Rating: 
Summary: Highly recommended
Review: I have Asperger's syndrome, and would highly recommend this clear and sympathetic account to anyone who wants to understand what Asperger's syndrome involves.
Rating:
Summary: Life-saving!
Review: I didn't realize how much I could depend on a book! It's like an instruction manual for children with Asperger's Syndrome. I plan on passing it on to each of my son's teachers every year, so they can understand him better, and therefore teach him easier. Thank you, Tony Attwood!
Rating:
Summary: An absolutely superb overview of Asperger Syndrome
Review: This is a very easy to read primer on Asperger Syndrome. It is quick, easy, and complete. It is the kind of book that you can give anyone in your child's life, and say "read this, this explains what his syndrome is all about". The case examples are good illustrations, and the resource list at the end is a good "jumping off place" for more information.
Rating:
Summary: The best of a short stack
Review: Due to its relative recency as a diagnosis, there is very little available in the child psychiatric literature about Asperger's syndrome. Of the two other recent books I'm familiar with (Uta Frith and one by two American authors, this one by a very experienced Australian psychologist is a clinical goldmine. It's audience is for clinicians and parents, covering the major clinical characteristics of Aspergers and ways of understanding them, living with them and perhaps helping to change some of their cognitive and social differences . The degree of humanism and respect for people with this syndrome, plus emphasis on their strengths and possible future careers is outstanding. Bill Bolman, Child Psychiatrist
Rating:
Summary: As most are aware
Review: As most of us who deal or have dealt with this are aware, the range of the "syndromes" runs the gamut from autism to AS. Then there's DID, ADD, and just about everything else thrown in. But keep in mind that all these labels are relatively new and constantly moving around, like some giant kaliedoscopic series of diagnosis that you can't quite put your finger on. Enter "Asperger's Syndrome: A Guide for Parents and Professionals." As others have said, "Thank you, Mr. Attwood" for this book that helps sort out all of the possibilities. Concise and well-written, this is THE book when it comes to this syndrome, and while many have written about AS or autism (think Haddon's "The Curious Incident" or McCrae's "Bark of the Dogwood") as fiction or fictional characters (though you're never really sure excatly WHAT the character in "Bark of the Dogwood" has), few have come to professional diagnostic arena the way Attwood does. Practial and informative, this is the book you've been looking for.
Rating: 
Summary: Well-written impression of Asperger's characteristics
Review: Tony Attwood uses a blend of case studies, research, observation, anecdotal evidence, and theory to give the reader a description of all that is entailed in people with Asperger's Syndrome. The book is well-written, and very upbeat and hope-inspiring in its tone. Many techniques are suggested that fit well with the aspects of Asperger's they are designated to treat.
Saying all that, why did I give it only three stars? There are three reasons.
1. Tony Attwood, at times, and probably in an attempt to maintain the upbeat, hopeful tone, seems to understate the severity of the disorder. The overall impression, after reading the whole book, is that Asperger's Syndrome is a collection of developmental delays and deficits that can be addressed by skill-training and/or by letting the person grow out of it (this impression comes through strongly near the end of the book). While it is certainly true that people with Asperger's Syndrome can mature out of some of the drelays, and can learn techniques to cope with and compensate for some of the deficits associated with the Syndrome, I believe that the book goes too far in painting a rosy picture. When people use the suggested techniques to help someone with Asperger's Syndrome, the person will likely progress and grow, but not as quickly, as far, or as conclusively as the book suggests.
2. The author starts by sticking very clearly to diagnostic criteria, in describing Asperger's Syndrome, but then gradually, almost imperceptibly, expands the boundaries of what the Syndrome encompasses, until the lines become quite blurred. Near the end of the book, Tony Attwood talks about "loners" as a way to describe people who are so far to the end of the autistic spectrum that they no longer meet any diagnostic criteria. In looking back at the entire book, I think the "loners" might be who he is describing throughout most of the book. I am a clinical psychologist who works with children. The children whom I have worked with, who do genuinely meet the criteria for Asperger's Syndrome, all presented as struggling with delays and deficits that were much less tractable and remediable than those described in this book.
3. The case studies presented in the book all seem to represent very bright, articulate (at least in writing), insightful individuals. The selection of these particular cases reinforces the points that I made in number 1 and number 2 above. Just as Temple Grandin is a truly outstanding, intelligent, insightful person with autism, and can describe autism in ways that make it graspable for many people, but still does not represent the typical person with autism, so do the case studies in this book probably not represent typical people with Asperger's Syndrome.
