The Mind Tree: A Miraculous Child Breaks The Silence Of Autism

by Tito Rajarshi Mukhopadhyay, John Fordham (Illustrator)

Once in a great while, a special person emerges in the history of science and medicine whose unique set of characteristics sheds light on an entire disorder and sometimes even on the mysteries of the human brain. Tito is such a person. Although he is severely autistic and nearly nonverbal, his ability to communicate through his extraordinary writing is astonishing.

At the age of three, Tito was diagnosed with severe autism, but his mother, with boundless hope and determination, read to him and taught him to write in English. She also challenged him to write his own stories. The result of their efforts is this remarkable book-written when he was 8 to 11 years old-comprising profound and startling philosophical prose and poetry. His beautifully crafted language reveals how it feels to be locked inside an autistic body and mind.

The Mind Tree is the work of an artist. With each page, Tito bursts through his silence into a world of art, beauty and hope.

Genres: Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Nonfiction, Poetry, Psychology, Memoir, Biography, Biography Memoir

224 pages, Hardcover

First published October 9, 2003

Reviews

[Julie Akeman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful book that goes into the mind of an autistic, I am a High functioning autistic known as Aspbergers though I think they decided to disregard the name now. I can see how his world is very severly fragmented. I felt at times seperated from the outside world and my inner world seemed more real, really more comforting and more controlled. I can only imagine not being able to speak and prove to everybody of your intellegence. This is a great book for those parents who struggle to understand their autistic child no matter where they are at on the continum. I hope we continue to have more autistics who can write about their personal experiences, it makes it easier to understand them. People really need to respect and accept them, that it isn't a disease or really a disorder, it's another way of being though sometimes they need help with interactions and in understanding others. They don't need to be taught to be more like the rest of the world, just to know how to communicate with the rest of the world.

[Karina · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an incredible book written by an autistic boy. I learned so much about his autistic world, his journey, his mind, his limitations and his strength to overcome so many obstacles. His words are poetry and I’m in awe of his extremely dedicated mother who never gave up or took no as an answer.

Ein wirklich tolles Buch geschrieben von einem autistischen Jungen. Ich habe so viel gelernt über seine Welt, seine Reise, seine Gedanken, seine Einschränkungen und seine ungebändigte Stärke diese Einschränkungen zu überwinden. Seine Worte sind Poesie und ich bewundere seine Mutter die niemals aufgab und an ihren Sohn glaubte.

[Nour Kanaa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can't believe this book was written by an autistic little kid. He seriously has SO much to give, and I can't wait to read more of his books.
And all the respect for his powerful mother who was pushing him to do more and believing in him when he felt like giving up.

[Sarah Oksiuta · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't believe half this was written by an 8-yr old and the second half was written by him at the age of 11. Not to mention that he's autistic. What an eye-opening insight into autism, especially the impaired motor planning for some people. This book was very helpful to me as a special education teacher of preschool students when I read it back in 2005 and I had to read it again. So glad I did.

[Sara Treat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, beautiful insight

This is such an incredible book. I appreciate the inside view of an autistic person. There is so much to learn and appreciate from a mind that functions differently than most. His poetry is beautiful too. wow, such a gift.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eine sehr beeindruckende Erzählung eines 8-11 jährigen autistischen Jungen namens Tito. Dass ein autistischer Mensch sich adäquat ausdrücken kann - wenn auch nur schriftlich - ist äußerst selten. Doch nicht nur das erstaunt jeden Leser, sondern auch, wie bewusst und deutlich er seine Umgebung und wie selbstkritisch er sich selbst wahrnimmt. Er berichtet über seine Hilflosigkeit, seinen Körper unter Kontrolle zu bringen und seinen Kampf eigenständig leben zu können. Dies gelingt ihm auf eine überaus philosophische und poetische Weise. Das Buch ist gespickt von seinen kleinen, rührenden Gedichten.
Alles in allem sehr empfehlenswert!

