“Based on massive research, Simon Baron-Cohen argues that most of us are specialized in how we perceive the world around us. There are those who focus on people and those who focus on things. The author makes a compelling case that the second kind of mind—the pattern seeker—is at the root of modern human civilization.”
—FRANS DE WAAL, author of Mama’s Last Hug
“Always years ahead of others, always bolder in mind and in action than others, Simon Baron-Cohen now synthesizes a secret of human creativity born out of difference. Where others saw disability, he saw specialness. Like nature itself, the beauty of the human mind comes from its diversity.”
—AMI KLIN, Bernie Marcus Distinguished Chair in Autism at Emory University
“A fascinating account of the mechanisms underlying the related capacities of both autistic individuals and innovators.”
—BRIAN JOSEPHSON, winner of the Nobel Prize in physics
“The Pattern Seekers is a book of big ideas and is sure to excite intense discussion and debate, fueled by Baron-Cohen’s lively prose and thought-provoking stories.”
—DANIEL J. POVINELLI, author of World Without Weight
“Simon Baron-Cohen is one of the greatest thinkers and writers today on the subject of autism. In this erudite new book he explains that autistic people’s strongly systematic way of thinking differently is one of the essential elements in the capacity for invention. Baron-Cohen explores how obsessively experimenting with patterns and sequences, whether in music, the visual arts, math, engineering, cooking, or observing the patterns of the ocean waves, led to new inventions and discoveries. He has recalibrated the lens through which autism is understood and redefined it as a rare potentiality, to be valued and celebrated. His bold new idea, that the genes for autism drove the evolution of human invention, places this disability center stage in the story of humans. If you have ever wondered why geniuses spend so much time alone in their sheds, this illuminating book starts to give us an answer to that question.”
—JOOLS HOLLAND, musician
“The Pattern Seekers is a game-changing book, a passport into exploring the world of innovation and creativity. Most importantly, it celebrates autistic people and is a call for action, to welcome neurodiversity.”
—DAVID JOSEPH, chairman and CEO of Universal Music UK
“Simon Baron-Cohen, an internationally acclaimed authority on human brains, has written a fascinating book that illuminates the ‘spectrum’ of thinking styles. After reading it, you’ll better understand the personalities of your friends and colleagues!”
—MARTIN REES, author of On the Future