The musical talents and affinities of autistic people are widely recognized, but few have thought to ask autistic people themselves about how they make and experience music, and why it matters them that they do. Speaking for Ourselves does just that, bringing autistic voices to the center of the conversation.

In Music and Autism: Speaking for Ourselves, renowned ethnomusicologist Michael Bakan engages in deep conversations-some spanning the course of years-with ten unique and fascinating individuals who share two basic things in common: an autism spectrum diagnosis and a life in which music is central. The result is a profound yet accessible exploration of how people make and experience music, and of why it matters to them that they do, one whose rich tapestry of words, images, and musical sounds speaks to both the extraordinary diversity of autistic experience and the common humanity we all share.