[Melissa Jill · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was interesting in that it was written by a boy with autism when he was between 8-14 years old. Tito is essentially non-verbal so the fact that he is as eloquent and "well-spoken" in writing as he is, is astounding. It was interesting to view the world from his perspective. But I'm only giving this book 2 stars because in the end, it was just ok. I liked the first three biographical sections of the book more than the last two which were fictional pieces written by Tito. And the book didn't really grab me. I don't think it will be memorable. But still -- the author behind the book is completely inspiring and I'm glad to know a little of his story.

[Alana · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was pretty amazing. I don't know if any of you have seen the documentary on the East Indian woman who was able to get her nonverbal Autistic son the speak through writing. Turns out they do have something to say and are perfectly aware of what you are saying to them. They just aren't capable of reciprical language. Awesome story.

[Cindy C]

Amazing read - if you are interested in getting inside the mind of a non-verbal person with autism. Hard to believe it was written by a child - I suspect that when one does not have the tools to communicate outwardly ones inward thoughts can be quite complex.

[Jennifer]

Wow. This was a crazy look into the mind of an autistic kid. He describes having two selves and the "normal" one just can't assert itself... fascinating.

[J. T. K. Tobin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book that will seem very odd to some, very familiar to some, and very educational for others. I fall into all three camps. Often in education, it seems, we strive to discover ways to make children with disabilities more like us - ostensibly so that they can function better in this world. There's nothing wrong with that at all, in a sense. That's very good. But Tito provides us a unique view into what that looks like for him.

Tito proves in a roundabout way that a cold, scientifically-minded approach doesn't always work that well. Instead, what is needed (as I believe he outlines well) is consistency, patience, kindness, and a desire to understand one specific person as an individual.

A lot of what he writes is confirmed in "Fragile X Syndrome: A Guide for Teachers" by Suzanne Saunders. But this is where we see the radical difference between the two perspectives. Suzanne's book shows fragile X syndrome through the lens of medical practice, science, and traditional education techniques. The Mind Tree shows how Tito would have likely responded to these techniques.

As such, I believe this is a must-read for caregivers and teachers.

[Shannon Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars
"When the sun goes down and the earth grows quiet in a deep penance, when the life around breathes the cool west wind, when the leaves of my branches whisper with each other with a shushing hiss, when the birds return to sleep for the night in their nests and when some distant night bird hoots, I can sense the starlight on me piercing even through my thick bark.
I never sleep as I am never tired. My mind works in the stillness of the night as each leaf of mine breathes in the dark night air.
A reptile crosses my roots with idle ripples of a chill body while I feel it's cold length crossing my anchoring roots. I feel its movements with envy. Any movement makes me envious. I wonder where it could go.
....
I wonder and wonder while the night around lies with usualness. Stars around the sky drop their light to touch my heart which is as unobjective as my mind. My heart then collects all that light and spreads it all along my body into the depth of my roots.
The earth sucks all of it from my roots and feels the blessings of the stars."

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Completely amazing. The first half was written when he was 8 and the second when he's 11 and the writing is breathtaking. His story is captivating and interspersed with his poetry. I highly recommend this book for anyone who spends time with children or anyone who has ever been curious about autism.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enlightening read that highlights the complexities and nuances of the reality of a child with autism. While a short read, the writing style and its author’s perspective keeps the reader on their toes. Overall would recommend.

[Lock Mier · Rating 4 out of 5]

Half the top reviews for this book exhaust me, but I still can't help but recommend. Really fascinating meditations on the nature of language and embodied experience.

[Lgordo · Rating 3 out of 5]

On the one hand, this was fascinating. On the other hand, it was a slog to read. Having a unique story doth not a great storyteller make.

Also, there were a number of honestly unbelievable elements to this story. Autistic brains would have to work VERY differently from regular people's for Tito to remember that much from when he was a 2.5-year-old, to be spelling full ideas (using an alphabet board) by age three, and writing love (??) poetry by age five. I mean, seriously. Something doesn't compute.

That said, if you have a general curiosity about the inner life of the autistic mind, or want insight into why they have the tics they do, this is a great book.

