Voices from the Spectrum is a compelling collection of personal accounts from people on the autism spectrum and those who care for them, including professionals, friends and family members. The essays in this collection tell of both the positive and negative effects of autism on individuals and families, and pose the question: is a diagnosis on the autism spectrum a puzzle to be solved, or something to be embraced and accepted? The broad scope of this book presents insights into the autism spectrum from many different perspectives � from first-hand accounts of the autistic child's school and childhood experiences to parents' and grandparents' reactions to a diagnosis. A number of chapters written by professionals explain their motivations for working with autistic people and reveal what they have learned from their work and how it has affected their lives. The contributors describe experiences of autism from the mildest to the most severe case, and share their methods of adapting to life on the spectrum. Voices from the Spectrum will appeal to a wide readership of adults and younger people on the autism spectrum, their families and friends, as well as practitioners.

Follow a boy woth autism and his mother as they chronicle his life from the hidden world. This is the bestseller that was out of publication for a few years - including a new section updating where Sean is today.

Diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome in adulthood, Jen Birch relates her story with humor and honesty, taking us through the years of frustration and confusion that led to her diagnosis in 1999. She candidly describes her continual search for 'normality,' her experiences at work, her difficulties with relationships, her time spent in a psychiatric hospital and her struggle for correct diagnosis. Talking positively about how her life has changed since her diagnosis, Jen aims to use this newfound knowledge to inform others about the syndrome and how, once its pros and cons are understood, life can be lived to the full.

Born with autism, Lucy could not understand much of what was said around her. Her own language came later from newspapers and books. She created stories and poems in her head from the words she had read. As an adult she still barely speaks. In her teens she started using a keyboard with someone touching her arm, but that was not a substitute for ordinary speech. Lucy's language had developed in a world of her own making in which she had never passed on information to someone else. Even today she does not answer questions in the same way as other people. Lucy's ambition was to write a book. She went to high school. She wrote letters and essays, learned how to explain herself and began to create characters in her stories. While writing she started to understand her own autism, and through that understanding she came to type on a computer with no physical support to complete her BA (Hons) in Literary Studies.

The realisation that I may have something called Asperger's Syndrome hit me like a bolt from the blue. I thought I was perfectly normal well almost and my brain felt OK but apparently I might have a developmental disorder. This set me on a road of intense concentration to find a logical explanation for the autistic mind. I am going to present my findings to you now so that you may also understand autism in a way that makes sense. Can this mind be normal? Well yes it can for the simple reason that I have found there is not a single normal. There are in fact two. I have also found a few other things you might find interesting and so if you want to understand yourself and those that you know you need to read this. Charles Darwin set out the concept we will follow with these words. "Psychology will be based on a new foundation, that of the necessary acquirement of each mental power and capacity by gradation. Light will be thrown on the origin of man and his history". There is however something missing from this vision and that is not everybody naturally acquired each mental power. By following a logical path through evolution we can understand what is normal to expect in our behaviour. We can also see why we are not all the same. We will journey through early human history and a life driven by fear. We will see the monsters we were so afraid of and how we evolved to avoid them. This eventually drove us to a home where we evolved our primate form. We had a utopian life in the trees however through our greed we literally fell from this Eden like existence. Next we look at our hominoid evolution through to the creation of the single human family. Following this comes the evolution of the tribe. The twist in the tale is that both existences have survived into the modern world. We as a species are not formed out of a single mind but two distinctly different minds.

In the poems he is talking about relationships, and shows an awareness of society and his place in it. He's aware of his own condition and of other people and how they react to him. Being able to reflect on that is something people didn't realize that autistic people did.

Gay Eastoe lives in Cumbria. She is married to Richard and has four children. Gay was diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome at the age of 48 years in 2002 after the onset of panic attacks. In 2005 she was diagnosed with Dyslexia and in 2006 Catatonic Deterioration in association with her autism. Despite struggling at school Gay has a B.Sc., a Ph.D., and a B.A. and is currently studying for two more degrees. Here Gay has used poetry as a tool to express in a short, concise and logical way some of her thoughts on various aspects of autism. Gay feels that it is important that people who are affected by autism write freely about their thoughts, feelings and coping strategies. Gay hopes that the poems will be thought provoking and further the understanding of autistic spectrum conditions

Before he received his diagnosis of Asperger Syndrome (AS) in the 1970s, Marc Fleisher was considered mentally retarded; yet he went on against the odds to gain two math degrees and to undertake post-graduate studies in math. In this engaging story Marc relates how, supported by his family and by services for people with autism, and despite family tragedy and personal difficulties, he learnt to get the most out of life. He shares, with humour and candour, a multitude of practical tips for people with AS, and those around them, rounding off his story with appendices on astronomy, parallel universes, and the mathematics of unfeasibly large numbers.

Gunilla Gerland is active in promoting an understanding of autistic spectrum conditions.

Temple Grandin, Ph.D., is a gifted animal scientist who has designed one third of all the livestock-handling facilities in the United States. She also lectures widely on autism�because Temple Grandin is autistic, a woman who thinks, feels, and experiences the world in ways that are incomprehensible to the rest of us. In this unprecedented book, Grandin delivers a report from the country of autism. Writing from the dual perspectives of a scientist and an autistic person, she tells us how that country is experienced by its inhabitants and how she managed to breach its boundaries to function in the outside world. What emerges in Thinking in Pictures is the document of an extraordinary human being, one who, in gracefully and lucidly bridging the gulf between her condition and our own, sheds light on the riddle of our common identity.

A true story that is both uniquely moving and exceptionally inspiring, Emergence is the first-hand account of a courageous autistic woman who beat the odds and cured herself. As a child, Temple Grandin was forced to leave her 'normal' school and enroll in a school for autistic children. This searingly honest account captures the isolation and fears suffered by autistics and their families and the quiet strength of one woman who insisted on a miracle.

