Listen to a sample
The Reason I Jump: one boy's voice from the silence of autism
- Narrator
- David Mitchell, Thomas Judd
- Publisher
- Hodder & Stoughton
- Publish Date
- 1 July 2013
- Run Time
- 2 hours 20 minutes
- Format
- Audiobook
Not available in your country
We don't have the rights to sell this audiobook where you are. If it's already in your library you can still listen to it in My Books.
What to expect
'It will stretch your vision of what it is to be human' Andrew Solomon, The Times
What is it like to have autism? How can we know what a person - especially a child - with autism is thinking and feeling?
This groundbreaking book, written by Naoki Higashida when he was only thirteen, provides some answers. Severely autistic and non-verbal, Naoki learnt to communicate by using a 'cardboard keyboard' - and what he has to say gives a rare insight into an autistically-wired mind. He explains behaviour he's aware can be baffling such as why he likes to jump and why some people with autism dislike being touched; he describes how he perceives and navigates the world, sharing his thoughts and feelings about time, life, beauty and nature; and he offers an unforgettable short story. Proving that people with autism do not lack imagination, humour or empathy, THE REASON I JUMP made a major impact on its publication in English. Widely praised, it was an immediate No. 1 Sunday Times bestseller as well as a New York Times bestseller and has since been published in over thirty languages.
In 2020, a documentary film based on the book received its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival. Directed by Jerry Rothwell, produced by Jeremy Dear, Stevie Lee and Al Morrow, and funded by Vulcan Productions and the British Film Institute, it won the festival's Audience Award for World Cinema Documentary, then further awards at the Vancouver, Denver and Valladolid International Film Festivals before its global release in 2021.
The book includes eleven original illustrations inspired by Naoki's words, by the artistic duo Kai and Sunny.
Critics Review
-
An extraordinary account of how autism feels from the inside.
Observer
-
The most remarkable book of the year. The book throws a pontoon bridge over the chasm dividing autistic and neuro-typical experience.
Spectator
-
The Reason I Jump reads effortlessly, each page challenging preconceptions that autistic people lack empathy, humour or imagination.
Independent on Sunday
-
This is a wonderful book. I defy anyone not to be captivated, charmed and uplifted by it. But above all, you will never feel the same about autism again.
Evening Standard
See more reviews See fewer reviews
-
The freshness of voice coexists with so much wisdom . . . it will stretch your vision of what it is to be human.
The Times
-
Impossible to forget.
Evening Standard
User Reviews
No reviews yet.
Details
- Author
- Naoki Higashida, translated by KA Yoshida and David Mitchell
- Narrator
- David Mitchell, Thomas Judd
- Duration
- 2 hours 20 minutes
- Release Date
- 1 July 2013
- ISBN
- 9781444779882
- Format
- Audiobook
- Publisher
- Hodder & Stoughton
- Genre
- Autism Spectrum Disorder, Child care and upbringing: advice for parents, Memoirs, Cognition and cognitive psychology, Psychology: the self, ego, identity, personality
Synopsis
The No. 1 Sunday Times and internationally bestselling account of life as a child with autism, now an award-winning documentary film.'It will stretch your vision of what it is to be human' Andrew Solomon, The TimesWhat is it like to have autism? How can we know what a person - especially a child - with autism is thinking and feeling?This groundbreaking book, written by Naoki Higashida when he was only thirteen, provides some answers. Severely autistic and non-verbal, Naoki learnt to communicate by using a 'cardboard keyboard' - and what he has to say gives a rare insight into an autistically-wired mind. He explains behaviour he's aware can be baffling such as why he likes to jump and why some people with autism dislike being touched; he describes how he perceives and navigates the world, sharing his thoughts and feelings about time, life, beauty and nature; and he offers an unforgettable short story. Proving that people with autism do not lack imagination, humour or empathy, THE REASON I JUMP made a major impact on its publication in English. Widely praised, it was an immediate No. 1 Sunday Times bestseller as well as a New York Times bestseller and has since been published in over thirty languages.In 2020, a documentary film based on the book received its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival. Directed by Jerry Rothwell, produced by Jeremy Dear, Stevie Lee and Al Morrow, and funded by Vulcan Productions and the British Film Institute, it won the festival's Audience Award for World Cinema Documentary, then further awards at the Vancouver, Denver and Valladolid International Film Festivals before its global release in 2021.The book includes eleven original illustrations inspired by Naoki's words, by the artistic duo Kai and Sunny.
About xigxag
xigxag is an independent, UK-based audiobook platform and the UK's only B Corp certified audiobook company. We offer nearly 150,000 audiobooks, all with professional human narration. No AI-generated voices. xigxag is rated an Ethical Consumer Best Buy for audiobooks and a top-rated ethical bookshop.
There is no subscription. You buy the audiobooks you want, you own them permanently, and prices start at $13.95. The more you listen over the year, the less you pay per book, and there is always a selection in Listen for Less from $7.95. You can also send audiobooks as gifts using our audiobook gift cards or in-app gifting.
Every audiobook on xigxag has honest reviews covering both the book and the narration, and our community features make it easy to share what you are listening to, discover what others recommend, and find your next listen.
Download or stream on iOS, Android, or in your browser. Browse the full catalogue at xigxag.co.uk.