Book Review: “Thinking in Pictures, Expanded Edition: My Life with Autism” by Temple Grandin

Mar 18

Håfa adai! April is Arab American Heritage Month and Autism Awareness Month in the United States. For the second two weeks of April 2025, I will post reviews of books that are written by authors with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and depict important experiences and stories of those living with ASD. My first selection for Autism Awareness Month 2025 is Thinking in Pictures: My Life with Autism by Temple Grandin.

A brief history of Autism Awareness Month is forthcoming and will be added to this post at a later date.

This book review consists of two parts: a brief summary of content followed by my personal takeaways. I may go into detail about some parts of the book, but I will leave out the greater nuance. I want to share my opinions of the book and encourage you to purchase a copy of your own.

Click on the tags at the bottom of this post to see all reviews with the same tags in the Social Sciences & History bookshelf.

Summary of Thinking in Pictures

In the field of animal behavior science, it may take more than observation to get into the mind of livestock. Perhaps to think like a cow, you have to view the world using anything but words. In Thinking in Pictures, Temple Grandin outlines her immense contributions to the study of animal behavior in the American livestock industry in the context of her life as someone with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Considered a seminal work in the field of neurodiversity, this book guides the reader through what life with autism looks like for many who have had to navigate a modern world that sometimes seeks to leave them behind.

My Thoughts on Thinking in Pictures: 4.5 stars

I was able to attend the first annual Meeting of the Minds hosted by the Temple Grandin School in Boulder, Colorado, on 4 April 2016 where Temple Grandin and other speakers discussed neurodiversity in the workplace. Before the Meeting, nearly all individuals I had met throughout my life who had Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) were categorized as having profound autism (also referred to as high support needs autism by many ASD advocates); meaning they were non-verbal, struggled with basic life skills, and required long-term care. Listening to Temple Grandin speak about her life as someone with ASD and her career as a scientist was absolutely inspiring.

In Thinking in Pictures, Temple Grandin introduces the reader to how her autistic mind conceptualizes and formulates thought. As a child, she was diagnosed as having brain damage due to her delays in being able to speak and other signs of intellectual delay. Her mother was ever observant and picked up on the social and environmental factors that would cause young Temple to become overstimulated and have meltdowns. She had teachers who were attentive and would pull Temple back into the present when they saw signs of her mind drifting away. And, as an adult, she would finally be given the diagnosis that best matched her lived experience.

Thinking in Pictures touches on a wide variety of topics related to the history and daily realities of ASD: from the history of diagnosing ASD, to early signs and diagnosis, to feelings and thought processes, to socialization and inclusion, and possible interventions and treatments. What especially stood out to me was Temple Grandin’s passionate and empathetic tone for younger generations of people with autism. She wants kids to be properly diagnosed, but many who are diagnosed are then placed in special education classroom settings where they are not being stimulated enough. She wants kids with autism to be able to play video games because it gives them a way to socialize and connect with their neurotypical peers, but they should be monitored and given time limits otherwise they might hype fixate and play for hours.

An aspect I truly appreciate about biographical non-fiction is its tendency to teach the reader about multiple topics at once. Thinking in Pictures is no exception to this. Temple Grandin’s specialization as an ethologist is animal behavior within the livestock industry. Her research and inventions have completely reshaped the humane treatment of domestic animals destined for slaughter in the United States and elsewhere. She credits her ability to think in pictures, to imagine the world through the eyes of the cow, as her greatest strength and greatest contribution to the scientific community.

I give Thinking in Pictures 4.5 out of 5 stars. Temple Grandin is an inspiration for many who are neurodiverse and work in a field of they are passionate about. Thinking in Pictures sheds a light on the many factors of daily life with autism while reviewing the aspects of Temple Grandin’s childhood that intentionally or inadvertently created an enriching environment for the accomplished scientist. The expanded edition of the book provides updates to scientific research on autism to ensure each topic is as relevant as possible. I highly recommend this book to those who want to learn more about life with ASD; you will also learn a lot about the American livestock industry in the process.

Dångkulo' na' saina ma'åse'! Thank you so much for reading my review of Thinking in Pictures: My Life with Autism by Temple Grandin.

Rating Cheat Sheet

4.75 - 5.00 stars: Everyone should read this book! (If you’re into that sort of thing.)
4.00 - 4.50 stars: I appreciated many aspects of this book. I recommend it!
3.00 - 3.75 stars: I liked some aspects of this book. I won’t revisit it, but someone else might really like it.
2.00 - 2.75 stars: There were some things I appreciated about this book, but I do not recommend it.
0.25 - 1.75 stars: I do not recommend this book. I did not enjoy or appreciate the experience of it.

Post Date: 21 April 2025