Rating: 
Summary: It explains many things.
Review: I don't personally suffer from autism but I know many people who do and this book helped me to have a slight understanding of their lives. It also helped me to appreciate my life; I always used to think I had a hard time, but reading about Donna's experiences has helped me to put things into perspective.
Rating: 
Summary: More about multiple personality than autism
Review: I found Donna's book fascinating, but less about autism than about surviving severe childhood abuse and neglect. Many of her lifelong struggles relate more to mental illness than autism, though the two are intimately intertwined. Because of this, I would not recommend this to families of children with autism as the first book to read in learning about autism. For a few pages at the end of the book, Donna does offer some insightful and practical suggestions for interacting with and teaching children who are autistic, specifically addressing issues surrounding eye contact, touch and how to communicate without talking. Don't get me wrong - I couldn't put the book down! But it just had more of a "Sybil" flavor than a Temple Grandin flavor. I did learn a bit about autism, but I learned a great deal more about surviving childhood abuse and mentall illness.
Rating:
Summary: Amazingly Revealing
Review: I found this book to be a step-by-step walk through interactions that I took comfortably for granted that I now realize can be hurtful and agonizing for someone with autism. The simple gester of a reasuring touch can take on a different meaning for an autistic. Yet William's ability to place "touch" under a microscope and explain it from her own perpective is in a word: brilliance. Williams took great pains to relate this book. I consider it to be groundbreaking.
Rating:
Summary: Insightful...
Review: I normally read for informational purposes, and this book helped me understand what my 7 year old son is going through. I read this book last year, and quickly bought her sequel...Somebody Somewhere. Now I can understand some of the 'weird' things he does, and feel better knowing there is a valid reason behind some of his behaviors. One day I hope he can explain the reasons to me, but for now I accept her explanations. She is a very brave person.
Rating:
Summary: Desperate to communicate Love
Review: I read Ms. Williams words with a hunger for understanding unlike anything I have felt. My grandaughter has autism, and I appreciate her letting me step into her world so I am able to comprehend my grandaughters behavoir. She has been diagnosed as mildly autistic. I have tried to believe that when she disappears from all that is around her with a far away gaze that the place she goes is a peaceful and comforing time for her. Unfortunetly, Ms. Williams portrays such torture, both physically and mentally, that I have to believe the constant fear she felt was due to the abuse she recived as a child. I need to at least have hope that if the home is nurturing and loving "her world" would have been more peaceful, and the little girl I love so much does not feel the pain and lonliness Ms. Williams felt. I have ordered her next book and am trying to believe she found some sort of peace and happiness, even if it is still somewhat in her own world. If not, please write another book Ms. Williams to tell us not just what is happening to your mind, but how we can help.
Rating: 
Summary: Fascinating and frustrating
Review: I read this book with no baggage - I don't know much about autism and don't know autictic people. I was simply interested in hearing about the disorder from the inside, so to speak. I found her writing compelling. Her use of language is extraordinary - she seems to be bright and aware. And the narrative of her hideous home life as a child - and into her adult years as well - is the stuff of real tragedy. But I was frustrated because I wanted to know WHY she did what she did, and I didn't feel that the book answered those questions. What drew her into her obsessive relationships, and why did she allow herself to drift into those manipulative and destructive sexual relationships? Lack of self-esteem doesn't tell the entire story - I wanted to know what was going through her mind when she allowed herself to be subjected again and again to pick-your-adjective abuse. There was a certain repetitiveness to her narrative, but it added heat, not light. Hence three stars. In spite of that, I recommend this book to anyone with any interest at all in autism - Ms. Williams' willingness to expose the intimate details of her life inside her head is admirable and fascinating.
Rating:
Summary: This book made me feel "normal" for the first time.
Review: In "Nobody Nowhere", Donna Williams details what it is like to grow up autistic and the price one pays for being "high-functioning." She describes sensory experiences like overload and seeing floating spots and wisps in the air. She also describes the "faces" she had to put on in order to relate to the world. This book made my whole life up to this point make sense for the first time. I had not known that many of these sensory experiences were different from those of other people. This is a very important book, both for people who have autism and related problems and for those who know them or might meet them.
Rating:
Summary: The Best Book I have ever read
Review: Nobody nowhere is by far the best book I have ever read. It is must read for anyone interested in people, perspectives, world views, women, autism, child abuse, or children. I have lent this book out not to have it returned four times. I continue to repurchase it because I believe it is a story that everyone needs to read.
Rating:
Summary: Amazing insight
Review: Nobody Nowhere is the most amazing book I have ever read. Without having any earlier exposure to autism, I felt enlightened by this masterpiece and I feel that even " perfectly-functioning people " have inhibitions that can be related to Donna's experience. Don't we so-called "functional people" play roles? Don't we imitate reactions of others in some unknown situations? Infact , infants start their learning process by imitation. Donna is so strong & unique to have survived her abusive & helpless childhood & come out a true HERO & an inspiration to all people suffering in every possible sense of the word.
Rating:
Summary: Autobiography of an Autistic
Review: The book is made up of many experiences throughout Donna's life starting at the pre-school level. It was not until page 58 that the reader learns that Donna lived in Australia, now residing in England. I was wondering why there were so many Italian families in the 1970s when reading Nobody Nowhere!
The way Donna saw things was bit by bit, a string of pieces strung together. Donna got her first job at the age of fifteen, sorting goods in a department store. Donna got a goat from a service station when she was twenty-one, naming it after her late grandfather.
For years Donna slept with her eyes open and her dreams would come true years later. Donna had brothers older and younger than her and a Mother that abused her, calling her a drug addict and slut. Donna was three people, Carol, Willie and Donna. She would escape into the characters and felt it was okay to feel only three years old.
It was confusing at times since Willie and Carol are described as personalities. Donna saw Mary from the Psychiatric outpatient department for several years, who thought Donna was Schizophrenic. As Donna explained, "Carol was always sent out to test the waters before Donna decided it was safe to jump in."
Donna referred back to friends she met throughout the book and moved every two months since it felt like two years to her. She had many male friends as well as female friends that came and went.
Nobody Nowhere does not touch upon the Special Education Laws or assessments that I have experienced with my two autistic children. Since her diagnosis was later in life that aspect of the disability is not mentioned since she did not experience it.
This was an interesting account of Donna's life and how she dealt with the outside world and intertwined her three personalities to cope. I feel this is a worthwhile read for any parent or relative of an autistic person. Teachers and psychologists as well as therapists would better understand how an autistic person sees themselves.
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