"Kaufman presents a convincing 'theory of personal intelligence.' But what emerges most clearly is how all children
gifted, disabled or simply humming with untapped abilities
need a fine-tuned, holistic education to shine in their own extraordinary ways."
Nature "Kaufman makes a convincing case for incorporating valuable but less easily measured attributes into our view of intelligence... Most powerfully, Kaufman illustrates the importance of uncovering what gives each person his or her own brand of intelligence, taking into account individual goals, psychologies and brain chemistry."
Scientific American Mind "A good read...introduces the reader to the world of intelligence testing in a highly literate style and pulls back the curtain on some very bad practices in public schools... Kaufman makes a strong case that anyone can be great, even the 'ungifted.'"
Post and Courier "A warmly human and coolly scientific survey of both the reductive and the liberating fruits of two centuries of cognitive research."
The Scientist "A convincing
and moving
case for the great potential of even an 'ordinary' mind."
Parade "A moving personal story of overcoming the effects of having been labeled as learning disabled, and at the same time a wide ranging exploration of a set of fascinating topics related to ability, learning, and achievement. An inspiring account that should both educate and give hope to children, teachers, and parents."
Ellen Winner, Professor of Psychology, Boston College, and author of Gifted Children: Myths and Realities "Ungifted provides a wealth of information about unlocking the potential of those at all levels of the IQ and personality scales. It is interwoven with the author's early life history, which was a tragedy of misdiagnosis."
James R. Flynn, Emeritus Professor of Politics, University of Otago, and author of What is Intelligence? "Ungifted insightfully interweaves a personal story with scientific research to prove that many of us have special gifts that can lead to greatness. Scott Barry Kaufman shows that we just cannot let others tell us what those gifts are."
Dean Keith Simonton, Distinguished Professor of Psychology, University of California, Davis, and author of Origins of Genius "Fascinating... A smart, lucid, and down-to-earth exposition of the underlying neuroscience and the contentious history of theories of intelligence... Blending incisive analysis with a warm sympathy for intellectual insecurities
and potential
Kaufman demonstrates that even the most ordinary mind is a strange and wondrous gift."
Publishers Weekly "Kaufman's portrait of the history of intelligence provides a background on experiments in cognitive psychology, biographical information about influential researchers, and details of his own experience in the special education classroom, making this academic work also personal. Highly recommended for readers curious about human intelligence."
Library Journal, starred review "Kaufman makes a convincing case that stereotyping students is not only unsupported by research, but also discriminatory... An inspiring, informative affirmation of human potential combined with an overview of historical developments in standardized tests, cognitive psychology and current research."
Kirkus Reviews