“Boy Alone unlocks the heart and lets the emotions pour out: grief, despair, anger, love, devotion and wonder. Whether you are a parent or a sibling of someone with autism or just looking in from the outside through this rarely opened window into the complex life of a family coping with autism, you will never forget this book.” —Portia Iversen, Co-Founder of Cure Autism Now Foundation and author of Strange Son

A Washington Post Book World Best Book of the Year

In this literary tour de force, Karl Taro Greenfield, acclaimed journalist and author of China Syndrome, tells the story of his life growing up with his brother, chronicling the hopes, dreams, and realities of life with an autistic sibling.

Karl Taro Greenfeld knew from an early age that his little brother, Noah, was not like other children. He was unable to communicate verbally or tie his shoes, and despite his angelic demeanor was prone to violent outbursts. No doctor, social worker, or specialist could pinpoint what was wrong with Noah beyond a general diagnosis: autism. The boys' parents dedicated their lives to caring for their younger son—a challenging, often painful experience that their father detailed in a bestselling trilogy of books.

Boy Alone is Karl Taro Greenfeld's unforgettable memoir of growing up in Noah's shadow, revealing the complex mix of rage, confusion, and love that defined the author's childhood—a beautiful, haunting, and wholly original exploration of what it means to be a family, a brother, a person.

What is it like to be the "normal" brother, forever defined by the one who is not?

A Brother’s Memoir: Karl Taro Greenfeld steps out of his brother Noah’s shadow to tell his own story—one of rage, confusion, and profound love.
Life with an Autistic Sibling: A deeply honest look at the daily realities of growing up with a nonverbal brother, and the complex bond that forms in the silence.
A Famous Family’s Private Story: Go beyond the bestselling books written by the author’s father and discover the raw, untold side of a family’s journey with autism.
Literary Nonfiction: Hailed as a Washington Post Book World Best Book of the Year, this is a beautifully written, unforgettable exploration of what it means to be a brother.