What makes the Asperger child immerse himself in such things as Doctor Who and The Incredible Hulk? In this honest and entertaining autobiographical account, Will Hadcroft links his obsessive TV series fixations to eventually being diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome. He describes drawing comfort from identifying himself with heroic individuals or fictional characters, and the liberating effect of an accurate diagnosis for someone who felt 'out of place' and didn't know why. This original and highly readable book offers a fresh insight into the experience of feeling 'unmutual', or misunderstood and how this can result in bullying at school and in the workplace, escalating into social phobia, paranoia and obsessive behaviour. It amply illustrates some of the more subtle expressions of the Asperger condition and provides an accessible introduction to those new to AS.

This book is about hope and love and undaunted courage of the human spirit crying to be heard. It is a story about our son, Charles, who was trapped for thirty-six years in a body which could not speak. Believed to be severely or profoundly mentally retarded, unable to show emotion at will by facial expression, Charles kept the faith. He prayed that the day would come when God would give him a means of allowing his parents and the rest of the world to know that he was cognitive with a heart full of love for God and Man. He wanted to be ready and so he listened, learned and observed life as it is lived by verbal people. When the technique of facilitated communication was offered to him, Charles was ready. Slowly, he embraced it fully and the pages which follow are a saga of rebirth and a celebration of life. Charles' story is not unique. There are many other nonverbal individuals out there just waiting for people to reach out to them and bring a little light into their otherwise dormant, isolated lives. Being human, there is an innate desire to communicate. When this is blocked, the result is an overwhelming feeling of inadequacy. It prevents them from entering what Charles refers to as 'the real world.'

Kenneth Hall was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome at the age of eight. His early school years had been difficult, as although he is bright and articulate, his behavior could be challenging and easily misread. After his diagnosis, the Local Education Board intervened and provided him with a laptop computer, to encourage him to express himself. This book is the result. Kenneth is in a unique position to describe some of the inner experiences and perceptions of autism in childhood. He has a warm and positive attitude to Asperger's Syndrome which other children will find inspiring. Insights, struggles and joys are recounted vividly in a frank and humorous way. His book is for anyone interested in understanding more about autism, including parents, siblings, teachers and professionals.

When you don't feel comfortable in your own skin, life can seem strange and foreign-you try to fit in, but with every new day comes a new challenge. Diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome, author Erica Hammerschmidt can relate. Born on the Wrong Planet is the story of her childhood and young adulthood coping with the challenges of Asperger Syndrome. The book started as a collection of stories, poems, and essays that Erika penned during high school. After high school as she studied abroad in Germany, Erika compiled them and created the first version of Born on the Wrong Planet. In the current revised and expanded edition of Born on the Wrong Planet, Erika takes us into the confusing and often tumultuous years of dating, and finally marriage to John, a young man who is also on the spectrum whom she met in college. Throughout, Erika's unique language skills and her fresh perspective on the world combine into a both delightful and enlightening read. In Erika's own words she shares that, even if you feel like an alien, that doesn't negate your potential as a successful human being or your ability to realize your potential.

This book is a collection of real life stories written by people with Autism and Asperger as well as those who are parents or caregivers of those who have either Autism or Aspergers.

A 12-year-old's introspective monologue on his life with Asperger's Syndrome, a form of autism. "Through My Eyes" will enlighten readers to the challenges faced by Aspie kids, and on an individual level, the writer's perspective on his world.

Author Henry Kong's More Self than Self: At Autism's Edge will take you on a captivating exploration of the autistic mind as Dr. Kong shares the latest discoveries in genetics and neuroscience. As a child, Kong was an awkward Asian American bookworm with oversized glasses and an overbearing father. Made to feel like an outsider, Kong was bullied by his classmates and endured degrading nicknames. Kong's stories tell of his childhood gift for memorization and the challenge that it creates later in life, and of his struggle to grasp and apply concepts to real-life situations. Through it all, Kong manages to finish medical school, educate himself about Asperger syndrome, write books, and open a private practice. In a conversational style, Dr Kong intersperses anecdotes with passages that cover both basic science and also delve into the cutting-edge research that has helped solve some of the mysteries behind autism. Not only will More Self than Self provide a comprehensive look into the differences between the autistic and neurotypical brain; it will also inspire anyone who has ever felt isolated and unaccepted to believe that they too can make their dreams come true.

To many of the people who live or work with an individual with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD), the processes by which those with autism make sense of the world around them may seem mysterious. In Understanding and Working with the Spectrum of Autism Wendy Lawson demonstrates these processes using comparisons from the non-ASD world to help professionals, families and carers to relate to and communicate with people with ASD better. Exercises at the back of the book encourage the reader to reflect on what has been discussed. The second part of the book contains chapters presenting a range of interventions and strategies for particular situations. Wendy illustrates her text with examples from her own life and from the lives of those she has met or worked with to clarify her points. She analyses ASD characteristics and examines interventions for dealing with social skills, anger management and self-esteem. Stress, its effects on the families of children with autism, and how best it can be alleviated, is also explored. Wendy writes in the light of her personal experience of an autism spectrum disorder as well as that of the available literature to create a book that is both readable and wide-ranging, furthering understanding of the links and differences between neurotypical individuals and those with ASD. Her book is an essential introduction to ASD for social workers, nurses, health professionals and those working in related fields.

Wendy Lawson's well-known poetry reflects the many aspects of a life lived with Asperger's Syndrome. In this illustrated collection of poems and short prose pieces, including some from her childhood and teenage years, Wendy engages with her past and present, writing frankly about childhood, self-discovery, adulthood and friendship. Her poetry also conveys the day-to-day challenges presented by divorce, bereavement, emigration, disclosing homosexuality and Asperger's Syndrome. Both reflective and life affirming, these poems offer evocative glimpses of the Asperger experience and will enrich readers' understanding of autism spectrum disorders.

