Rating: 
Summary: Gives Hope for Adult Life of Meaning
Review: I have heard Stephen Shore speak at an autism conference, and quite frankly, he gave me immense hope for my son (diagnosed ASD at age 5).If you do not have the opportunity to hear Stephen Shore speak in person, read the book. If you have heard him speak, read the book. Keep this book close for the moments when you feel hopeless. It can remind a parent of the power of advocating, saying "no" to the experts, following the lead of your child, following the gut instinct of "I know my child best." It gives a glimpse of what the experience is like inside autism/Asperger's Syndrome. A must have for the library of anyone advocating for a person with an autism spectrum disorder.
Rating:
Summary: Finally, a personal account by a person with a life!!
Review: I write as a peer and friend of Stephen Shore. His book
is a great step forward for our community. It is focused,
practical, well documented and informative. Stephen is not
another "autistic lounge act." He is a mature, married,
serious person with a life way beyond the deserved acclaim
that this book will bring to him. The book is especially useful since Stephen Shore,
like most of the observed people with our condition,
Asperger's Syndrome, is male. His is the first book written
by one of the majority gender, after almost four decades of
living this way, to give parents, siblings, professionals
and our younger peers a great overview of how to live
in a unique way with dignity. A must read and a very enjoyable one!! Jerry Newport Tucson, AZ Author of "Your Life is Not a Label: A Guide to Living
Fully with Autism and Asperger's Syndrome"
Rating:
Summary: Finally, a personal account by a person with a life!!
Review: I write as a peer and friend of Stephen Shore. His book
is a great step forward for our community. It is focused,
practical, well documented and informative. Stephen is not
another "autistic lounge act." He is a mature, married,
serious person with a life way beyond the deserved acclaim
that this book will bring to him. The book is especially useful since Stephen Shore,
like most of the observed people with our condition,
Asperger's Syndrome, is male. His is the first book written
by one of the majority gender, after almost four decades of
living this way, to give parents, siblings, professionals
and our younger peers a great overview of how to live
in a unique way with dignity. A must read and a very enjoyable one!! Jerry Newport Tucson, AZ Author of "Your Life is Not a Label: A Guide to Living
Fully with Autism and Asperger's Syndrome"
Rating:
Summary: This Way of Being
Review: In the beginning of Stephen's book, he writes about the sleeping dragon of autism reawakened and his quest to find out more about *this way of being* and its relation to him. Beyond the Wall is a must read for a parent, teacher or professional. Parents often wonder what it is to be autistic, how they can help their child learn and grow thru the years, and how to help their loved one with hypo or hyper sensitivities and what will their child's future be like. Stephen's book will answer these very important questions. Stephen just doesn't write about his love of music, he shows how his love of music can help an autistic child to learn. Stephen writes about self-advocacy and how important it is to teach a loved one how to self advocate. Stephen writes about his academic learning from grade school to college. He writes of his frustrations in his earlier accounting career. He writes of going back to school for post graduate studies and switching careers. He writes of his new career, living life and being married. Beyond the Wall, is Stephen's autobiography, about being a son, brother, friend, educator, advocate and husband. Long after your done reading his book, you realize that todays autistic child will be tomorrow autistic adult and that Stephen has left the door open for all the children to follow.
Rating:
Summary: An Insider's Look At Living With Aspergers
Review: Stephen Shore has written an unusual and worthy addition to the world of literature regarding Asperger's Syndrome. Shore's work explores aspergers from three different viewpoints: as that of a clinician working with individuals with autism spectrum disorders, as an adult who himself has aspergers, and as an adult remembering the challenges aspergers has presented him with over the course of his lifetime. As the parent of two boys with Autism Spectrum Disorders, I was delighted with Shore's explanations of why my children feel the need to do some of the things they do, and what purpose those behaviors serve in their lives. In this reader's opinion, Beyond the Wall is an invaluable guide to anyone who knows someone with aspergers and autism. Shore's writing is right up there with Temple Grandin's, and should be included as a valuable reference book in anyone's collection of books about autism/aspergers.
