Want to know what books Uta Frith recommends on their reading list? We've researched interviews, social media posts, podcasts, and articles to build a comprehensive list of Uta Frith's favorite book recommendations of all time.
1
In this unprecedented history of a scientific revolution, award-winning author and journalist Carl Zimmer tells the definitive story of the dawn of the age of the brain and modern consciousness. Told here for the first time, the dramatic tale of how the secrets of the brain were discovered in seventeenth-century England unfolds against a turbulent backdrop of civil war, the Great Fire of London, and plague. At the beginning of that chaotic century, no one knew how the brain worked or even what it looked like intact. But by the century's close, even the most common conceptions and dominant... more In this unprecedented history of a scientific revolution, award-winning author and journalist Carl Zimmer tells the definitive story of the dawn of the age of the brain and modern consciousness. Told here for the first time, the dramatic tale of how the secrets of the brain were discovered in seventeenth-century England unfolds against a turbulent backdrop of civil war, the Great Fire of London, and plague. At the beginning of that chaotic century, no one knew how the brain worked or even what it looked like intact. But by the century's close, even the most common conceptions and dominant philosophies had been completely overturned, supplanted by a radical new vision of man, God, and the universe.
Presiding over the rise of this new scientific paradigm was the founder of modern neurology, Thomas Willis, a fascinating, sympathetic, even heroic figure at the center of an extraordinary group of scientists and philosophers known as the Oxford circle. Chronicled here in vivid detail are their groundbreaking revelations and the often gory experiments that first enshrined the brain as the physical seat of intelligence -- and the seat of the human soul. Soul Made Flesh conveys a contagious appreciation for the brain, its structure, and its many marvelous functions, and the implications for human identity, mind, and morality. less 
Uta FrithHow does the brain produce the mind? The question gave rise to the beginnings of neuroscience in the 17th century. (Source)
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2
A beautifully written autobiography that gives unique insight into what it means to be autistic - constantly afraid, a preference for the safety of solitude, a tendency towards obsessive behaviour that provides relief. She writes simply and frankly about her attempts to find a way for herself when everything she did felt to be at odds with everyone around her. The story of her realisation that despite her differences she is, in fact, a 'real person'. For those who are not autistic his book will come as a revelation, while it will be of great help to other autistic people, their families and... more A beautifully written autobiography that gives unique insight into what it means to be autistic - constantly afraid, a preference for the safety of solitude, a tendency towards obsessive behaviour that provides relief. She writes simply and frankly about her attempts to find a way for herself when everything she did felt to be at odds with everyone around her. The story of her realisation that despite her differences she is, in fact, a 'real person'. For those who are not autistic his book will come as a revelation, while it will be of great help to other autistic people, their families and professionals working with them. less Uta FrithA truly mind-boggling account of autism from the inside by an exceptional woman with Asperger syndrome. (Source)
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3
Ungolino di Monte Santa Maria, W. Heywood, Madelein L'Engle | 4.43
With a new Preface by the noted writer Madeleine L'Engle, author of nearly fifty books of fiction and non-fiction, including A Wrinkle in Time. St. Francis of Assisi's ecstatic embrace of a life of poverty revolutionized Christianity even as it transformed the ethics of the West. In this luminous and lively book, St. Francis's followers preserved his legend and those of his first disciples, combining stories of miracles with convincing portraits of men who were no less human for having been touched by God.
"God is our home but many of us have strayed from our native... more With a new Preface by the noted writer Madeleine L'Engle, author of nearly fifty books of fiction and non-fiction, including A Wrinkle in Time. St. Francis of Assisi's ecstatic embrace of a life of poverty revolutionized Christianity even as it transformed the ethics of the West. In this luminous and lively book, St. Francis's followers preserved his legend and those of his first disciples, combining stories of miracles with convincing portraits of men who were no less human for having been touched by God.
"God is our home but many of us have strayed from our native land. The venerable authors of these Spiritual Classics are expert guides--may we follow their directions home."
--Archbishop Desmond Tutu less Uta FrithThis is a collection of legends that provides credible examples of classically autistic behaviour in a follower of St Francis of Assisi. (Source)
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4
This classic work tells the tale of how a devoted mother accomplished miracles in fostering the intellectual, social and emotional development of her autistic daughter. more This classic work tells the tale of how a devoted mother accomplished miracles in fostering the intellectual, social and emotional development of her autistic daughter. less Uta FrithThis book was the first of autobiographical accounts I read about a family’s intimate experience of autism in one of their members. (Source)
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5
Grimm Brothers Grimm, Jacob Ludwig Carl Grimm, Wilhelm Grimm | 4.50
Once upon a time, two brothers wished to preserve their German folklore in a collection of tales that they believed had been handed down for generations. When they began in 1812 they had just 86 stories that rather harshly reflected the difficult life of European peasantry. Subsequent editions would grow to hold over 200 tales. As time passed, the Brothers Grimm found that their collection of fairy tales, with all of its royalty, magical creatures, and brave adventures, entranced those who read them. This compilation of fairy tales which includes the complete canon of over 200 tales has... more Once upon a time, two brothers wished to preserve their German folklore in a collection of tales that they believed had been handed down for generations. When they began in 1812 they had just 86 stories that rather harshly reflected the difficult life of European peasantry. Subsequent editions would grow to hold over 200 tales. As time passed, the Brothers Grimm found that their collection of fairy tales, with all of its royalty, magical creatures, and brave adventures, entranced those who read them. This compilation of fairy tales which includes the complete canon of over 200 tales has become a beloved set of classical stories the world over. Presented here in this edition is the faithful translation of Margaret Hunt. less Uta FrithI think of this as a story about our genetic endowment at birth. We are all dealt out gifts of good genes and also some not so good ones. (Source)
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