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Dinding-dinding Kaca
A remarkable testament of hope and love, these pages recount Howard Buten’s lifelong journey working with autistic children. For three decades his pioneering, often controversial approaches have enabled him to gain access to their strange and
solitary universe—a universe he shares in a book that is unlike any you’ve ever read.
From his first unforgettable encounter with a wild, clawing human hurricane in the form of a little boy named Adam S., clinical psychologist Howard Buten has sought ways into the seemingly closed world of the autistic child. Whether he’s done this by
letting himself be pummeled, scratched, and bitten, or by imitating the child’s behaviors, or by feeling himself into what the child must be feeling, he has often been
rewarded. With extraordinary insight and in ways that are powerfully moving, he brings to life as never before the innermost selves of these children.
Among those you’ll meet in the clinic he founded in Paris are Lise, whose seemingly random movements are as expressive as a dancer’s; Florian, who can instantly tell
you on which day of the week your birthday falls for any year, past or future; Martin, whose nonstop speech echoes the angry voices he has heard all around him, but who is impervious to the emotions they contain; and Hakim, a child so lost and so violent, no other institution will take him.
Writing with a scientist’s clarity and a humanist’s heart, Buten conveys the reality of autism with passion, ruthlessness, humor, wisdom—and love. This is a book both heartbreaking and hopeful, and when he succeeds in breaching the invisible wall of aloneness that seems to separate the autistic from the rest of us, we cheer.
solitary universe—a universe he shares in a book that is unlike any you’ve ever read.
From his first unforgettable encounter with a wild, clawing human hurricane in the form of a little boy named Adam S., clinical psychologist Howard Buten has sought ways into the seemingly closed world of the autistic child. Whether he’s done this by
letting himself be pummeled, scratched, and bitten, or by imitating the child’s behaviors, or by feeling himself into what the child must be feeling, he has often been
rewarded. With extraordinary insight and in ways that are powerfully moving, he brings to life as never before the innermost selves of these children.
Among those you’ll meet in the clinic he founded in Paris are Lise, whose seemingly random movements are as expressive as a dancer’s; Florian, who can instantly tell
you on which day of the week your birthday falls for any year, past or future; Martin, whose nonstop speech echoes the angry voices he has heard all around him, but who is impervious to the emotions they contain; and Hakim, a child so lost and so violent, no other institution will take him.
Writing with a scientist’s clarity and a humanist’s heart, Buten conveys the reality of autism with passion, ruthlessness, humor, wisdom—and love. This is a book both heartbreaking and hopeful, and when he succeeds in breaching the invisible wall of aloneness that seems to separate the autistic from the rest of us, we cheer.
231 pages
First published February 3, 2004
6 people are currently reading
51 people want to read
About the author
Howard Buten
22 books42 followersHoward Buten was an American author living in France. He was also a psychologist, a clown, and a violin player. Buten was the author of five novels, the first of which, entitled When I Was Five I Killed Myself, was published in 1981 and turned into a film under its French title Quand j'avais cinq ans je m'ai tué in 1994.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
March 1, 2025
An extraordinary book by an extraordinary person: novelist, honored performing clown of the caliber of Bill Irwin or Chaplin and in this book acute, brilliant and most empathetic clinical psychologist to people with extreme forms of autism seen in his Paris clinic and earlier. All his life talents certainly combined to be able to produce his methods, his "imitation" technique with clients and his absolutely pure and unwavering connections that were often - but not always - successful. Part case narrative, part clinical text but always written in stunning easy style.
May 25, 2013
Although I have worked with autistic children for almost a decade now— first as an aide, then as a teacher, and now as a social worker— I am still unable to provide even a basic definition of the condition that is inclusive of all the amazing children I’ve worked with. We know that autism exists, but we’re not quite sure what it truly is. Nor for that matter do we know what causes it or, definitively, what eases its symptoms.
Unfortunately, this void in our knowledge not only makes it difficult to understand those we work with and care for on a day-to-day basis, but has since become home to an infinite number of proclaimed “causes” and “cures”; many of which require intensive time and monetary investments that produce minimal, if any, improvement. In fact, these “interventions” are often far more damaging and abusive than they are healing.
