Was Yosef on the Spectrum – New Review

Fiona Fisher Bullivant
Author & Advanced Nurse Practitioner (Autism & Learning Disabilities)

An incredibly insightful, beautifully written book which not only addresses the question of whether Yosef was on the spectrum, but invites you to be curious about individuals differences.
Samuel J Levine evokes the thought that if individuals differences are understood not only by  themselves but also by others then difference rather than being seen as something of a negative, becomes a positive attribute.

There is no doubt that Samuel J Levine has an expertise in understanding how autism presents itself in individuals and how we currently define it through the diagnostic criteria. His knowledge of autism and his understanding of how Yosef’s differences manifested and how they impacted on his life experiences and relationships he had is matched with an empathic warmth and understanding of not only Yosef but of Jacob and Yosef’s brothers. Samuel. J Levine recognises the need for early understanding of difference in individuals in order to enable understanding, acceptance, nurturing and promotion of difference in a positive light. He acknowledges the need for early parental understanding of differences in their children and how, if parents understand their children, they can adapt and change their parenting and can also advocate and communicate their children’s difference to others around them. He identifies that Yosef develops both cognitively and socially over time through life’s challenges and experiences and learns to communicate in more helpful ways to those around him and learns to understand others and the impact of his behavior and communication on others. This book is an empathic celebration of difference.

Fiona Fisher Bullivant is the author of Working with Girls and Young Women with an Autism Spectrum Condition: A Practical Guide for Clinicians and co-author of Autism and Eating Disorders in Teens – A Guide for Parents and Professionals.