Someone who copies a Van Gogh does not therefore become Van Gogh, and the same would go for Mozart or anyone else who contributed something that was original. Certainly in the way that I described visualizing numbers in abstract, meaningful shapes. Daniel Tammet abstractcontributecopy share on social
One of the lines from my books is about having respect for different minds, and if I had to have an epitaph at this point in my life, that would be it. Daniel Tammet bookepitaphlife Change image and share on social
There are estimated to be fewer that 50 prodigious savants worldwide. If we were brought together, it would be disappointing in the sense of us having different abilities. One thing that would make me feel united with them would be the sense of us having grown up in isolation. Daniel Tammet abilitybringdisappoint share on social
My mother is not a model. She is not perfect. That awareness is part of learning to love someone. Predicting the actions of someone is an act of love. We persist, even when we get it wrong. That's the beauty of love. Daniel Tammet actactionawareness share on social
I consider social skills a bit like learning a language. I've been practising it for so long over so many years I've almost lost my accent. Daniel Tammet accentbitehave Change image and share on social
Squaring numbers is a symmetrical process that I like very much. And when I divide one number by another, say, 13 divided by 97, I see a spiral rotating downwards in larger and larger loops that seem to warp and curve. The shapes coalesce into the right number. I never write anything down. Daniel Tammet coalescecurvedivide share on social
It was a gradual process, realising I was different. I remember at primary school getting a worksheet with sums printed on it. I thought that they must have run out of the right colour inks and sizes for the numbers, because they were all the same, which isn't how I experienced numbers at all. To me, nine is big and blue. Daniel Tammet bigbluecolour share on social