Lucy's Story: Autism and Other Adventures

by Lucy Blackman

"Born with autism, Lucy could not understand much of what was said around her. Her own language came later from newspapers and books. She created stories and poems in her head from the words she had read. As an adult she still barely speaks." "In her teens she started using a keyboard with someone touching her arm, but that was not a substitute for ordinary speech. Lucy's language had developed in a world of her own making in which she had never passed on information to someone else. Even today she does not answer questions in the same way as other people." "Lucy's ambition was to write a book. She went to High School. She wrote letters and essays, learnt how to explain herself and began to create characters in her stories. While writing she started to understand her own autism, and through that understanding she came to type on a computer with no physical support to complete her BA (Hons) in Literary Studies." An essential resource for anyone interested in autism, sensory issues, augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), language and the practice of writing, Lucy's Story is also an intriguing, poignant and exciting autobiography.

Genres: Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Nonfiction, Autobiography

300 pages, Paperback

First published July 11, 2001

Reviews

[Nora]

Thrilling!!! I can't think of another word.

[Iamshadow]

An intriguing and excellent autobiography by a non-verbal autistic woman in Australia. Lucy was taught to use a keyboard to type at the age of fourteen by Rosemary Crossley, the woman who pioneered Facilitated Communication in the seventies with institutionalised children with Cerebral Palsy. (Read Annie's Coming Out by Rosemary Crossley and Anne McDonald to find out more about Rosie's fight for the rights of these particular children.) Lucy started with arm support, then just a touch, then just the presence of a facilitator holding her keyboard would enable her to type. She was able to finish high school and go to university. She also describes her experience with Auditory Integration Therapy, her meetings with Bernard Rimland, Tony Atwood and Douglas Biklen, and her long time penpal relationship with Australian author John Marsden.

[Ramanda Flannery]

This book is about Lucy Blackman who has autism and has become very high functioning. SHe has faught many battles to get to where she is today! She has had much support from her mother and sisters, her father wasn't in the picture much,and because of their support she is know able to communicate.
I would use this book as a lesson to never give up no matter what obsticles you face. I would have them read some of the book and then ask them to write a few paragraphs telling me what they have learned and what they got from reading the book.