7th Period ACL Non-Fiction Prompts: Born on a Blue Day by Daniel Tammet

born on a blue day by daniel tammet

Hi Class!
I have just finished Born on a Blue Day by Daniel Tammet, a memoir from a point of view most people would never think possible. Daniel Tammet is a savant, which in his case is a high-fuctioning autistic with Asperger’s syndrome. Tammet has the ability to absorb and understand knowledge way beyond his years, and writes his experiences of being completely different from everyone else. He struggles in communicating with others and making friends, but pursues his talents in mathematics and foreign languages. Tammet’s accounts throughout his life show you that your own way of thinking can be extremely different in comparison to someone else, and that you shouldn’t mark people off before you understand what they endure.
Something that interests me about Tammet’s way of life is how he perceives all kinds of data, specifically numbers. Tammet describes numbers as individuals; a color with shapes and personality.”The number one, for example, is a brilliant and bright white, like someone shining a flashlight into my eyes. Five is a clap of thunder or the sound of waves crashing against rocks. Thirty-seven is lumpy like porridge, while eighty-nine reminds me of falling snow.” He sees the world in those numbers, which I find remarkably captivating.
Thanks for Reading!
Keona K.

6 comments for “7th Period ACL Non-Fiction Prompts: Born on a Blue Day by Daniel Tammet

  1. SarahD
    April 28, 2015 at 2:12 pm

    Hi Keona,
    The book sounded very interesting. Would you recommend this book to other readers? Also what was your favorite moment in the book?

    • KeonaK
      April 28, 2015 at 2:26 pm

      I would definitely reccomend this book, and my favorite part of this book is when he realizes real friends will stick to him, and that he shouldn’t allow people to get in the way of his dreams.

  2. KyoungminS
    April 28, 2015 at 2:12 pm

    Do you think he is smart or dumb?

    • KeonaK
      April 28, 2015 at 2:22 pm

      I believe Tammet is extremely smart, but has trouble understanding the emotions of other people.

  3. AdalieC
    April 28, 2015 at 2:14 pm

    This seems really interesting. How is the story set up? Is it like a diary or is it more story like.

    • KeonaK
      April 28, 2015 at 2:30 pm

      It is kind of like a diary but set in chapters of his life, and starts with his earliest memories as a child, living in Europe.

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