[Valarie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a beautiful story from the eyes of a young man with autism - and he was very young when he started writing this book! It is fragmented and lacks coherent narrative, as one would expect from any child's writing, but other than that, it far exceeded my expectations. The first two sections are about the author's early childhood and struggle to communicate, and the last part is a fictional story he created. It's amazing to read something written by someone so young that could easily be interpreted as genius literature.

[Ousa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I decided to do a reread of this....aloud...to my autistic daughter.
It has been an eye opener. As her mother, I am her biggest cheerleader, and the one who knows how intelligent she is despite her lack of language and typical behaviors. Yet, I am still amazed. She is riveted by this book. Even when on a break from studies, with her iPad in hand, she wants me to read from this book. She has never say for a story more than 5 minutes without needing redirection, and she has sat for +30 minutes at a time. I know she feels a connection to Tito. I know she feels very much like him.

[Alyssa Sciortino · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing! I can not believe how eloquently Tito writes at only 11 yrs old. This is really an amazing piece/pieces of work; not only because of its insight into the mind 'locked in' by autism but simply because of the poetic and honest depth of his prose. I will definitely be buying this book in the future and recommending it to others. Be sure to also check out all of the amazing things Tito and his mother do in the autism community and the speech program they created called soma-rpm. Very cool stuff.

[Briana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was so taken with this story and truly felt like I could really picture how Tito feels experiencing his life and struggles. Tito is young child with ASD who shares with us his way of navigating a complex mind, in such a complex world that suppresses his uniques abilities. We see people, therapists, and mentors come into his life and take the time to judiciously educate Tito which allowed him the courage, autonomy, and capabilities to live like anyone else through his perspective, resulting in this beautiful memoir.

[Jes Singer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow. An 8 year old severely autistic and genious boy wrote this. Inspiring insight into the mind of an autistic and truly thought provoking. While not a gripping page turner (the only reason I didn't rate it 5 stars) - certainly fascinating and interesting - makes you think about how we define "normal" and deal with differences and "mental illnesses" in our society. Not a "fun" or light read but really amazing.

[B_chezz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read about the author in National Geographic and had to check out the book. A child with autism (and who is a genious!) writes an account of how life is viewed through his eyes. He is an awesomely articulate child (in his mind) but lacks social and cognitive skills to verbally express his thoughts and feelings.

[Tserhapetros tpb2471 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very fascinating and excellent book. It gives insight & knowledge. Knowing two autistic children, reading this book made me feel good as an autistic child is not a hopeless case. With determination and perseverance one could achieve a good result. Just like Tito's mom. It is a must read book. Hope more this type or none fiction books are written to help & understand autism more.

[T.E. George · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tito's story is amazing but perhaps his mother's even more so. This is a testament to one woman's determination to believe what others dismissed. If one know much about a true autistic savant, it is impossible to give something written by one anything less than five stars. Tito Rajarshi Mukhopadhyay has accomplished what few outside of Temple Grandin and himself have ever done.

[Deepak Singh Rawat · Rating 4 out of 5]

For all those who love poetry or would be really interested in poetry, must read this book. This book is not just about the Tito but also a clear picture of his imagination.
"Happiness of men does spread
All around the path they tread. - Tito Rajarshi Mukhopadhyay"

[Brooke · Rating 5 out of 5]

An autistic child learns to communicate and writes on what it is to be autistic. FASCINATING. And for a child, he writes beautifully. Never has an author been more impervious to societal conditioning, making his "disorder" almost a gift. I highly recommend it!

[Christopher · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing memoir from the perspective of someone who is profoundly autistic as well as profoundly sensitive, insightful, and poetic. Inspiring and thought provoking. It certainly reinforces the idea that one must always presume intelligence regardless of the appearance of disability.

[Jacci · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good book, remarkable insight into the mind of a man with autism. I can't believe he wrote most of it at such a young age. I also feel like each time I reread the book I will get something different out of it.

[Bobby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fascinating book written by an autistic child. I am interested in autism and this was a real eye opener.

[Maher · Rating 5 out of 5]

It makes you cry to think a mind like that is locked inside an autistic kid's body. But then again, the same brilliance might not be there if he wasn't autistic.