Demystifying the Autistic Experience: A Humanistic Introduction for Parents, Caregivers, and Educators

Rating:
Summary: Stillman's approach is fresh and loving.
Review: Bill Stillman writes with exquisite sensitivity and calls the reader to share that respectful approach. This helps the reader learn how to support the person(s) whom they love who happen to have autistic experiences. Further, this approach leads readers to examine their interactions with all other people.

Bill writes about his own experiences as well as the lives of others. These vignettes were wonderful illustrations of how those with autistic experiences live. One of the greatest gifts of this book, however, is its tacit invitation to all readers to examine our own lives. This is especially poignant for those who are "typical."

I found myself asking if we wouldn't all be better off by recognizing and embracing the autistic features that lay dormant in each one of us. Being sensitive, saying what we mean (and meaning what we say), and recognizing our own difficulties in communication (especially when frustrated) could make life more pleasant for everyone.

Those with an autistic experience have much to teach; we all have a responsibility to learn.

Rating:
Summary: Stillman's approach is fresh and loving.
Review: Bill Stillman writes with exquisite sensitivity and calls the reader to share that respectful approach. This helps the reader learn how to support the person(s) whom they love who happen to have autistic experiences. Further, this approach leads readers to examine their interactions with all other people.

Bill writes about his own experiences as well as the lives of others. These vignettes were wonderful illustrations of how those with autistic experiences live. One of the greatest gifts of this book, however, is its tacit invitation to all readers to examine our own lives. This is especially poignant for those who are "typical."

I found myself asking if we wouldn't all be better off by recognizing and embracing the autistic features that lay dormant in each one of us. Being sensitive, saying what we mean (and meaning what we say), and recognizing our own difficulties in communication (especially when frustrated) could make life more pleasant for everyone.

Those with an autistic experience have much to teach; we all have a responsibility to learn.

Rating:
Summary: Another Undiagnosed Success Story
Review: Dymystifing the Autistic Experience is one of those 'must reads' in autism. It is one of the rare books that offers a true look into autism. Bill grew up before Autism was diagnosable and like Temple Grandin and others hidden in the spectrum his story is one that explains an autism were one struggled quietly and alone to make sense of the world. Our Lives were strange and different but yet we came out well.

His event per event account of his autisitc life is true science and a lot of luck in action. His old time account of autism before it was a well 'known' condition is like a fine wine, getting better with time. He proves autism is not this wild unmanagle condition that requires massve intervention. His book is also another (unknowingly) report on Splinter Skills and Obessions and how well they serve the autisic person. They are our Learning Hallway and link to the world. Autisitc obessions have given the world the computer, (Alan Turing 1912-1954) and even Bill's own Wizzard of OZ obession has given the world a perfect Oz experience, in another book he co authored.

Bills' inside information and common sense experience from working in the field are 'just what the doctor ordered' and better yet is is based in reality and struggle of an era gone by. Concerned caring folks in the spectrum appreciate books like this.

Rating:
Summary: Great -- Terrific Insights -- Must Read
Review: This is a terrific, unique book. It is filled with incredibly helpful insights. I have found there are 2 kinds of books on autism --the "clinical" type which gives descriptions and teaches interventions, as if we're all merely onlookers. The second type is the (auto)biographical. This book is finally a new and much needed genre. Mr. Stillman takes you right into the world of a person with an autistic way of being. It's not an ailment to be "fixed". He explains how ASD is a way of being. He draws from his experience with many children and adults, filtered through his own Asperger's experience.

For example there is the story about a little girl who laughs inappropriately. Rather than lecture us on how to teach her when it is ok to laugh, he explains WHY SHE LAUGHED. (It's hilarious.)I took this story to my (adult)ASD brother. He identified immediately, telling me a few of his own stories. We laughed and laughed!

I am the sister, mom, and aunt of people with an autistic way of being. Mr. Stillman's insights have helped me immeasurably in my relationships with them and others. You need to read this.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent, best book of its kind, with only a few cautions
Review: This is, overall, a great book on autism. It presents autism in a positive light, and describes why we do things instead of dismissing us as uniformly defective and inappropriate. I don't have my copy at the moment -- because I've loaned it out to a support worker, along with a few other books, in order to teach her more about the way I work.

Many books by autistic people are dry and difficult for me to read. This book is easier to read, and uses clear language. Unlike _Autism - An Inside-Out Approach_ by Donna Williams, this book does not make it sound as if those of us who are happy with ourselves either lack insight or aren't autistic enough to appreciate how disabled we are. This book does not overgeneralize from one person's experience as much as _Through the Eyes of Aliens_ by Jasmine Lee O'Neill (which I would recommend highly despite this fault). Unlike _Understanding and Working with the Spectrum of Autism: An Insider's View_ by Wendy Lawson (which may be a good book, but it's so hard to read that I'm having trouble finishing it), it doesn't read as a dry and slightly modified version of what non-autistic theorists are saying.