Wendy Lawson has an autism spectrum disorder. Considered to be intellectually disabled and 'almost incapable of doing as she is told' at school, she was later misdiagnosed as schizophrenic - a label that stuck with her for more than 25 years. Her sense of self was then non-existent, but Wendy is now a mother of four with two university degrees; she is a social worker and adult educator, and operates her own business. She is also a poet and a writer, sharing her understanding of autism with others to help 'build a bridge...from my world to theirs'. Life Behind Glass is part of that bridge.

The remarkable story of Jonathan Lerman, a young artist with autism, seized the attention of the art world at the 2002 Outsider Art Fair. Coverage by The New York Times, The Today Show, 48 Hours, and other international media has brought him into millions of homes across the country. This selection of fifty drawings, with a text by critic Lyle Rexer, presents the full range and astonishing growth of Jonathan's extraordinary talent. Diagnosed with autism and at first scarcely able to communicate, Jonathan began drawing at age ten. By age twelve, his drawings were exhibited in a solo exhibition at K. S. Art in New York. Working with the assurance of a Matisse, the speed of a Picasso, and the humor of a born cartoonist, Jonathan has created an unforgettable body of work. His drawings include portraits of actual figures as well as figures from his own imagination, all rendered with great acuity. These drawings overturn the stereotype of the so-called savant artist as an unchanging talent sprung to life fully formed. Instead, they detail the restless experimentation and rapid growth of an artistic sensibility.

Michal Maoz was born in Israel in 1972. Her father was killed in the Yom-Kippur War when she was nine months old. At the age of eighteen, Michal met her soul mate when she served in the Israeli air force, and married him soon thereafter. In 2000 Michal moved to the US with her family. Later on her two children were diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome, and so was she. Since being diagnosed, Michal has felt that her calling is to help those on the Autistic Spectrum achieve independence, happiness, and understanding. She established her own company, Aurtistic-Spectrum, to help her achieve that goal by speaking out and using her multi-faceted artwork. Michal has been writing poetry most of her life, and she sees in this book her poetic autobiography, through which she opens the door to her inner world. Michal hopes to raise awareness of Autism Spectrum disorders by presenting her Aspie's (person with Asperger's syndrome) point of view, feelings and thoughts.

Trudy Marwick was born in South East London in 1965. She has spent most of her life living around London. Now living in Orkney and married to Malcolm and bringing up their children. Her childhood spent trying to catch up with her brother and avoid bullying at school; she drifted into Teacher Training College but left after 2 years. She trained and worked in Personnel but now spends most of her time doing local voluntary work. Following years of research into Disability - particularly Autism and Aspergers syndrome Trudy could see some similarities between her childhood and that of her son. Having been told at school that her stories lacked imagination, and were poorly put together, Trudy didn�t feel confident about her writing. This is the first subject she has felt passionate enough about to overcome her fears of rejection and she wants her story to make a difference to others. Her insights into living with autism will be challenging and interesting to others who face diagnosis or who work alongside those with a diagnosis. Sometimes sharing the humour, sometimes the tears. Researching her son�s diagnosis of Autism spectrum disorder made Trudy face her own difficulties. She shares her journey of life�s ups and downs living with autism.

On February 15, 2006, the Greece Athena Trojans high school basketball team took the court for the final game of the regular season. With four minutes and nineteen seconds left on the clock, and the Trojans nursing a comfortable lead, the coach sent Jason McElwain-an autistic student and the team manager-to the scorer's table. He scored twenty points, including a school record six three- pointers. J-Mac, as McElwain became known, was carried off the court on his teammates' shoulders, and a videotape of the game quickly found its way onto national television, making J-Mac a household name. An inspiration to people everywhere, Jason McElwain's amazing accomplishment was broadcast on CN, ESPN, and local newscasts across the country, moving President Bush to tears with his courage and determination. The Game of My Life is one of the few books written by an autistic author-a riveting chronicle of how J-Mac overcame a lifetime of adversity.

Mr. McKean's offering takes you inside the mind of a person with autism. He describes the sensory stimulations and challenges in a sensitive manner rarely seen in the autistic community. Mr. McKean even offers poems that offer the reader a unique perspective. Thomas takes you through his early childhood, the pain of misdiagnosis, being institutionalized for three and one-half years, the difficulty of relationships, and the fears and apprehensions of a person with autism. He also discusses different treatment options. This book is excellent for a family with a autistic member, anyone working with that community or students studying autism.

"Notes from Ohio" is an anthology of stories and essays written by Bryce Merlin, a 23-year-old hearing impaired man who lives in Southern Ohio. Merlin writes about his family, his pets, and imaginary stories such as "Sam and Bone" about the unlikely friendship of a giant and a dwarf.

We invite you to join us on our journey of discovery into realms of inner space. This is not a book that will give you a list of pathologies and signs. Rather we ask you to admire our surprising gifts and our insights that push the boundaries of what the human mind can accomplish. But we also ask you to recognize the very real limitations that frustrate us....

Understanding who you are can be lonely and difficult following the diagnosis of Asperger's Syndrome (AS). Asperger's Syndrome and Mindfulness illuminates this as an empowering path of discovery through the teachings of Buddhism. Chris Mitchell draws parallels between the experience of his own journey towards personhood through AS and the spiritual tenants of Theravada Buddhism, as outlined through the Eightfold Path. Worry and anxiety, confusing desires or negative thoughts are among the everyday hindrances a person with AS faces. This book takes the reader through key beliefs of Theravadic Buddhism, such as Mindfulness and the Four Noble Truths, showing how practices such as Insight Meditation can lead to a positive resolution of these feelings. Written in a friendly and personal style, this book provides helpful tips and suggestions for improving confidence and self-esteem towards an overall better sense of self that will certainly be of interest to anyone diagnosed with AS or their family and friends.

