A Thorn in My Pocket

A Thorn in My Pocket is Eustacia Cutler’s story of raising her daughter, Temple Grandin, in the conservative “Leave-it-to-Beaver” world of the fifties, a time when children with autism were routinely diagnosed as “infant schizophrenics” and banished to institutions. She tells of her fight to keep Temple in the mainstream of family, community and school life, how Temple responded and went on to succeed, as Ms. Cutler puts it, “beyond my wildest dreams.” Ms. Cutler also explores the nature of the autism disorder as doctors understand it today, and how its predominant characteristics reflect our own traits in an exaggerated form.

A Thorn in My Pocket is Eustacia Cutler’s story of raising her daughter, Temple Grandin, in the conservative “Leave-it-to-Beaver” world of the fifties, a time when children with autism were routinely diagnosed as “infant schizophrenics” and banished to institutions. She tells of her fight to keep Temple in the mainstream of family, community and school life, how Temple responded and went on to succeed, as Ms. Cutler puts it, “beyond my wildest dreams.” Ms. Cutler also explores the nature of the autism disorder as doctors understand it today, and how its predominant characteristics reflect our own traits in an exaggerated form.

Eustacia Cutler received her Bachelors degree in English from Harvard University. She has lead an interesting and fulfilled life as a singer, actress, writer and mother of four. One of Eustacia’s children, Temple Grandin, has high functioning autism. She has used her experiences with autism to write past television productions, such as: The Innocents, The Disquieted and Teachers Guides to Television, a production of NBC-TV. In addition Eustacia has integrated her creative theatrical knowledge to write Lydia and Secret. Eustacia is affiliated with the Dramatics Guild, Actors Equity Association, The League of Professional Theatre Women/NY, and the New York Coalition of Professional Women in the Arts and Media. Euctacia continues to write and had dedicated a vast amount of energy into writing and sharing her personal experiences with her daughter’s autism. She tours all over the world speaking at conferences on the subject of autism. Eustacia resides in New York City.