Well-received on initial publication, The Mind Tree is truly an enthralling read. Although he is severely autistic and nearly nonverbal, Tito's ability to communicate through his extraordinary writing is astonishing. At the age of three, Tito was diagnosed with severe autism. But his mother, with boundless hope and determination, read to him and taught him to write in English. She also challenged him to write his own stories. The result of their efforts is this remarkable book—written when he was eight to eleven years old—comprised of profound and startling philosophical prose and poetry. During a New York Times interview, Tito scrawled on a yellow pad, “I need to write . . . It has become a part of me."