Labeled "dyslexic and profoundly learning disabled," Jonathan Mooney was a short-bus rider�a derogatory term used for kids in special education. To learn how others had moved beyond labels, he bought his own short bus and set out cross-country, looking for kids who had dreamed up magical, beautiful ways to overcome the obstacles that separated them from the so-called normal world. The Short Bus is his irreverent and poignant record of that odyssey, meeting thirteen people in thirteen states who taught Mooney that there's no such thing as normal -- and that to really live, every person must find their own special way of keeping on. The Short Bus is a unique gem, propelled by Mooney's heart, humor, and outrageous rebellions.

Growing up in Australia in the 1970s, Caiseal Mór was labelled 'retarded' and 'an idiot', and his parents were led to believe that physical punishment could cure his autism. In this courageous and captivating autobiography, Mór vividly captures his early experiences of dissociation from his true existence - a common reaction by children suffering from repeated abuse - and the various personas through which he lived through in his teens and early adulthood - the Mahjee, Charles P. Puddlejumper, Marco Polo and Chameleon Feeble. The rocky path towards discovering his true identity and finally accepting himself takes him on a spiritual pilgrimage via several different countries, once nearly getting caught unwittingly carrying drugs over the Moroccan border; forming relationships with people he meets but very often misjudges; to the revelation - the awakening - of love and acceptance.

Once in a great while, a special person emerges in the history of science and medicine whose unique set of characteristics sheds light on an entire disorder and sometimes even on the mysteries of the human brain. Tito is such a person. Although he is severely autistic and nearly nonverbal, his 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 8 to 11 years old-comprising profound and startling philosophical prose and poetry. His beautifully crafted language reveals how it feels to be locked inside an autistic body and mind. THE MIND TREE is the work of an artist. With each page, Tito bursts through his silence into a world of art, beauty and hope.

This collection of quotes, stories, poems, and essays from children with Asperger Syndrome, ages 2-17, offers us a glimpse into their daily lives, relationships, challenges, and victories, from their own perspective. Twenty years ago, only a few academics even knew the term Asperger Syndrome. Today, this high functioning autism spectrum disorder is one of the most rapidly growing diagnoses among school children. Unfortunately, while the American public s awareness of this disorder is also growing, their understanding of it is lagging behind. Journalists tend to focus on the most heart-wrenching cases. Popular television shows exaggerate (or even make up) symptoms for comedic effect. And the average person on the street, if asked about Asperger Syndrome, is still most likely to reply Oh yeah, isn t that like Rain Man? The truth is, most kids with Asperger Syndrome are intelligent and very verbal, but have challenges in social skills and certain facets of communication. Many have special interests that they study intensely and like to lecture on. But these children also vary tremendously. They are amazing, loving, complicated individuals far more than cookie-cutter little professors. In More Than Little Professors, parent and Asperger s specialist Lisa Barrett Mann, M.S.Ed., leads us through the children s works, explaining common characteristics of this autism spectrum disorder, and sharing her unique insight on life with these sometimes baffling, but always fascinating children and youths.

In 1982, when he was four years old, Kamran Nazeer was enrolled in a small school in New York City alongside a dozen other children diagnosed with autism. Calling themselves the Idiots, these kids received care that was at the cutting edge of developmental psychology. Twenty-three years later, the school no longer exists. Send in the Idiots is the always candid, often surprising, and ultimately moving investigation into what happened to those children. Now a policy adviser in England, Kamran decides to visit four of his old classmates to find out the kind of lives that they are living now, how much they've been able to overcome�and what remains missing. A speechwriter unable to make eye contact; a messenger who gets upset if anyone touches his bicycle; a depressive suicide victim; and a computer engineer who communicates difficult emotions through the use of hand puppets: these four classmates reveal an astonishing, thought-provoking spectrum of behavior. Bringing to life the texture of autistic lives and the pressures and limitations that the condition presents, Kamran also relates the ways in which those can be eased over time, and with the right treatment. Using his own experiences to examine such topics as the difficulties of language, conversation as performance, and the politics of civility, Send in the Idiots is also a rare and provocative exploration of the way that people�all people�learn to think and feel. Written with unmatched insight and striking personal testimony, Kamran Nazeer's account is a stunning, invaluable, and utterly unique contribution to the literature of what makes us human.

An encouraging, educational, and often humorous guide for teens and young adults with Asperger's Syndrome or high-functioning autism. Jerry, a man with autism, gives advice on dating, money, traveling independently and more! This clever book will help others live fuller, more independent lives.

The realization that "our community seemed to know more about the first twenty years of an autistic person's life than it did about the rest of that life" leads the Newports to tell their own boy-meets-girl, boy-loses-girl, boy-finds-girl love story�but with a difference, for both suffer from Asperger's syndrome. At times, this "terminal cluelessness" seems both the cause of and the least of their problems: Jerry's life "had drifted from one failed vocation to the next, [among them] pot dealer, horse-race betting fanatic, taxi driver, Goodwill bell ringer, bookstore cashier, elementary school librarian." Mary's more traumatic experiences included a cult marriage, abusive lovers and mental hospital stints. Both grapple with anxiety and despair before epiphanies: for Jerry, when he sees Rain Man; for Mary, when her brother directs her to the Autistic Society. Love for the two slips in the day they meet at a party for adult autistics. Then they experienced media fame, becoming "Mr. and Mrs. Autism" (a front-page profile in the Los Angeles Times; a 60 Minutes visit; an eponymous movie). Boy loses girl again in a divorce, but love triumphs. Along the way, autistic readers will find comforting fellowship, and general readers will acquire valuable knowledge. (Publisher's Weekly)

Open, honest and upbeat, this book gives personal insight into both the ups and downs of an Asperger relationship. Seeking to challenge the bad press that people with Asperger Syndrome (AS) get as partners, Sarah and Keith tell their story of how they are making it work and also how they got it wrong with disarming frankness and humor. When Sarah and Keith met in 2003 neither knew much about Asperger Syndrome. Sarah thought Keith was weird and couldn t work out why; and Keith thought Sarah was obsessed with diagnosing him with something-or-other. Difficulties ensued that brought the relationship to an end. Slowly, however, they each built up their knowledge of AS and in the meantime developed a mutual understanding, mutual acceptance and a desire to be together again. This personal account is supplemented with professional knowledge and anecdotes gained from Sarah s work with adults with AS a career which started as a result of her experiences with Keith. She swears that she didn't take her work home with her! It is inspiring reading for couples in Asperger relationships as well as for counseling professionals.

