Born on a Blue Day is the story of Daniel Tammett, a young man with an extraordinary mind. He has a rare combination of Asperger’s Syndrome and synesthesia, a condition which blurs the usual distinctions between the senses. In his own words:
I see numbers as shapes, colors, textures and motions. The number 1, 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 89 reminds me of falling snow.
Daniel is the firstborn child in what will become a very large family. His parents had limited education and resources, and his father suffers from a debilitating mental illness, but as parents, they were patient and supportive of the unusual son. Daniel was different from the start, and suffered from frightening seizures as a child. As with any child on the autistic spectrum, his social skills were limited and he craves solitude and a predictable routine, things not easy to find for a boy growing up with a large family in small, crowded homes in London.
And yet, despite all his problems, Daniel works hard to learn the social skills that don’t come naturally to him, and he makes friends. After finishing secondary school, he joins a volunteer service program and spends a year teaching English in Lithuania, an experience that helps him develop into a competent and independent young man, helps him come to terms with his sexuality and discover his gift for learning other languages.
Back in the UK, his extraordinary mental abilities bring him fame as the subject of a documentary called “Brainman” and as he performs such feats as memorizing over over 22,000 digits of Pi, and learning the Icelandic language in less than a week. But although these accomplishments are astounding feats, they are not really as significant or impressive as his personal growth. He finds love with a gentle and understanding young man named Neil, and they form a loving and supportive home together, while also becoming closer to his parents, brothers and sisters.
Daniel tells his story in the rather flat, unemotional prose, and uses many examples and explanations of his fascination with mathematics and linguistics. This was interesting, but the most moving parts of the book were his loving descriptions of his relationship with Neil, and the loss of their cat, Jay.