To my knowledge, these are the four main manuals about autism for non-autistic adults, published by autistic people. I think it would be interesting and informative to read all of them together, and that the strengths of each would balance out the weak points of the others. However, if I had to choose one out of this four, I would choose this one without thinking twice. It requires less explanation of my own when I hand it to someone to explain myself to them.

The section on augmentative communication is particularly good. I use augmentative communication, and was thankful to see a section that went beyond facilitated communication. Most books describe facilitated communication, or they describe PECS, and they kind of leave it at that, but this one covered all sorts of things. I may have had a few quibbles with a few little parts, but that's it.

There are only a few problems I have with the book:

One, the author makes it sound like autistic people are incapable of malice. While we are often accused of malice when none is there, it would carry things too far to imply that we are incapable of it. We are just as capable of it as any other group of people.

Two, the author insists that "autistic person" and "stimming" are disrespectful terms, and that "person with autism" must be used. Like nearly all the autistic people I know, I deliberately and with forethought call myself an autistic person, and like some of the autistic people I know, I use the word stimming to refer to autistic mannerisms. It would be a better idea to ask first -- lots of people like "autistic person", some like "person with autism", some use "stimming" and some don't. I think it is more respectful to call people what they want to be called than to force "person with autism" on us as the only respectful choice.

Three, there's a section in which the author appears to claim that certain kinds of autistic behavior reinforce stereotypes and should be avoided. However, it's unclear whether he actually claims this, or if he's simply describing a dynamic between autistic people and non-autistic people. If he does truly mean this, then I would have to disagree with him -- certain kinds of behavior are things anyone should avoid, but looking stereotypical is something we sometimes can't help. :-) We shouldn't be penalized for other people's myths about us.

These and a few other things aside, this is an excellent book. Don't be fooled by the length of my descriptions of the problems with the book -- it is often easier to describe in detail something I disagree with rather than something I agree with, the same way having a bad day often makes a longer story than having a good day. I like most of this book. I would recommend it (as an autistic person) for people wanting to find out more about autism.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent, best book of its kind, with only a few cautions
Review: This is, overall, a great book on autism. It presents autism in a positive light, and describes why we do things instead of dismissing us as uniformly defective and inappropriate. I don't have my copy at the moment -- because I've loaned it out to a support worker, along with a few other books, in order to teach her more about the way I work.

Many books by autistic people are dry and difficult for me to read. This book is easier to read, and uses clear language. Unlike _Autism - An Inside-Out Approach_ by Donna Williams, this book does not make it sound as if those of us who are happy with ourselves either lack insight or aren't autistic enough to appreciate how disabled we are. This book does not overgeneralize from one person's experience as much as _Through the Eyes of Aliens_ by Jasmine Lee O'Neill (which I would recommend highly despite this fault). Unlike _Understanding and Working with the Spectrum of Autism: An Insider's View_ by Wendy Lawson (which may be a good book, but it's so hard to read that I'm having trouble finishing it), it doesn't read as a dry and slightly modified version of what non-autistic theorists are saying.

To my knowledge, these are the four main manuals about autism for non-autistic adults, published by autistic people. I think it would be interesting and informative to read all of them together, and that the strengths of each would balance out the weak points of the others. However, if I had to choose one out of this four, I would choose this one without thinking twice. It requires less explanation of my own when I hand it to someone to explain myself to them.

The section on augmentative communication is particularly good. I use augmentative communication, and was thankful to see a section that went beyond facilitated communication. Most books describe facilitated communication, or they describe PECS, and they kind of leave it at that, but this one covered all sorts of things. I may have had a few quibbles with a few little parts, but that's it.

There are only a few problems I have with the book:

One, the author makes it sound like autistic people are incapable of malice. While we are often accused of malice when none is there, it would carry things too far to imply that we are incapable of it. We are just as capable of it as any other group of people.

Two, the author insists that "autistic person" and "stimming" are disrespectful terms, and that "person with autism" must be used. Like nearly all the autistic people I know, I deliberately and with forethought call myself an autistic person, and like some of the autistic people I know, I use the word stimming to refer to autistic mannerisms. It would be a better idea to ask first -- lots of people like "autistic person", some like "person with autism", some use "stimming" and some don't. I think it is more respectful to call people what they want to be called than to force "person with autism" on us as the only respectful choice.

Three, there's a section in which the author appears to claim that certain kinds of autistic behavior reinforce stereotypes and should be avoided. However, it's unclear whether he actually claims this, or if he's simply describing a dynamic between autistic people and non-autistic people. If he does truly mean this, then I would have to disagree with him -- certain kinds of behavior are things anyone should avoid, but looking stereotypical is something we sometimes can't help. :-) We shouldn't be penalized for other people's myths about us.

These and a few other things aside, this is an excellent book. Don't be fooled by the length of my descriptions of the problems with the book -- it is often easier to describe in detail something I disagree with rather than something I agree with, the same way having a bad day often makes a longer story than having a good day. I like most of this book. I would recommend it (as an autistic person) for people wanting to find out more about autism.