Most people know a nerd when they see one but can't define just what a nerd is. American Nerd: The Story of My People gives us the history of the concept of nerdiness and of the subcultures we consider nerdy. What makes Dr. Frankenstein the archetypal nerd? Where did the modern jock come from? When and how did being a self-described nerd become trendy? As the nerd emerged, vaguely formed, in the nineteenth century, and popped up again and again in college humor journals and sketch comedy, our culture obsessed over the designation. Mixing research and reportage with autobiography, critically acclaimed writer Benjamin Nugent embarks on a fact-finding mission of the most entertaining variety. He seeks the best definition of nerd and illuminates the common ground between nerd subcultures that might seem unrelated: high-school debate team kids and ham radio enthusiasts, medieval reenactors and pro-circuit Halo players. Why do the same people who like to work with computers also enjoy playing Dungeons & Dragons? How are those activities similar? This clever, enlightening book will appeal to the nerd (and antinerd) that lives inside all of us.

This is a rich and positive description of how it feels to be autistic and how friends, family and the professionals that work with autistic people can be more sensitive to their needs. Jasmine Lee O'Neill, autistic herself, perceives the creativity, imagination and keenly-felt sensory world of the autistic person as gifts. She argues that 'normalizing' autistic people - pushing them into behaving in a way that is alien to their true natures - is not just ineffective but wrong. In this vivid and enjoyable book, she challenges the reader to accept their difference and to celebrate their uniqueness. The book contains a wealth of insight into the autistic world and the author covers all the main topics of most concern for people with autism. She identifies the reasons for particular characteristic behaviour and is both clear and sensitive about whether, and if how so, the autistic person should be encouraged to adapt such behaviours. Drawn from her own experience, she has many suggestions for ways in which the 'normal' world can shape itself to work around the behavioural characteristics of autistic people. Her book is for anyone who is interested in learning more about autism, including families and friends of autistic people, doctors and therapists, and all those who work with them. It will also prove a source of inspiration to autistic people themselves.

Michael O'Reilly will prove to you what the great Teilhard de Chardin once remarked, "Once you discover love, you will have discovered fire for the second time!" Born in New York City in 1976, Michael O'Reilly was your normal, wide-eyed youngster until he reached the age of three. At that time, his parents noticed he began to withdraw and suffered selective mutism. The teacher at the pre-kindergarten class suggested Michael be tested and after several trips to various pediatricians and psychologists, it was determined that Michael was afflicted with a serious case of mild autism. One day, Michael learned Facilitated Communication, a skill being taught to autistic children to enable them to break through and reveal their genuine selves. The scientific basis for this technique was developed out of the University of Syracuse. Michael's dad learned as much as possible about Facilitated Communication and to his delight, found in Michael an apt and enthusiastic student. Michael surprised his dad one day and told him that he wanted to leave his special education school and enroll in the local high school. Within two years, Michael graduated and was awarded an accredited high school diploma. Michael then told his dad he wanted to go to college, so he entered Albertus Magnus College in New Haven, where he honed his writing skills and won the admiration of all for his unusually brilliant poetry. Even his professor, a one time Broadway playwright, singled Michael out and lauded his extraordinary writing talents. Several of Michael's poems have been published in the Albertus Magnus yearly poetry special. Michael offers this selection of his work to the general public because he sincerely believes he can make a difference not only for autistic persons, but also for each of us battling our own individual handicaps in life. For Michael, handicaps are challenges love can conquer.

In this elegant and thought-provoking memoir, Dawn Prince-Hughes traces her personal growth from undiagnosed autism to the moment when, as a young woman, she entered the Seattle Zoo and immediately became fascinated with the gorillas. Having suffered from a lifelong inability to relate to people in a meaningful way, Dawn was surprised to find herself irresistibly drawn to these great primates. By observing them and, later, working with them, she was finally able to emerge from her solitude and connect to living beings in a way she had never previously experienced. Songs of the Gorilla Nation is more than a story of autism, it is a paean to all that is important in life. Dawn Prince-Hughes's evocative story will undoubtedly have a lasting impact, forcing us, like the author herself, to rediscover and assess our own understanding of human emotion.

Expecting Teryk is an intimate exploration, written in the form of a letter from a parent to her future son, that reclaims a rite of passage that modern society would strip of its magic. Dawn Prince-Hughes, renowed author of Songs of a Gorilla Nation: My Journey Through Autism, considers the ways her disabilities might inform her parenting. She candidly narrates her experience of becoming a parent as part of a lesbian couple-from meeting her partner and the questions they ask about their readiness to become parents, to the practical considerations of choosing a sperm donor. Expecting Teryk is expressed through the lens of autism as Prince-Hughes shares the unique way she sees and experiences.

Jeanette Purkis spent her early life reacting violently against her feelings of embarrassment, anger and confusion about her 'difference' from other people. She was unaware until well into adulthood that everything she found difficult, including her lack of success in forming relationships, could be a result of having Asperger Syndrome. Used to being a misfit from a very young age, Jeanette found that being a member of a group in which she had a label � Jeanette the Communist; Jeanette, Enemy of the State; Jeanette the convict; Jeanette the drug addict � gave her a sense of order she could depend on, particularly in prison, where each day had a set routine and the inmates accepted her because of her rebel attitude. Finally diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome at the age of 20, the author only began to accept her diagnosis some years later when she felt for the first time that she might learn to cope with being herself. Jeanette's remarkable life and her journey towards finding a different kind of normal is compelling and inspiring reading for people with autism spectrum disorders, and those living or working with them.

