This book is an invaluable resource for parents, siblings, and doctors of autistic people. But it has found a much wider audience, with good reason. Nobody Nowhere is a gripping tale, related in an honest and straightforward manner. It is the story of one woman's triumph over what fate has handed her, and her determination to move beyond her handicaps. You cannot help but be moved by her story, and inspired by her courage and determination.

16 of 16 found the following review helpful:


This book made me feel "normal" for the first time.  Oct 07, 1998
In "Nobody Nowhere", Donna Williams details what it is like to grow up autistic and the price one pays for being "high-functioning." She describes sensory experiences like overload and seeing floating spots and wisps in the air. She also describes the "faces" she had to put on in order to relate to the world. This book made my whole life up to this point make sense for the first time. I had not known that many of these sensory experiences were different from those of other people. This is a very important book, both for people who have autism and related problems and for those who know them or might meet them.

22 of 24 found the following review helpful:


Nobody Nowhere  Apr 03, 2000 By Linda M. Dean
I am the grandparent of an autistic child and found this book so helpful I would recommend that it be made mandatory reading for all professionals who work with autistic persons. I would also strongly urge all others who have autistic persons in their lives to read it. The book has given me insight regarding my grandson's behavior and suggestions of ways to help him. Until experts and their research can provide explanations and perhaps cures for autism, the lived experience of an autistic person, such as Donna Williams provides in her books, is the best help available for those of us who care about and relate to an autistic person.

18 of 20 found the following review helpful:


Desperate to communicate Love  Mar 14, 2000 By Christine A. Parks
I read Ms. Williams words with a hunger for understanding unlike anything I have felt. My grandaughter has autism, and I appreciate her letting me step into her world so I am able to comprehend my grandaughters behavoir. She has been diagnosed as mildly autistic. I have tried to believe that when she disappears from all that is around her with a far away gaze that the place she goes is a peaceful and comforing time for her. Unfortunetly, Ms. Williams portrays such torture, both physically and mentally, that I have to believe the constant fear she felt was due to the abuse she recived as a child. I need to at least have hope that if the home is nurturing and loving "her world" would have been more peaceful, and the little girl I love so much does not feel the pain and lonliness Ms. Williams felt. I have ordered her next book and am trying to believe she found some sort of peace and happiness, even if it is still somewhat in her own world. If not, please write another book Ms. Williams to tell us not just what is happening to your mind, but how we can help.

13 of 14 found the following review helpful:


More about multiple personality than autism  Aug 30, 2000
I found Donna's book fascinating, but less about autism than about surviving severe childhood abuse and neglect. Many of her lifelong struggles relate more to mental illness than autism, though the two are intimately intertwined. Because of this, I would not recommend this to families of children with autism as the first book to read in learning about autism.

For a few pages at the end of the book, Donna does offer some insightful and practical suggestions for interacting with and teaching children who are autistic, specifically addressing issues surrounding eye contact, touch and how to communicate without talking.

Don't get me wrong - I couldn't put the book down! But it just had more of a "Sybil" flavor than a Temple Grandin flavor. I did learn a bit about autism, but I learned a great deal more about surviving childhood abuse and mentall illness.

See all 48 customer reviews on Amazon.com