Born on a blue day

I have just read the book 'Born on a Blue Day' which is the memoirs of a man called Daniel Tammet. Daniel has aspergers syndrome but why he should be so interesting is the fact that he is also a savant. What is particularly unique about him is that he does not suffer from serious disability as so many other savants do. As a result of this he can actually describe the way he is able to perform the most amazing mathematical calculations. He has synaesthesia, whereby he visualises numbers as shapes with colour, texture, and movement. When he does calculations in his head, he does not consciously perform the arithmetic, he simply visualises two separate images, which merge together to create a third which represents the answer. It is fascinating to comprehend the way his mind works in such a way and it is also an example of the capabilities of the human brain. I was a bit disappointed with his book to be honest as I was hoping it would focus more on his intellectual abilities, however it was really just the story of his life so far.

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