Written from a parent's perspective, this book gives a candid and thoughtful account of one family's trek through the world of Asperger Syndrome. The author makes it very clear that, while professional help can be necessary, parents are in the best position to make a difference in their children's lives and should be in control of, and involved in, their children's care and education. She offers practical and positive advice on topics including diagnosis and self-diagnosis dealing with your own reactions and those of others, types of school and homeschooling, medication and dietary issues. Written in clear, straightforward language, the book does not promote any particular therapy or prescribe fixed solutions, but aims to help parents to ask good questions and come up with answers to suit their own circumstances and children. Full of humour and common sense, Hitchhiking through Asperger Syndrome will make encouraging, inspiring and entertaining reading for all parents of children with Asperger Syndrome.

Look Me in the Eye is the moving, darkly funny story of growing up with Asperger's at a time when the diagnosis simply didn't exist. A born storyteller, Robison takes you inside the head of a boy whom teachers and other adults regarded as �defective,� who could not avail himself of KISS's endless supply of groupies, and who still has a peculiar aversion to using people's given names (he calls his wife �Unit Two�). He also provides a fascinating reverse angle on the younger brother he left at the mercy of their nutty parents�the boy who would later change his name to Augusten Burroughs and write the bestselling memoir Running with Scissors.

In this collection of poems, Craig Romkema describes the daily journey of an individual whose body is encumbered with the symptoms of autism and cerebral palsy, but whose mind and spirit are relatively unaffected. Forcing the barriers aside momentarily, he shares his life experience, offering insights into a life beyond disability. Writing of his hopes, fears, and aspirations, as well as his everyday reality, his poetry will speak in particular to others on the autism spectrum, their families, and those who work with them.

This project is committed to portraying autism and, more profoundly, individuals with autism, from the inside out. Through the media of photography and writing, this book hopes to educate and inspire by breaking apart stereotypes associated with autism while showing vividly that love is omnipotent in our trials and triumphs. It is the ultimate lesson, weapon and savior as we struggle to understand and overcome life's challenges each day.The writing describes a journey, taking readers through hope, despair, pain and resurrection. It touches on the collective human experience of suffering and redemption while showing a pathway to a profoundly higher ground of understanding and acceptance. The story is written from a collective heart, formed by countless intimate exchanges with families struggling and triumphing, again and again as they live and love in the autistic world. The greater purpose, beyond the story of autism, is the universal message that from the depths of darkness, often we find the greatest enlightenment. The autistic individual is a beautiful metaphor for this belief. In a culture that bombards with messages that perfection is the key to happiness, the autistic individuals and their families dare to challenge this notion while drawing others to look beneath and beyond the superficial. With startling beauty, the images prove what in words alone might be denied: that beneath and beyond autism there is a reality often missed: a will, a soul, an identity that achieves the full measure of its creation; to connect with others in ways not seen or appreciated by surface observation. This combination of narrative and image becomes a powerful parable that reaches and teaches far beyond autism itself, touching on spiritual truths often lost in the cultural mainstream.

This important book, with the intent of helping others, is an anecdotal overview portraying the life of a person afflicted with Asperger's Syndrome, a high functioning and mild form of autism. The author, who had autistic traits as a child, has successfully overcome numerous obstacles to lead a reasonably normal life. He holds a degree in Electrical Engineering, and he has occupied himself with construction projects, carpentry and painting. He is now an author and has written several books, among them three science fiction novels, and a novel about an American in Mexico. He travels extensively and enjoys bicycling and hiking. Various experiences of his life are presented from childhood to the present, and most of them bear certain qualities and characteristics of Asperger's Syndrome. Other important topics and difficulties related to autism are discussed, such as: childhood idiosyncrasies, obsessions and worries, dwelling on subjects, strong convictions, expecting friendships to continue, collecting things, plus other subjects and ideas. There are several anecdotes that point out some bizarre incidents in his life, along with stories that reveal some of the unique and important projects he has accomplished. Also discussed are possible causes of autism, whether they be from genetic inheritance, out of balance brain chemistries, or even from heavy metals. Some unique and original solutions including insights are also covered. Overcoming Asperger's is all a process as we explore new ideas and concepts.

This important book is an autobiographical story portraying the life of a person with Asperger's syndrome, the high functioning and mild form of autism. Robert Sanders, who had autistic traits as a child, has remarkably overcome numerous obstacles to lead a reasonably normal life. He holds a degree in Electrical Engineering, and he has occupied himself with construction projects, carpentry and painting. He is also an author and has written several books, among them three science fiction novels, and a novel about an American in Mexico. He travels extensively and enjoys bicycling, hiking, and photography. His struggles but also his accomplishments are discussed throughout, along with anecdotes, personal experiences, insights, unique ideas, and solutions. This book was written to give hope and encouragement to all of its readers that those with Asperger's syndrome can also overcome their obstacles.

His discovery only in retirement that he has high-functioning autism provided Edgar Schneider at last with an explanation for his many differences, explored in Discovering my Autism. In this book he takes up the story, telling of his marriage to a like-minded woman, and of the day-to-day realities of life with this condition. His description of autistic attitudes towards relationships, politics, theology and health are rich and original. Schneider argues that if people with high functioning autism and Asperger Syndrome are left to their own devices they are capable of making lives for themselves that are rich and rewarding.

In 1978, under immense pressure at work, Edgar Schneider suffered a nervous breakdown. After convalescing, he returned to work, but within a few months he was again suffering from problems involving short-term memory and concentration. He was described as eccentric, tangential, illogical and hallucinatory; and diagnosed as schizophrenic. Sixteen years later, the chance reading of an article on autistic savants alerted Schneider to the possibility that he had been misdiagnosed. This proved to be the case: he is believed to be a high-functioning autistic, with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Judged incurably autistic, mute since the age of 2, a remarkable young man in Germany astonishes the world with a firsthand account of rare eloquence and immediacy.