With this in mind, it was wonderful to read about a therapist who speaks honestly of his own methods and claims no cure or concrete explanations. An approach that requires no pharmaceutical or invasive medical procedures, but instead, only empathy, open-mindedness, and creativity on the part of the healer.
Howard Buten imitates his clients. He engages with them not through the traditional chemical restraints or the more popular, highly structured and dictated interactions, but through hanging out with them as people and truly entering their world. Feeling what they feel, doing as they do. Connection on their terms, not his.
If nothing else, Buten’s imitation method gives us therapists a glimpse at the experience of the individuals we’re working with and an opportunity to broaden our understanding of life’s various manifestations. This in and of itself is benefit enough, in my view, to consider the tactic legitimate and worthwhile.
Indeed, empathy is the most valuable tool we’ve got in our toolbox as therapists (and as human beings) and any technique that we can employ to hone our skills is absolutely worth the effort.
Unfortunately, this void in our knowledge not only makes it difficult to understand those we work with and care for on a day-to-day basis, but has since become home to an infinite number of proclaimed “causes” and “cures”; many of which require intensive time and monetary investments that produce minimal, if any, improvement. In fact, these “interventions” are often far more damaging and abusive than they are healing.
With this in mind, it was wonderful to read about a therapist who speaks honestly of his own methods and claims no cure or concrete explanations. An approach that requires no pharmaceutical or invasive medical procedures, but instead, only empathy, open-mindedness, and creativity on the part of the healer.
Howard Buten imitates his clients. He engages with them not through the traditional chemical restraints or the more popular, highly structured and dictated interactions, but through hanging out with them as people and truly entering their world. Feeling what they feel, doing as they do. Connection on their terms, not his.
If nothing else, Buten’s imitation method gives us therapists a glimpse at the experience of the individuals we’re working with and an opportunity to broaden our understanding of life’s various manifestations. This in and of itself is benefit enough, in my view, to consider the tactic legitimate and worthwhile.
Indeed, empathy is the most valuable tool we’ve got in our toolbox as therapists (and as human beings) and any technique that we can employ to hone our skills is absolutely worth the effort.
June 30, 2022
Seperti sedang mendengarkan penuturan si autistik itu sendiri. Untuk istilah dan penamaan, berbagai macam gangguan mental ini disatukan ke dalam satu tubuh bernama autistik, jadi memang terkesan kurang spesifik. Tapi melalui penjelasan ringkas yang diberikan Dr. Howard, mudah saja mengenali gejala gangguan mental yang dialami setiap pasien dan menggolongkannya ke dalam penyakit yang mana. Terapi yang diterapkan kepada setiap pasien juga menarik, bahkan serasa mudah untuk kita terapkan sendiri.
July 7, 2017
3.75
Loved the tone, and the author sounds like a fascinating, humorous individual, and yet all the same, this might've worked a bit better had it been presented as an autobiographym this was not what i expected based on the title, which is not to say i didn't enjoy it, kust that it wasn't what i was looking for...
Loved the tone, and the author sounds like a fascinating, humorous individual, and yet all the same, this might've worked a bit better had it been presented as an autobiographym this was not what i expected based on the title, which is not to say i didn't enjoy it, kust that it wasn't what i was looking for...
June 13, 2019
Informative, but very repetitive.
December 19, 2013
An interesting, and surprisingly very funny at times, semi-biographical detailing of the author's most notable life experiences in trying to understand autism and help others with this condition. It's written from the perspective of an outsider attempting to look in to the autistic world, and I appreciated it's frank, plainspoken language, though it seems like many other health professionals the author at its conclusion leaves us with a sense of despite a lifetime of service in trying to understand, the mystery of autism remains impenetrable. I guess I get the sense that this is not so much about autism as it is an account of someone else's perspective on it. If that makes any sense. I found this interesting enough, but for my money if someone was interested in learning more of the nuts and bolts or getting a better sense of what exactly autism is, you'd be better off reading the personal accounts of people like John Elder Robison, Temple Grandin, Kristine Barnett, Arthur Fleischman and others. If you are a parent reading this to try to better understand your child and their condition or are a high functioning autistic person looking to better understand the condition yourself, this would probably not be the best book for you.