In the past, Asperger's Syndrome was significantly under- diagnosed and overlooked. Recently, in the news, there has been a lot of talk about the skyrocketing rate of autism and Asperger's Syndrome. I have strong questions about this "change," as I think that two attenuating factors are being overlooked: in an attempt to rectify the errors of the past, autism and Asperger's Syndrome are now being (accurately) identified much more often; again, in response to the mistakes of the past, the pendulum has swung and both autism and Asperger's Syndrome are now being diagnosed too easily and too much. I have assessed and worked with several children who had been diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome, prior to coming to our agency. After a thorough assessment, addressing psychosocial, psychological, psychiatric, and neuropsychological aspects, Asperger's Syndrome was ruled out. One of these children had grown up, from ages three to eleven, being labeled and treated as someone with Asperger's Syndrome, and had fit the mold given. After treatment, some sensory issues remained, but the progress was otherwise remarkable. Was this child cured of Asperger's Syndrome? No; an inaccurate diagnosis had been identified and the child's self-image, and the family's image of the child, had been adjusted, and the child had responded with a tremendous normalization of behavior. Tony Attwood's book is a reflection of the pendulum overswing that can lead to over-diagnosis of a significant disorder. In that respect, it is a disservice to those who really do have Asperger's Syndrome.
Why did I give the book as many as three stars? If the diagnostic criteria, described early in the book, are adhered to strictly, and the techniques in the book are used with a person who genuinely has Asperger's Syndrome, and the expectations for progress are set high, but kept realistic, I think that significant progress can occur. The delays can be "caught up" on, at least partly, and the deficits can be compensated for, or at least dropped to levels that are much less hindering.
Rating:
Summary: practical information
Review: I have not read this book cover to cover. I have a 5 year old with PDD-NOS, and some of the information in this book, as I've looked through it, does not yet apply to her. However, every time I look at this book I am impressed with the specific ideas and strategies to deal with social and communication issues. I will definitely hold on to this as my daughter grows up because I sense I will be using it regularly in the next few years. The book is easy to read.
Rating:
Summary: As most are aware
Review: This book is the first book I reccommend to anyone who is facing a diagnosis of high functioning autism or Asperger's Syndrome in their family. My 10 year old son is "officially" diagnosed with high functioning autism, but those of us in the know, realize how little that means. Tony Attwood is simply amazing, this book breaks Asperger's Syndrome down for you, step by step, symptom by symptom, and is a real help and reference. Even after being involved in the autism spectrum now for over 6 years, I still refer to this book on a regular basis. Also, unlike many books I have read about autism and Asperger's Syndrome, this book is written very much for the lay person, you don't have to have a PhD to understand this book. There are also very practical solutions for many of the challenging problems unique to Asperger's and austism in here as well, many of them we have used with much sucess with our son. One example I can think of off the top of my head is teaching pragmatic language skills, something that neuro-typical children understand naturally, and children with Asperger's have to laboriously be taught. Temple Grandin's endorsement at the end is literally the icing on the cake.
Rating:
Summary: A wonderful guide to Asperger's Syndrome
Review: My 7 year-old son was recently diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome. I went looking for a book on Asperger's that would help me understand where we were in the whole process of getting my son well as well as a book that would cover the whys and what now questions I had. Lucky for me, in picking this book, I couldn't have picked a better guide to Asperger's.This book ended up being a textbook on my child. Tony Attwood describes the four different tests the global medical community uses as testing criteria for Asperger's. He also goes into wonderful depth about the traits these people may or may not have. The different treatments was very interesting as well. The insight my whole family has into my son since reading this book is a godsend. Since reading this book, we've come up with a system for teaching my son facial expression. He has improved in leaps and bounds thanks to this book. Also, we've started the gluten and casein free diet. My son has completely turned around and is like the child we always hoped for. He is making friends and playing sports. While all of his traits aren't gone, he is living a much healthier and happier life now. This book is for anyone who might be Asperger, has someone close to them who has Asperger's, or a professional looking for info on dealing or treating Asperger's. Tony Attwood's research, knowledge, and attention to detail is unparalleled.
Rating: 
Summary: Special Education Teacher Review
Review: This book is an excellent resource tool regarding Asperger's Syndrome. Asperger's Syndrome (AS)is on the autism/Asperger's (a/A) spectrum and has long been regarded as the "high functioning end of the autism spectrum." Because this IS a spectrum, the behaviors and experiences and manifestations are as varied as there are individuals on the spectrum. However, there are certain diagnostic criteria that have to be met in order to determine if someone has Asperger's Syndrome or a place on the a/A spectrum. Tony Attwood validates the behavior of people on the spectrum; he writes in a plain, straight forward style that reaches ALL readers from professionals to persons just learning about Asperger's. I like the way he encourages people with Aspeger's embrace and accept this aspect of their lives. Tony Attwood makes it plain that a diagnosis of Asperger's is NOT a death knell or a mental health condemnation; on the contrary, he describes a place on the a/A spectrum as a baseline for behaviors that had previously caused "undefined differences." Asperger's is not a mental illness and this point is underscored throughout the book. Tony Attwood's voice is one of gentleness and acceptance; he describes behavior and sensory issues including synesthesia (linked sensory modes) in a way that invites and opens the door to discourse. I can't recommend this book highly enough. Tony Attwood not only validates Asperger's, he explains it in a thoroughly logical and accepting way. This book deserves a place of honor among educators, medical/psychological/psychiatric professionals, parents whose children are on the spectrum and people who are on the spectrum. In fact, this is a book for everybody. THANK YOU, TONY ATTWOOD!
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