The Reason I Jump
by Naoki Higashida
Buy on AmazonThe Reason I Jump: One Boy's Voice from the Silence of Autism is an autobiography by Naoki Higashida, a largely nonspeaking autistic person from Japan. It was first published in Japan in 2007. The English translation, by Keiko Yoshida and her husband, the English author David Mitchell, was published in 2013, with an introduction by the translators.
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"What this nontraditional memoir taught me: My anguish makes others suffer, especially when I can’t communicate.
And: Just because I can’t stop doing something doesn’t mean I enjoy it.
Turns out this 13-year-old Japanese boy with autism has me figured out. Add his clarity and gentle spirit and you’ve got magic. “Stay close by and keep a gentle eye on us, and while we’re swept up in our torment, please stop us from hurting ourselves or others.” Sounds like a prayer, doesn’t it? What a kid."
NPR Books We Love — 2013 · apps.npr.org
"What are you planning to read next? Several months ago my friend David Ebershoff sent me "The Reason I Jump," by Naoki Higashida, a 13-year-old boy diagnosed with autism at age 5."
By the Book: Diane Keaton · nytimes.com