August 17, 2012
Howard Buten, Ph.D., is the founder of the Adam Shelton Center in Paris and divides his time between Paris and New York. He has 2 other professions: performing artist in Europe where he is the theatrical clown-mime Buffo, and he is the autor of seven novels published in France.
I first heard of him when I found his novel on austism in the Pasadena Central Library n the New shelf, "When I was Five I Killed Myself. It's a novel, and it is about autism. He is steeped in hours of trial and error, a particular empathy and understanding of the autistic, and some magic I suspect is still up his sleeve from playing Buffo. Good writer. when I was five I killed myself was called Burt, and published in 1981 in the United States, but republished in 2000 as when I Was Five....
Both books are mesmerizing; i'll look and see if i gave a review of When I was Five. Insight, compassion and understanding of the autistic state - what an incredible man. The subject was fascinating. Gratitude to Howard Buten.
Through the Glass Wall: is non fiction, and it helps to read the fiction piece first.
I first heard of him when I found his novel on austism in the Pasadena Central Library n the New shelf, "When I was Five I Killed Myself. It's a novel, and it is about autism. He is steeped in hours of trial and error, a particular empathy and understanding of the autistic, and some magic I suspect is still up his sleeve from playing Buffo. Good writer. when I was five I killed myself was called Burt, and published in 1981 in the United States, but republished in 2000 as when I Was Five....
Both books are mesmerizing; i'll look and see if i gave a review of When I was Five. Insight, compassion and understanding of the autistic state - what an incredible man. The subject was fascinating. Gratitude to Howard Buten.
Through the Glass Wall: is non fiction, and it helps to read the fiction piece first.
February 5, 2014
I found this book fascinating. Howard Buten is amazing in his work with autistic children. He does things that no one else would think of, especially by trying to get into their world with them. As the grandmother of a non-verbal autistic 2-year-old grandson I am reading up to try to educate myself. I want so badly to understand what is going on in my little man's head. What is it he's seeing? Hearing? Feeling? Wanting? Mr. Buten opened my eyes considerably. He gave me ideas to try, and helped me see the bigger picture of what I'm dealing with. He also made me realize that we're very fortunate, and grateful, to be dealing with a child at the high-functioning end of the spectrum. It could be much, much worse. If you want to better understand autism, or educate yourself, this is a really good read.
July 23, 2013
Sekilas seperti buku horor. Tapi tidak. Buku ini sungguh menyentuh. Bagaimana Howard Buten menangani anak-anak itu sungguh menggugah hati. Saya bisa merasakan bagaimana senang, bangga, dan terharunya dia ketika dia berhasil berkomunikasi dengan Adam dan ketika Martin berhasil memahami orang lain. Empatinya luar biasa. Sedikit sekali orang yang tahan bekerja dengan siap seluruh badannya penuh luka dan tanpa metode yang pasti. Ya, autisme itu abstrak, tidak bisa didefinisikan penanganannya. Tapi mereka tetaplah manusia. I give him my appreciation.
July 20, 2015
The book offers a unique perspective on people with autism and what we can do to help. Filled with love and heartwarming anecdotes, the book reminds us that we are all human and that the connections we make are truly what makes a difference. The methods described by Buten are not feasible for all or in all settings but interesting none the less.
October 14, 2007
Buku yang saya baca adalah versi yang sudah diterjemahkan kedalam bahasa Indonesia dengan judul "Dinding-dinding Kaca: Memahami Orang-orang Austik". Bagaimana kita bisa berempati dan memahami para penyandang autisme yang terisolasi.
June 11, 2021
Through the Glass Wall is an amazing journey into the world of autism. The author of this book is an amazing individual. He has a heart that does not quit and a spirit for these kids that is phenomenal.
December 2, 2007
beradh euyyy,,rasa kuliah
hihihhihihi @_@
hihihhihihi @_@
September 8, 2011
This guy has a fascinating approach in attempting to genuinely understand kids with Autism by getting into their worlds....amazing read, and I'm only halfway through the book!
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews