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About the Spectrum
Recommended Books
Asperger's
From the Inside-Out A Supportive and Practical Guide For Anyone with Asperger's
Syndrome
by Michael John Carley
The first book to chronologically look at what an individual goes through
when they are diagnosed later on in life—as teens or as adults.
The book also serves family members and clinicians in showing how they
can be more supportive and understanding during this scary, but wonderful
process; a journey that if not run from, can result in an infinitely better
life; both for the diagnosed individual as well as everyone else around
them. Additionally, "Asperger's From the Inside-Out"
contains descriptions of the condition itself that are written in a more
positive light than elsewhere—yet they are also set down in such
a way that does not invalidate the challenges. Inside these pages, Carley
draws somewhat from his own life, as well as from already-existing literature,
but he mostly takes from the lessons taught him from the scores of GRASP
members he has learned from.
Pretending
to Be Normal: Living with Asperger Syndrome
by Liane Holliday Willey
“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, Liane Holliday Willey shares, with insight and warmth,
the daily struggles and challenges that face many of those who have Asperger's
Syndrome.
Beyond
the Wall: Personal Experiences with Autism and Asperger Syndrome
by Stephen Shore
A wonderful first-person narrative. Drawing on personal and professional
experience, author Stephen Shore combines three voices to create a touching—and
highly informative—book for professionals and individuals who have
autism or Asperger Syndrome. Much more than the traditional autobiography,
this book provides a unique perspective on AS across the years.
Elijah’s
Cup
by Valerie Paradiz
The must-read for parents; by a parent on the spectrum. This provocative
and pioneering book is both a refreshing exploration of the history of
autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) and a powerful story of the author's
own struggle with her son Elijah's Asperger's Syndrome.
Other English Language Books
Written by Autistics
(availability of
pricing, links, and
information may vary by publisher)
Congratulations! It's Asperger Syndrome
(no link provided)
by Jen Birch
One of the increasing number of people diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome
in adulthood, New Zealand-born Jen Birch relates her story with humour
and honesty, taking us through the years of frustration and confusion
that led to her diagnosis in 1998. Now that she can put her life experiences
into context, she candidly describes her continual search for 'normality'.
Do
You Understand Me? My Life, My Thoughts, My Autism Spectrum Disorder
by Sophie Brøsen
“It is a readable insider’s view of life as a child with autism
attending a mainstream school and will be an invaluable resource in helping
other children to understand their classmates with autism spectrum disorders.”
Asperger's Syndrome and Employment: A Personal Guide to Succeeding
at Work $35.00 (link not yet provided)
by Nick Dubin
Nick Dubin discusses his own experiences at work and highlights
challenges common among employees with AS. The DVD also includes
interviews with Nick's former employers who assess his strengths and
weaknesses.
Asperger's
Syndrome and Bullying: Strategies and Solutions $19.95
by Nick Dubin, with a foreword by Michael John Carley
This book offers individuals with AS who are being bullied the opportunity
to see that they are not alone, and it is an invaluable source of advice
for parents, teachers, professionals and personnel managers.
Employment
for Individuals with Asperger Syndrome or Non-Verbal Learning Disability
: Stories and Strategies $22.95
by Yvona Fast
This groundbreaking book discusses many issues important for
workplace success: social skills, processing speed, organization, seeing
the big picture, dealing with change, visual-spatial and auditory processing,
and ability to follow directions and instructions. Inspiring stories and
cautionary tales shed light on how AS and/or NLD affect individual's careers
and offer solidarity, showing we're not alone in our struggles.
Making Sense of the Unfeasible: My Life Journey with Asperger Syndrome
(link not yet provided)
by Mark Fleischer
“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”.
Survival
Strategies for People on the Autism Spectrum
by Mark Fleisher
“Written particularly for young people who are just beginning to
become independent from their parents, perhaps living in their own home
for the first time, this book shows how to approach apparent problems
with hope and the expectation of an improved quality of life”.
Developing
Talents: Careers for Individuals with Asperger Syndrome and High-Functioning
Autism
by Temple Grandin and Kate Duffy, $19.95
The two authors weave together a unique blend of information and advice
based on personal experiences. The result is an extremely useful and practical
book that introduces step-by-step processes for the job search with a
major section on the impact of ASD in the workplace.
Thinking in Pictures, Expanded Edition: My Life with Autism (waiting
on link and publisher promo)
by Temple Grandin
Animals in Translation: Using the Mysteries of Autism to Decode
Animal Behavior (waiting on link and publisher promo)
by Temple Grandin and Catherine Johnson
The Unwritten Rules of Social Relationships (waiting
on link and publisher promo)
by Temple Grandin and Sean Barron
Emergence: Labeled Autistic (waiting on link and publisher
promo)
by Temple Grandin and Margaret M. Scariano
Children with Autism: A Parent's Guide (waiting on link
and publisher promo)
by Temple Grandin and Michael D. Powers
Anne
Droyd and Century Lodge
by Will Hadcroft
“This Asperger adventure explores the human condition and the need
to integrate into a society that demands conformity. Readers will be captivated
by the heroic characters and the colorful plot, and engaged by Hadcroft's
imaginative presentation of real-life issues such as smoking, bullying
and peer acceptance”.