Growing up is never easy but what's it like if you're 'different'? Actually, what's it like if you're 'different' but you don't know that you're 'different'? Having led what he thought was a 'normal' life for 31 years, our plucky hero's world was thrown into confusion when he was diagnosed with something called 'Asperger Syndrome'. But people don't catch Asperger Syndrome so where did it come from? Was it there all along and not noticed? Set against the backdrop of the North East of England in the 70's and 80's, and having to cope with life with a disabled father as well as facing the everyday challenges that most people take for granted, this is the insiders view of one boy's life with AS - from the safety of make-believe worlds to the terrifying depths of suicide, self-harming, and isolation. Sometimes harrowing, sometimes surreal, but never dull, this is the story of a little boy's struggle to not only grow up and survive in the world, but to find out what he truly was.

This honest, courageous book, written by a person with high-functioning autism and Asperger Syndrome, offers so much more than the traditional autobiography. Drawing on personal and professional experience, Stephen Shore, who is currently completing his doctoral degree in special education at Boston University, combines three voices to create a touching and, at the same time, highly informative book. The autobiographical voice tells the story of Stephen's life, including his parents' frustrations with the educational and medical communities, his adolescence and now adult married life. The "time shifter" fills in background information about his life that is otherwise out of the chronological order of the events being related; finally the researcher's voice puts Stephen's personal life within the context of the research literature on autism and Asperger Syndrome. By using this triple lens, the book offers insights for parents, professionals as well as individuals who have Asperger Syndrome.

Rich Shull like many of his counterparts worldwide grew up in an era before Autism was diagnosable and as such we have figured out Autism from end-to-end. With our Personal experience in Autism thinking and real life we blend together Autism (Picture Thinking) and normal thought to achieve a normal life. We drive hold normal jobs and are not the stereotypical Rain Man or anti-social genius, the world knows so well, as Autism. We can see the OBVIOUS errors and myths the current Autism thinking has created and thank our lucky stars we were never diagnosed, or we would all be in a group home. Modern Autism Education is two Steps backwards. Our success in real life needs to be studied and accounted for. It is Autism's success bottled and waiting to be tapped. What Current Autism Expert can claim first had knowledge with Autistic thought and our super active senses and even our Pain free injuries? Pre Rain Man Autism has ignored us for years now, Perhaps it has missed a few points that we have discovered and cured?

As a child, Sophia Summers always knew she was different and misunderstood. Hers was a lonely life of obsession and passion, fraught with anxieties, vulnerabilities, confusion, and heartbreak. It wasn't until her son Josh was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome (AS) that Sophia sought her own eventual diagnosis with the same�and began her mission to fully research and understand AS and to discover and embrace the special way the brains of those with Asperger's are wired. In Sophia's remarkably candid and deeply personal memoir, she offers firsthand insight into the unique challenges and experiences of both living with Asperger's Syndrome and raising a child with AS. With the kind of clarity that only comes from true acceptance, Sophia shares the many practical and emotional coping skills she and her son have developed over the years for people in the spectrum of autism and their families, mental health professionals, and teachers. Asperger's: If You Only Knew is a triumphant true tale about coming to terms with one's essential self, trusting in others, welcoming laughter, and realizing one's true potential. It serves as an invaluable source of comfort, hope, and guidance to anyone touched by AS.

Born on a Blue Day is a journey into one of the most fascinating minds alive today -- guided by the owner himself. Daniel Tammet is virtually unique among people who have severe autistic disorders in that he is capable of living a fully independent life and able to explain what is happening inside his head. He sees numbers as shapes, colors, and textures, and he can perform extraordinary calculations in his head. He can learn to speak new languages fluently, from scratch, in a week. In 2004, he memorized and recited more than 22,000 digits of pi, setting a record. He has savant syndrome, an extremely rare condition that gives him the most unimaginable mental powers, much like those portrayed by Dustin Hoffman in the film Rain Man. Fascinating and inspiring, Born on a Blue Day explores what it' s like to be special and gives us an insight into what makes us all human -- our minds.

Asperger Syndrome and Alcohol exposes the unexplored problem of people with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) using alcohol as a coping mechanism to deal with everyday life. Alcohol can relieve the anxiety of social situations and make those with ASDs feel as though they can fit in. Ultimately, however, reliance on alcohol can lead the user down a path of self-destruction and exacerbate existing problems. Utilizing their professional and personal experience, the authors provide an overview of ASDs and of alcohol abuse, and explore current knowledge about where the two overlap. Tinsley explores his own personal history as someone with an ASD who has experienced and beaten alcohol addiction. He discusses how the impact of his diagnosis and his understanding of the condition played a huge part in his recovery, and how by viewing his life through the prism of autism, his confusion has been replaced by a greater understanding of himself and the world around him. This inspiring book on an under-researched area will be of interest to professionals working with people with ASDs, as well as individuals with ASDs who may be dealing with alcohol or substance misuse, and their families.

Transfer Boy: Perspectives on Asperger Syndrome explores what it is like to be an adolescent with Asperger Syndrome, through interviews with Teodor, a 'psychologically unusual' thirteen-year-old. In this detailed case study, Vuletic and Ferrari combine an autobiographical account with perspectives from other family members and people who know Teodor well, while simultaneously integrating psychiatric and psychological research on autism. The authors evaluate the merits and pitfalls of different interpretations of autism and address the broad psychological issues related to Asperger Syndrome -- intelligence, social skills, memory, the transitional period from childhood to adolescence. The study includes results and interpretations of standard measures of self-concept, an IQ test and a psychiatric exam, contributing to the hitherto under-researched area of autistic self-knowledge.

Four years ago, Chris Slater-Walker was diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome. For him this was an explanation of why he has always regarded himself as 'socially handicapped,' but for his wife Gisela it meant coming to terms with a marriage in which there would never be any intuitive understanding, despite Chris's good intentions. This book is an open and honest account of a long and still unfinished process of learning to live with a disability that some regard as incompatible with marriage. It is a story whose wider implications will be of compelling interest to anyone who has encountered autism spectrum conditions.

