And so do animals! (The book explains the evidence for this.)
She has therefore been able to make a career out of helping people treat animals better (largely working with cattle) as she can understand and explain things from the animal's point of view (she can quite literally 'see the animal's view' of things).
The book is a fascinating review of her own experiences and research, and research from others also working in animal behaviour. Some of her conclusions are a bit of a leap of faith, but she is honest enough to say so. Her conclusions support much that we hold dear - lots of the IH and DG theories, eg the importance of spookbusting, that we owe animals a 'good' life and a good death, why it's immoral to keep stallions in isolation, rapist roosters and the importance of careful breeding......and loads of other stuff.
It's not just about horses, although horses were important in Temple's early life in particular (motivation to stay at school). Her main expertise is with cattle, pigs and sheep, but there are also interesting insights into dog and cat behaviour, and even monkeys......and parrots!!
It's written in quite an informal style - not highly technical, and quite conversational - she says things like 'I'll cover that in more detail later'. I found it fascinating reading, highly thought provoking, and she offers some good tips. I'm off to hang a yellow jacket on Heimdall's fence.
I bought it in hardback from Amazon - it was about £12.
Temple Grandin is autistic, and has done a huge amount of research and work into how autism affects people across the spectrum, and how autistic people can best be helped to develop and live a full and fruitful life (that's all in TIP). I'm drastically oversimplifying here, but one of her findings is that 'normal' people think in words - they have a language based thought process, but most autistic people think in pictures - a visual thought system. And so do animals! (The book explains the evidence for this.)
She has therefore been able to make a career out of helping people treat animals better (largely working with cattle) as she can understand and explain things from the animal's point of view (she can quite literally 'see the animal's view' of things).
The book is a fascinating review of her own experiences and research, and research from others also working in animal behaviour. Some of her conclusions are a bit of a leap of faith, but she is honest enough to say so. Her conclusions support much that we hold dear - lots of the IH and DG theories, eg the importance of spookbusting, that we owe animals a 'good' life and a good death, why it's immoral to keep stallions in isolation, rapist roosters and the importance of careful breeding......and loads of other stuff.
It's not just about horses, although horses were important in Temple's early life in particular (motivation to stay at school). Her main expertise is with cattle, pigs and sheep, but there are also interesting insights into dog and cat behaviour, and even monkeys......and parrots!!
It's written in quite an informal style - not highly technical, and quite conversational - she says things like 'I'll cover that in more detail later'. I found it fascinating reading, highly thought provoking, and she offers some good tips. I'm off to hang a yellow jacket on Heimdall's fence.
I bought it in hardback from Amazon - it was about £12.
