Australian-born Donna Williams, diagnosed with autism in 1985 at age 25, has written six books on autism, two of which are autobiographical works. Here she talks about an overwhelming need to shield themselves that autistic individuals, including herself, experience. It is a need that is often misinterpreted and leads to painful social isolation. Mirroring the convolutions of her thought processes, her writing is rambling and repetitive but provides valuable insights into the human experience from an autistic person's perspective. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)