http://www.amazon.com/Islands-Genius-Bountiful-Autistic-Acquired-ebook/dp/B00CQ8NP42/ref=sr_1_1_title_0_main?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1383745571&sr=1-1
The link is to the Amazon.com website for the book, Islands of Genius. Just above the cover illustration is a link "Click to Look Inside". You can read as much of the Prologue and Introduction as you wish. You might also want to read through a few of the reviews. I've reposted one that I found particularly interesting:
9 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Come Jump On The Boat To The Islands Of Genius . . . .,August 16, 2010
By
Sunday "SundayAtDusk" (PlanetEarth) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Islands of Genius: The Bountiful Mind of the Autistic, Acquired, and Sudden Savant (Hardcover)
Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program (What's this?)
After reading an uncorrected proof copy of "Islands of Genius" three times, I went to my local library to request they get a copy of the book. All public libraries should have a copy of this book. Because it is an education. It is also an inspiration. And it is one of the most fascinating books I have ever, ever read.What Dr. Treffert does primarily in "Islands of Genius" is explore the world of savants. He has worked with and researched servants since 1962. Not only does he share his 48 years of interaction, observations and research with the reader, he also tells the individual stories of over 15 well known savants--including Kim Peek, who was the inspiration for the "Rain Man". (The book is dedicated to Kim Peek, who died last December, and his father, Fran Peek.) Moreover, there are three chapters in the book written by teachers of special needs children, describing their methods for teaching art, music and math. Also, there is an appendix listing 15 books about savant syndrome and specific savants, as well as 11 books written by savants.
Next, Dr. Treffert explores acquired savant behavior, sudden savant behavior, and "neurotypical persons with savant-like skills". I must confess, I found those topics even more interesting than the savants! Individuals who acquire savant like behavior do so after an illness or injury that affects the central nervous system. He tells the story of a 10-year-old boy hit in the head by a baseball, who wakes up knowing how to perform calendar calculations. (If you don't know what calendar calculation is, as I did not, you are in for a wild read!) Plus, the stories of people who, after acquiring "fronto-temporal dementia", suddenly, for the first time in their life, develop an intense interest in art, and start creating extraordinary paintings. Or individuals who, after having strokes or head injuries, start writing poetry or composing music, or start talking with a foreign accent, or speaking in a foreign language, from a country they have never even visited. The latter is known as "xenoglossy". (Those who have read Dr. Ian Stevenson's work are very familiar with that topic.)
Then, there are those individuals , who have no disabilities, or have had no CNS illness or injury, who can do astounding things. For example, people who have "hyperthymestic syndrome" can remember what happened almost every day of their life. And some individuals can read backwards. Or they can write with both hands at the same time, in two different languages. Or, there are those with "synesthesia", who "see" words or sounds, "taste" music, or "smell" colors. Others can do astonishing things with all the letters in the conversations they hear, or with numbers. In addition, some individuals mentioned in the book, who were beginner students in music, suddenly fully understood music, as if they have been studying it their whole life, and then started playing and composing complex works of music.
How is it the savants and the non-savants can do all those beyond belief things? According to Dr. Treffert, they can because of "genetic memory". He proposes that "stored in each of us" is "a generous amount of genetically inherited, factory-installed software for certain skills and abilities, along with considerable genetically transferred knowledge itself, unconsciously remembered". He further states that his description of genetic memory "does not include reincarnation, mysticism, existential ruminations, transcendentalism or paranormal phenomena".
When one thinks about it, however, genetic memory is just a theory. Savants no more prove there is such a thing as genetic memory, than they prove there is such a thing as reincarnation. Of course, many who believe in reincarnation do see savants as souls who are remembering their past life skills in art, math, music, etc. And it's interesting to note that it is often at the ages of 3-4 that savant skills suddenly manifest themselves in children, which are also the ages that children often start talking about past life memories, according to those who have studied past life memories of children. Yet, what would be the reason for incarnating as a savant? They have extraordinary talents, but also terrible disabilities that keep most of them from living independent lives. Is it possibly just karma? If so, what type of karma would get one the life of a savant? For those who firmly believe in reincarnation, don't let Dr. Treffert's disbelief in your beliefs stop you from reading this book. He does not appear to be spitting out the word "reincarnation". In fact, at one point in "Islands of Genius", he told how he was harshly criticized for once reporting in a journal article that parents and other observers of savants had reported paranormal abilities, including ESP. He stated: "Thus my merely reporting that there were such reports engendered censure from the scientific community". There is plenty in this book to feed your mind with all sorts of ideas about savants and reincarnation. Although, if you are not secure in your beliefs, then watch out--you might start believing in genetic memory instead. :)
One more metaphysical topic I couldn't help thinking about while reading "Islands of Genius" was near-death experiences. Those individuals who suddenly acquire intense interest in music or art or writing, after having a CNS illness or injury, remind me so much of the experiences of some individuals who have had NDEs. After seeing what's on the other side of the tunnel when they were medically dead, they often return to life desperately wanting to describe or recreate what they saw and heard, but find it verbally hard to do so. Thus, they passionately turn to music or art or poetry. One of the people who acquired savant skills mentioned in Dr. Treffert's book was a surgeon who was struck by lighting, and had an "intense near-death experience", after which he became obsessed with playing and composing classical music. Also, those who have had NDEs sometimes say they "knew everything", while on "the other side". And they often come back with psychic abilities. This poses the interesting question: Are all the wonderful memories and skills Dr. Treffert believes are stored in the brain, compliments of genetic memory, actually instead stored in the soul? Or are they stored in both? Does the brain, due to illness or injury, rewire itself in a way that brings up stored soul skills and memories? Or does the soul rewire the brain so stored skills and memories come up, in order to make life better or more interesting for the soul during a given lifetime? Is it possible a savant's soul may find itself so bored or so distressed due to the disabilities in that lifetime, that the soul goes searching for either past life or "spirit world" skills in order to have something to excel in, or simply something interesting to do to pass the time?
See, even if you're way more metaphysically inclined, instead of scientifically inclined, "Islands of Genius" can still create all kinds of interesting thoughts in your mind . . . or brain . . . or soul . . . or wherever thoughts are actually created and stored. The book is as extraordinary as the people in it. It is also easy to read and easy to understand; has interesting paintings, pictures and poems; has over 200 references; a subject index and an author index. (And no, I'm not related to Dr. Treffert . . . but am trying to highlight the fact that the final copy of this book is not the same as the uncorrected proof copy received by all Vine members. Imagine that.) You've also got to love a guy who says things like: "It has been said that when an old person dies, it is as if a library just burned down. Gone are all the collective knowledge, wisdom and recollections of that person." Moreover, you must admire a man who cares so deeply and fights so hard for individuals who cannot fight for themselves.