The Feeling’s Unmutual: Growing up With Asperger Syndrome
(Undiagnosed) (link not provided)
by Will Hadcroft
“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”.
Asperger
Syndrome, the Universe and Everything
by Kenneth Hall
“Kenneth is in a unique position to describe some of the inner experiences
and perceptions of autism in childhood. 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”.
Asperger
Syndrome in the Family: Redefining Normal
by Liane Holliday Willey
“This book underscores 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”.
Asperger
Syndrome in Adolescence: Living with the Ups and Downs and Everything
in Between
by Liane Holliday Willey
“Reflecting the views of parents, professionals and those with AS
themselves, this book tackles issues that are pertinent to all teenagers,
such as sexuality, depression and friendship, as well as discussing topics
like disclosure and therapeutic alternatives that are more specific to
those with AS”.
Crystalline Lifetime: Fragments of Asperger Syndrome
by Luke Jackson
“Luke writes perceptively about identity, struggle, loneliness,
love and the pursuit of happiness, and about finding calm amid the often
overwhelming confusion and frustration that accompanies AS”.
Freaks, Geeks and Asperger Syndrome: A User’s Guide to Adolescence
by Luke Jackson
“Luke writes briefly about his younger autistic and AD/HD brothers,
providing amusing insights into the antics of his younger years and advice
for parents, carers and teachers of younger AS children.”
A
User Guide to the GF/CF Diet for Autism, Asperger Syndrome and AD/HD
by Luke Jackson
“This positive and honest book is an important source of encouragement
and advice for people whose lives are touched by autism, AS or AD/HD,
for parents considering implementing the diet with their children, and
for anyone on the diet, young or old”.
Sundays
with Matthew
by Matthew Lancelle and Jeanette Lesada, $16.95
Sundays with Matthew demonstrates that using a special interest and
talent is a proven way to help a child with autism reach his full potential.
Playing on the visual strengths of many on the spectrum, the content of
this book comes directly from sketchbooks featuring the drawings of both
a child with autism and his art therapy teacher.
Understanding
and Working with the Spectrum of Autism
by Wendy Lawson
“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”.
ASPoetry:
Illustrated Poems from an Aspie Life
by Wendy Lawson
“Both reflective and life affirming, these poems offer evocative
glimpses of the Asperger experience and will enrich readers' understanding
of autism spectrum disorders”.
URL: http://www.jkp.com/catalogue/book.php/isbn/9781843104186
Build
Your Own Life: a Self-Help Guide for Individuals with Asperger Syndrome
by Wendy Lawson
“This book is essential reading for all those on the higher-functioning
end of the autism spectrum, helping them to get the best out of a world
that is often confusing and aiding those close to them to understand their
perspective”.
Friendships:
The Aspie Way
by Wendy Lawson
“In her frank and thoughtful analysis of what makes and breaks friendships,
Wendy explores what it means to have friends or be a friend – even
a friend to oneself. Insightful and relevant to people both on and off
the autism spectrum, Friendships: The Aspie Way is a fresh approach to
a universal issue in human relationships”.
Life
Behind Glass: A Personal Account with Autism Spectrum Disorder
by Wendy Lawson
“Wendy Lawson writes about her lpersonal account of living with
Autism Spectrum Disorder.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 writes about the understanding of autism with others to
help 'build a bridge...from my world to theirs'. Life Behind Glass is
part of that bridge”.
Sex,
Sexuality and the Autism Spectrum
by Wendy Lawson
“Written by an 'insider', an openly gay autistic adult, Wendy Lawson
writes frankly and honestly about autism, sex and sexuality. In her new
book, she draws upon her own experience to examine the implications of
being autistic on relationships, sex and sexuality”.
A
Blessing and a Curse: Autism and Me
by Caiseal Mór
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
Asperger Syndrome Employment Workbook: An Employment Workbook
for Adults with Asperger Syndrome $25.95 (no link provided)
By Roger Meyer
This practical manual will enable people diagnosed with Asperger
Syndrome and high functioning autism to deepen their self-understanding
and appreciate their value as working individuals. Through step-by-step
self-assessment, the reader is encouraged to engage actively in a self-paced
exploration of their employment history, and ultimately to identify the
work best suited to their personal needs, talents andstrengths.
An
Exact Mind: An Artist with Asperger Syndrome
by Peter Myers
“Peter Myers's intricate and ornately patterned drawings are brought
together for the first time in this volume, which is the fascinating result
of the collaboration of an artist and two scientists. The beautiful, complex
images (included in full-page color as well as black and white reproductions)
serve as a rare window into the precision and creativity of the Asperger
mind at work”.
Mozart
and the Whale: An Asperger’s Love Story
By Jerry and Mary Newport
Jerry and Mary Newport candidly recount the hardships they faced with
Asperger’s as children into adulthood, separately and together in
their new book, MOZART AND THE WHALE: An Asperger’s Love Story.
