[.ca] Freaks, Geeks And Asperger Syndrome (ISBN 1843100983)

The jury is still out:
The jury is still out on exactly the what, when, and how of Asperger's Syndrome. We all know by now that autism is one end of the spectrum and A.S. is the other, but even with that information most of us are still at sea with what to do about it. FREAKS, GEEKS AND ASPERGER SYNDROME is one of the best and most informative books to come out in a long time--if ever. There have been quite a few books written on the subject lately, some fact, some fiction. THE CURIOUS INCIDENT comes to mind. It's a book by Mark Haddon and is written through the eyes of a teenage who is autistic. Then there's THE BARK OF THE DOGWOOD--another work of fiction that deals with an "unusual" child. We're never really sure if the main character has Dissociative Identity Disorder or Asperger Syndrome, but the effect of his "oddness" is clear. Enter this book: FREAKS, GEEKS. NOT a work of fiction, but a riveting work that should be read, not only by parents who think their child may have this syndrome, but by really everyone. For who's to say WHO has this and who hasn't? What is the difference between someone who simply refuses to conform to society's rules and someone who "can't help themsleves" when it comes to socially unacceptable behavior? This book will shed some light on that, and a few other things. It's well written and contains a host of useful ideas, whether intentional or not. And humor--the book has humor and insight. Can you imagine if only we had known (fully) of this syndrome years ago? What a difference in people's lives this would have made. I highly recommend this book to anyone, regardless of your experience with this syndrome.

All teachers should read this book!:
Luke, the young writer of this book, has done an excellent job in showing what goes on in the minds of kids with Asperger's syndrome and also to some extent, autism. I am a former art teacher and never read up on such conditions,however, every teacher, especially school coaches, should read this book because Luke has some very specific advice for them in relation to teaching, especially teaching AS kids athletics. I could relate to his chapters on bullying--my son was a very bright boy, an early reader, who was constantly taunted in junior high school for being "gifted." He would sometimes come home in tears and only after an hour of watching Star Trek reruns could he calm down and feel the relief of being home from school. NOw he is graduating from Harvard, so the joke is definitely on the bullies who are now janitors. Ha, ha! So I know where Luke is coming from about bullying. Never let them beat you, Luke. You are a marvelous, very gifted young man who will go very far in life. You just be YOU and never waver from that. If friends come into your life, it will be because they like YOU and not some false idea of a different you. You should never have to change for people to like you. God bless and I hope to hear more about you in future books. I want to read more about AS and autism, too. Thank you for your wonderful contribution to AS knowledge. People can learn so much from people like you who are not ashamed to discuss a condition they have. Great job and as they say in England, Well done indeed.

A positive view of autism for autistic teens:
This is a book designed for autistic teens by an autistic teen. It is not a manual on how to manage a horrible affliction. It is a manual on how to live well with a condition that is misunderstood as a horrible thing. The author does a great job of describing the difficulties of living as an autistic teenager while never blaming autism as the horrible monster it is sometimes characterized as. The author says in the book that he doesn't want to be seen as just a cute kid writing a book, and in my eyes there is no danger of that. He is a competent writer with a unique perspective on an interesting subject. He also has a degree of nuanced insight that is unusual for any age. For instance, he describes the issue of disclosing autism, and describes why it can be useful or not useful to disclose, but also comments that those autistic people who are able to say they are autistic and proud, like gay people who do the same, are vital to the acceptance and rights of autistic people. The rest of the book tackles issues like school, fixations, sensory issues, bullying, dating, and other issues facing autistic teenagers. The author describes these things from his own experience and the experience of his autistic family members, and the book is illustrated by his sisters. Aside from the other practical things, though, the attitude expressed on the dedication page is vital to having a sense of self-worth as an autistic person: "To those of you who feel that you don't belong, always remember that different is cool!" It's about time that a book like this came along.

What a relief that I found this book!:
My 18yr old son was recently diagnosed with Asperger's and this book has not left his sight since I handed it to him. He carries it with him to school, to work, and is reading it very carefully. He has told me that it is a great book, and although the boy who the book is about is much younger than my son, they have gone through the same things. Luke's experiences and his way of talking about Asperger's and how it effects every part of his life has helped my son to understand so many things about himself that were a mystery up until now. I hope Luke puts out another book as a young adult, and again as an older adult to chronicle his experiences through his life. Thanks Luke and Tony for a great gift!

Not a disease!:
Under "Book Info" in the Amazon reviews, you mistakenly call AS a disease. In point of fact, it is a disorder. In reality, it is in many ways a blessing, but certainly makes life more challenging. I have a 17 year old son with Asperger Syndrome, so I can attest to that. I have not yet read this book, but it sounds like a gem and it is on my wish list. I am giving it 5 stars with every hope that it is worthy of the rating, especially with Tony Atwood's name on it.