Rating: 
Summary: Eye Opening!
Review: As the parent of a teenage daughter with autism, I found this book to be invaluable in understanding how my daughter's mind works. Before reading this book I was puzzled by some of her behaviours and her reactions to certain situations. By describing his thought processes, Edgar made it much easier for me to understand and more importantly ACCEPT how and why my daughter does the things she does. This book is invaluable to anyone trying to unravel the autistic mind. Bless you Edgar!
Rating:
Summary: What a perspective!
Review: Edgar Schneider's writing very convingly illustrates the fallacy of the common misperconception that high functioning individuals lack the ability to think abstractly. Drawing from his immense reservoir of knowledge of the humanities and his professional field of mathematics, Schneider draws parallels that few scholars could hope to match.One problem that I had as a reader was with the task of separating Schneider's own story and functioning from his generalizations and observations about autism across the larger affected population. For example, Schneider repeatedly explores his experience that he represents as largely devoid of emotion (although he does acknowledge a great deal of anxiety associated with uncertainty). Such an absence of affect is, however, far from a uniform characteristic among all autistic individuals. While most autistic individuals tend to be somewhat limited in their EXPRESSION of emotion, this is does not mean that--as appears to be the case with Schneider--it does not exist among a spectrum of others. Schneider does show a great deal of sympathy for Temple Grandin's idea that autism is reflected on a continuum. However, this point, although it is made abstractly, may not come through as strongly as one could have hoped. Schneider's insight into the "neurotypical" world is impressive, and he makes some some sharp points--albeit occasionally with some repetition. His language and sense of humor are also quite refreshing--especially his wise-cracks. For someone who supposedly thinks of women largely in the intellectual sense, he does come across as having at least a slightly dirty mind when he reflects on the only activity in which the performers get to rate their own performance. In as much as there are parts of the book to which even I--as someone with a very high functioning case of of Asperger's Syndrome--have difficulty relating, there are passages in the book where I could have cried. And I have to feel a certain kind of brotherhood with someone who shares my fondness for footnotes that frequently run several to the page!
Rating:
Summary: What a perspective!
Review: Edgar Schneider's writing very convingly illustrates the fallacy of the common misperconception that high functioning individuals lack the ability to think abstractly. Drawing from his immense reservoir of knowledge of the humanities and his professional field of mathematics, Schneider draws parallels that few scholars could hope to match. One problem that I had as a reader was with the task of separating Schneider's own story and functioning from his generalizations and observations about autism across the larger affected population. For example, Schneider repeatedly explores his experience that he represents as largely devoid of emotion (although he does acknowledge a great deal of anxiety associated with uncertainty). Such an absence of affect is, however, far from a uniform characteristic among all autistic individuals. While most autistic individuals tend to be somewhat limited in their EXPRESSION of emotion, this is does not mean that--as appears to be the case with Schneider--it does not exist among a spectrum of others. Schneider does show a great deal of sympathy for Temple Grandin's idea that autism is reflected on a continuum. However, this point, although it is made abstractly, may not come through as strongly as one could have hoped. Schneider's insight into the "neurotypical" world is impressive, and he makes some some sharp points--albeit occasionally with some repetition. His language and sense of humor are also quite refreshing--especially his wise-cracks. For someone who supposedly thinks of women largely in the intellectual sense, he does come across as having at least a slightly dirty mind when he reflects on the only activity in which the performers get to rate their own performance. In as much as there are parts of the book to which even I--as someone with a very high functioning case of of Asperger's Syndrome--have difficulty relating, there are passages in the book where I could have cried. And I have to feel a certain kind of brotherhood with someone who shares my fondness for footnotes that frequently run several to the page!
Rating:
Summary: Linda Newland/parent and spouse of a ASPIE
Review: I am a mother of a 15 year old ASPIE married to a AS spouse. This is probably one of the 'best" books I have read coming from a adult married to a AS spouse. Edgar makes me think and pause and yet think again. He is articulate with superior communication skills. His analogy to having AS or being married to someone that is blind is food for thought for all of us living in a non spectrum world. He has a quick wit and cuts to the chase. If you want to know, "HOW" AS can affect someone that has it or is involved in a in a mixed marriage, relationship or friendship without knowing it, this books is a "must" read.
Rating:
Summary: Linda Newland/parent and spouse of a ASPIE
Review: I am a mother of a 15 year old ASPIE married to a AS spouse. This is probably one of the 'best" books I have read coming from a parent and a adult married to a AS spouse. Edgar makes me think and pause and yet think again. He is articulate with superior communication skills. His analogy to having AS or being married to someone that is blind is food for thought for all of us living in a non spectrum world. He has a quick wit and cuts to the chase. If you want to know, "HOW" AS can affect someone that has it or is involved in a in a mixed marriage, relationship or friendship without knowing it, this books is a "must" read.
Rating:
Summary: Linda Newland/parent and spouse of a ASPIE
Review: I am a mother of a 15 year old ASPIE married to a AS spouse. This is probably one of the 'best" books I have read coming from a adult married to a AS spouse. Edgar makes me think and pause and yet think again. He is articulate with superior communication skills. His analogy to having AS or being married to someone that is blind is food for thought for all of us living in a non spectrum world. He has a quick wit and cuts to the chase. If you want to know, "HOW" AS can affect someone that has it or is involved in a in a mixed marriage, relationship or friendship without knowing it, this books is a "must" read.
Rating:
Summary: Linda Newland/parent and spouse of a ASPIE
Review: I am a mother of a 15 year old ASPIE married to a AS spouse. This is probably one of the 'best" books I have read coming from a adult married to a AS spouse. Edgar makes me think and pause and yet think again. He is articulate with superior communication skills. His analogy to having AS or being married to someone that is blind is food for thought for all of us living in a non spectrum world. He has a quick wit and cuts to the chase. If you want to know, "HOW" AS can affect someone that has it or is involved in a in a mixed marriage, relationship or friendship without knowing it, this books is a "must" read.
Rating:
Summary: Linda Newland/parent and spouse of a ASPIE
Review: I am a mother of a 15 year old ASPIE married to a AS spouse. This is probably one of the 'best" books I have read coming from a parent and a adult married to a AS spouse. Edgar makes me think and pause and yet think again. He is articulate with superior communication skills. His analogy to having AS or being married to someone that is blind is food for thought for all of us living in a non spectrum world. He has a quick wit and cuts to the chase. If you want to know, "HOW" AS can affect someone that has it or is involved in a in a mixed marriage, relationship or friendship without knowing it, this books is a "must" read.
Rating:
Summary: An Important Book for Those With Autistic Loved Ones
Review: I found this book interesting on several levels. It illustrated autism in a way that I as a non-autistic person could relate to and feel. I read the book at the suggestion of an autistic friend. Since that time, I have met several families with high-functioning autistic children. It not only let me see them in a different light than I would have had I not read the book, but the book was appreciated and helpful to the parents, as well. Schneider paints pictures with words and the range of feelings that I experienced while reading the book went from laughter to tears and back again. The book let me see that people with this diagnosis are not autistic people, but people with autism.
Rating:
Summary: An Important Book for Those With Autistic Loved Ones
Review: I found this book interesting on several levels. It illustrated autism in a way that I as a non-autistic person could relate to and feel. I read the book at the suggestion of an autistic friend. Since that time, I have met several families with high-functioning autistic children. It not only let me see them in a different light than I would have had I not read the book, but the book was appreciated and helpful to the parents, as well. Schneider paints pictures with words and the range of feelings that I experienced while reading the book went from laughter to tears and back again. The book let me see that people with this diagnosis are not autistic people, but people with autism.
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