MOZART AND THE WHALE is suffused with passionate energy, insight, and
even humor. With brave candor, this inspiring memoir contains many themes
central to the human struggle for love, acceptance and survival MOZART
AND THE WHALE is a powerful story of how love triumphs over all. Readers
will be touched by the beautiful memoir of such a fascinating couple.
Finding
a Different Kind of Normal: Misadventures with Asperger Syndrome
by Janette Purkis
“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.”
Martian
in the Playground: Understanding the Schoolchild with Asperger's Syndrome
by Clare Sainsbury
This exceptional book aims to illuminate what it means to be a person
who has Aspergers Syndrome by providing a window into a unique and particular
world. Drawing on her own experience of schooling, and that of a network
of friends and correspondents who share her way of thinking and responding,
Clare Sainsbury reminds us of the unique potential for harm which education
holds for those who do not fit.
Discovering
My Autism
by Edgar Schneider
“In Discovering My Autism, he reflects on his experiences and his
memories of his childhood and teenage years as a clever and artistic loner.
As an account of how it feels to be a high-functioning autistic, this
book should be read by parents of autistic children, professionals working
with them, and people with autism, Asperger's Syndrome, or ADD themselves”.
Living
the Good Life with Autism
by Edward Schneider
“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”.
Ask
and Tell: Self-Advocacy and Disclosure for People on the Autism Spectrum
edited by Stephen M. Shore, $21.95
Written by people on the autism spectrum for people on the spectrum, this
book helps people with ASD effectively self-advocate in their pursuit
of independent, productive, and fulfilling lives.
Autism
is Not a Life Sentence: How One Family Took on Autism and Won
by Lynley Summers, with commentary by Jessica “Jazz”
Summers, $19.95
Lynley takes us through the techniques she used when teaching her daughter
Jessica, who has autism, to speak, make eye contact, eat, behave properly,
and more. The reader will see Jessica, initially diagnosed as limited
to a self-contained classroom and a helmet, grow into an accomplished
high school student who composes music, writes stories, and speaks at
conferences about life with autism. Commentary from Jessica is included
throughout the book.
Asperger's—If
You Only Knew
by Sophia Summers
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.
Urville
by Gilles Trehin
“Gilles Tréhin, an autistic man with exceptional creative
talents and an obsession with large cities, conceived and developed Urville
over the course of 20 years. He shares his vision in this beautifully
illustrated guide to the city, which he renders convincingly real in nearly
300 drawings of different districts of Urville.”
Somebody
Somewhere: Breaking Free from the World of Autism
by Donna Williams
“Somebody Somewhere is the second book in Donna Williams’
four-part autobiographical series. Donna is set to become an international
bestseller and propel the woman terrified of being ‘known’
out of the shadows and straight into the limelight as one of the most
famous people ever diagnosed with autism in the world”.
Like
Color to the Blind :Soul Searching and Soul Finding
by Donna Williams
“Like Colour to the Blind continues with autistic author Donna Williams’
autobiographical journey. Donna tells the fascinating story of her relationship
with Ian, an asexual man with ‘multiple personalities’, who
is somewhere on the Autistic Spectrum. Together they set out to find out
what is real and what is not”.
Autism
and Sensing: The Unlost Instinct
by Donna Williams
“The book provides a fascinating insight into the way that people
with autism perceive the world, going into far more depth than Williams'
previous books”.
Everyday
Heaven: Journeys Beyond the Stereotypes of Autism
by Donna Williams
“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.”
Exposure
Anxiety-The Invisible Cage: An Exploration of Self-Protection Responses
in the Autism Spectrum and Beyond
by Donna Williams
“Based on personal experience, the book shows how people with autism
can be shown how to emerge from the stranglehold of exposure anxiety and
develop their individuality”.
The
Jumbled Jigsaw: An Insider’s Approach to the Treatment of Autism
Spectrum ‘Fruit Salads’
by Donna Williams
“Exploring everything from mood, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive and
tic disorders to information processing and sensory perceptual difficulties,
including dependency issues, identity problems and much more, Donna demonstrates
how a number of such conditions can combine to form a 'cluster condition'
and underpin the label 'autism spectrum disorder”.
Autism: An Inside-Out Approach – An Innovative Look at the “Mechanics”
of ‘Autism’ and Its Developmental ‘Cousins’
by Donna Williams
“A clear and effective writer, Williams is able to describe her
experiences with rare clarity, depth and understanding. She takes us further
into the disability and offers new opportunities to further our understanding”.
Life and Love: Positive Strategies for Autistic Adults
(link coming soon)
by Zosia Zaks, $34.95
Written for adults on the spectrum and those involved—parents, spouses,
friends—this book is divided into two sections: life and love. In
the life section, the author, using personal experience, describes and
suggests concrete ways to deal with some of the issues and problems faced
by those on the autism spectrum. In the love section, instead of focusing
on one topic, such as dating, the author includes a range of suggestions
for different types of relationships.