Temple Grandin

Last year I discovered Temple Grandin. She is an author, doctor of animal science at Colorado State University and she is autistic. Her remarkable story was made into an HBO movie starring Claire Danes (I highly recommend it). She grew up in the 1950s at a time when Autism was barely even known and as a result of the devotion of her mother and teachers, she was able to harness her genius and become one of the most renowned livestock experts in the world.

She's written numerous books, two of which I am currently reading Animals Make us Human and Thinking in Pictures. The latter is her memoir about growing up with Autism. In 2009 she did an interview with Terry Gross, you can listen to it here. I am equally fascinated and awed by Temple Grandin's story. Her insight has been invaluable to understanding the thought processes of Autistic children. Give the TED talk or her interview a listen and I guarantee you will come away inspired and entertained, not to mention a little smarter.