Pretending to be Normal tells the story of a woman who, after years of self-doubt and self-denial, learned to embrace her Asperger's syndrome traits with thanksgiving and joy. Chronicling her life from her earliest memories through her life as a university lecturer, writer, wife and mother, Liane Holliday Willey shares, with insight and warmth, the daily struggles and challenges that face many of those who have Asperger's Syndrome. Pretending to be Normal invites its readers to welcome the Asperger community with open acceptance, for it makes it clear that, more often than not, they are capable, viable, interesting and kind people who simply find unique ways to exhibit those qualities. The last part of the book consists of a series of substantial appendices which provide helpful coping strategies and guidance, based on the author's own experience, for a range of situations. This positive and humane book will provide not only insight into the Asperger world which will prove invaluable for the professionals who work with people with Asperger's Syndrome, but also hope and encouragement for other people with Asperger's Syndrome, their families, and their friends.

Liane Holliday Willey and one of her daughters both have Asperger Syndrome. In * Asperger Syndrome in the Familyshe looks, with honesty, wisdom and humor, at the implications this has for her family, both the Aspie and the non-Aspie members. Through personal vignettes, frank discussions and practical suggestions for dealing with everything from major to minor Aspie challenges, Liane, her husband and their three daughters bravely open their home to their readers, inviting them to look behind the curtains at their version of Aspie life. Not only does the book underscore the importance of mutual support and respect in an Aspie family - in fact in any family - it offers practical help for families in similar situations. This is a rich and positive book that will speak to all those whose lives have been affected by Asperger Syndrome.

'This is a story of two battles, a battle to keep out 'the world' and a battle to join it.' She inhabits a place of chaos, cacophony, and dancing lightùwhere physical contact is painful and sights and sounds have no meaning. Although labeled, at times, deaf, retarded, or disturbed, Donna Williams is autistic--afflicted by a baffling condition of heightened sensory perception that imprisons the sufferer in a private, almost hallucinatory universe of patterns and colors. Nobody Nowhere is Donna's story in her own words--a haunting, courageous memoir of the titanic struggles she has endured in her quest to merge 'my world' with 'the world.'

Not Just Anything is a mosaic of logic, passion and philosophical musings by Donna Williams, sometimes jolting, sometimes moving, often illuminating. In it Donna takes you on a poetic adventure into places past, present and beyond. Often intertwined with the world of autistic experience, her writings divulge with immediacy, a person in the grip of overload and shutdowns, of extreme sensory and emotional highs and passions, of alienation from self, from body and fear of the intensity of emotion, of the struggle to know self, to communicate, to comprehend. At other times, her writing somehow transcends the often assumed limitations of autism, and she dissects so many of the concepts we take for granted, bringing us face to face with our own social constructions of 'reality' and so called 'normality' in a way only Donna can.

Donna William's challenging new book, written by an autistic person for people with autism and related disorders, carers, and the professionals who work with them, is a practical handbook to understanding, living with and working with autism. Exploring autism from the inside, it shows clearly how the behaviours associated with autism can have a range of different causes, and in many cases reflect the autistic person's attempt to gain control over their internal world. The sensory and perceptual problems that challenge a person with autism are described in depth, together with strategies for tackling them so as to enable that person to take more control of their lives. Donna Williams comments on the various approaches to autism, drawing out those strategies that are of real use, and explaining why some approaches may prove counterproductive, leaving the autistic person feeling even more isolated and misunderstood. Taking the view that understanding autism is the key to managing the condition, Donna William's book will bring illumination to all those who have felt baffled and frustrated by the outside appearance of autism. It contains a wealth of helpful suggestions, insights and new ideas, exploding old myths and promoting a view that all those involved with autism will find empowering and creative.

Everyday Heaven is the much-awaited fourth installment in Donna Williams' series of best-selling autobiographies about her life with autism. A humorous, riveting, roller-coaster of a book, Everyday Heaven covers the monumental nine years from the time Ian left their accidental, 'autistic marriage,' to Donna's candid, funny, often bumbling explorations of sexuality and orientation, the challenge of coming to terms with the sudden deaths of those closest to her and finally knowing what life was like without the invisible cage of her 'Exposure Anxiety'. Described as enthralling, deeply moving and gripping, this book will strike a lasting chord not only with autistic readers and professionals seeking to better understand those on the autism spectrum but all of us who simply dream of daring to love deeply, to adventure and to deal triumphantly with the losses along the way.

In the acclaimed sequel to Nobody Nowhere--in which Donna Williams gives readers a guided tour of life with autism--Williams explores the four years since her diagnosis and her attempts to leave her 'world under glass' and live normally.

Like Colour to the Blind is the third of three autobiographies in which Donna Williams recounts the story of her struggle with autism. She writes about how it has shaped her world and the way in which she attempts to break through to the other side. 'I'm a culture looking for a place to happen' she writes in Somebody Somewhere, the sequel to Nobody Nowhere (which reached the bestseller list when published as a trade paperback). The search for this 'place' is central to Donna's survival in an unsympathetic, ignorant world that fails to comprehend her version of normality. Her life story is a landmark in the literature of mental health and gives a unique perspective on living with autism from the inside. In Nobody Nowhere, she describes the desolation of the first twenty-five years of her life, before discovering the word 'autism' - a label which brought with it some answers and the hope of a sense of belonging. Somebody Somewhere takes up the thread of her story at the point where Nobody Nowhere left off: her ongoing battle to overcome the compulsions and obsessions of autism, and her increasingly successful efforts to lead a normal life, despite her condition. Like Colour to the Blind tells the story of Donna's relationship with Ian, a man with difficulties similar to her own. She describes how they learn to admit and live with their feelings for one another, as they search for a true sense of self.