This kind of reads like a war correspondent reporting from the front lines of autism--constant battles and adjustments to a world that didn't naturally jive with her programming. That autism is not behavioral, but that behavior is a symptom of what is going on underneath was a fascinating discovery. Grandin does a solid job of laying out the forms and terms of autism in a very readable if sometimes dry way. Any dryness is mostly tempered by discussion of her adapting during her childhood or her compassion for animals--a compassion that stems somewhat from a similar way of perceiving and interpreting the world as animals are also thought to think in pictures. I also like to think of this book as kind of a victory lap for having achieved professionally what Grandin has despite or because of her obstacles. In some measure she also critiques society by revealing it's structure from the outside as well as having an interesting take on her flirtation with religion. Like Grandin, I was particularly drawn to her relationships with animals and look forward to reading her ANIMALS IN TRANSLATION.