Rating:
Summary: An Exceptional Interpretation of the Experience of Autism
Review: There is certainly no shortage of books about autism, and there is also a rapidly growing collection of titles about Asperger Syndrome. When a child receives a diagnosis in the Autism Spectrum, parents search for the key to unlock the puzzle of this mysterious and baffling condition, and it's hard to know where to start reading. Occasionally there is a special contribution such as Beyond the Wall: Personal Experiences with Autism and Asperger Syndrome by Stephen Shore. As an individual who grew up with autism, Shore has an exceptional input to give. Of course, every parent whose child lives within the autistic spectrum would yearn for their son or daughter to turn out like Stephen Shore or Temple Grandin. I myself am no exception to this rule. For that reason, as the father of a 22 year-old son with classic autism, this was a hard book for me to pick up. If I had not met Stephen at conferences and been awe-struck by his honesty and courage, I may have never opened the book. Although it was painful to revisit my dream for what was not to be, it was well worth the price. In Beyond the Wall, Stephen Shore emerges as a role model for children and adults and as an interpreter of the experience for parents and professionals. This little volume is a beacon of hope and a model of acceptance, and I recommend it with enthusiasm. Diagnosed with "atypical development with strong autistic tendencies" and nonverbal until four years old, Stephen Shore was once recommended for residential placement. Because his parents believed in him, they rejected that idea, which was fortunate for their family and the world. Stephen is now completing his doctoral degree at Boston University in special education. He has a focus on helping people on the autism spectrum to develop their capacities to the fullest extent possible-whatever that may be. By walking us through his life story with insight and simplicity, Stephen guides the reader to an awareness of the different way of being which he shares with people on the spectrum. His ability to articulate his experiences clearly and with humor make the book seem like a friendly visit with the author. The author begins by describing a typical day in his life including his strong sensitivities that are the residue of his earlier autism. The sound of a bluejay which may be pleasant to most in the early morning feels like the beak is scraping his eardrum. Shaving feels like a power sander on his chin, so Stephen maintains a beard. He rides his bicycle almost everywhere he goes not just for exercise and relaxation, but also for stimulation and to avoid smelly public transportation-and to meet people with a similar interest. Then based upon his mother's recollections and supplemented by family photos throughout, the author reports on his early life as a quiet and gentle infant who shocked his family by rolling over at eight days. By ten months, he was walking and often turning in circles with a finger in his ear. As a toddler, Stephen would not kiss his father because of the aversive smell of coffee on his breath and the unbearable scratchiness of his moustache. By the age of four, he entered a therapeutic nursery school which had a strong psychoanalytic bent and only four other children in his class. There his speech resumed but with echolalia. His diagnosis was upgraded to "neurotic," and he was able to go to a nursery school in a Jewish Community Center, but he struggled to relate to other children. This difficulty continues into public school kindergarten a year late where the author describes the wonder of learning and the terror of being teased. Many readers will find direction here in helping their children cope with bullying. There is so much of value in Stephen's story, such as how he learned to develop friendships through common activities and the role that music has played in his life. By high school, there was more wonder than terror at school. Dating was an intriguing puzzle for the author, but by his college years, it was another dilemma he was able to solve. In the book we are treated to a brief contribution by his wife, Yi Liu, whom the author met as a fellow graduate student in music. The world of work was no less perplexing, and again the author takes us into his confidence and reveals his struggles to find a niche that works for him. As a way of concluding, the author summarizes with simplicity and clarity his understanding of the autism spectrum. This is done in way that makes the concepts intelligible to families regardless of the individual differences of their child. Perhaps more than anything, Stephen Shore brings us as readers to an acceptance and appreciation for people who are different. With the simplicity and directness of a child, the author shares his well earned knowledge and wisdom. "Beyond the Wall" is on my "short list" of books about autism; it deserves your attention.
Rating:
Summary: An Exceptional Interpretation of the Experience of Autism
Review: There is certainly no shortage of books about autism, and there is also a rapidly growing collection of titles about Asperger Syndrome. When a child receives a diagnosis in the Autism Spectrum, parents search for the key to unlock the puzzle of this mysterious and baffling condition, and it's hard to know where to start reading. Occasionally there is a special contribution such as Beyond the Wall: Personal Experiences with Autism and Asperger Syndrome by Stephen Shore. As an individual who grew up with autism, Shore has an exceptional input to give. Of course, every parent whose child lives within the autistic spectrum would yearn for their son or daughter to turn out like Stephen Shore or Temple Grandin. I myself am no exception to this rule. For that reason, as the father of a 22 year-old son with classic autism, this was a hard book for me to pick up. If I had not met Stephen at conferences and been awe-struck by his honesty and courage, I may have never opened the book. Although it was painful to revisit my dream for what was not to be, it was well worth the price. In Beyond the Wall, Stephen Shore emerges as a role model for children and adults and as an interpreter of the experience for parents and professionals. This little volume is a beacon of hope and a model of acceptance, and I recommend it with enthusiasm. Diagnosed with "atypical development with strong autistic tendencies" and nonverbal until four years old, Stephen Shore was once recommended for residential placement. Because his parents believed in him, they rejected that idea, which was fortunate for their family and the world. Stephen is now completing his doctoral degree at Boston University in special education. He has a focus on helping people on the autism spectrum to develop their capacities to the fullest extent possible-whatever that may be. By walking us through his life story with insight and simplicity, Stephen guides the reader to an awareness of the different way of being which he shares with people on the spectrum. His ability to articulate his experiences clearly and with humor make the book seem like a friendly visit with the author. The author begins by describing a typical day in his life including his strong sensitivities that are the residue of his earlier autism. The sound of a bluejay which may be pleasant to most in the early morning feels like the beak is scraping his eardrum. Shaving feels like a power sander on his chin, so Stephen maintains a beard. He rides his bicycle almost everywhere he goes not just for exercise and relaxation, but also for stimulation and to avoid smelly public transportation-and to meet people with a similar interest. Then based upon his mother's recollections and supplemented by family photos throughout, the author reports on his early life as a quiet and gentle infant who shocked his family by rolling over at eight days. By ten months, he was walking and often turning in circles with a finger in his ear. As a toddler, Stephen would not kiss his father because of the aversive smell of coffee on his breath and the unbearable scratchiness of his moustache. By the age of four, he entered a therapeutic nursery school which had a strong psychoanalytic bent and only four other children in his class. There his speech resumed but with echolalia. His diagnosis was upgraded to "neurotic," and he was able to go to a nursery school in a Jewish Community Center, but he struggled to relate to other children. This difficulty continues into public school kindergarten a year late where the author describes the wonder of learning and the terror of being teased. Many readers will find direction here in helping their children cope with bullying. There is so much of value in Stephen's story, such as how he learned to develop friendships through common activities and the role that music has played in his life. By high school, there was more wonder than terror at school. Dating was an intriguing puzzle for the author, but by his college years, it was another dilemma he was able to solve. In the book we are treated to a brief contribution by his wife, Yi Liu, whom the author met as a fellow graduate student in music. The world of work was no less perplexing, and again the author takes us into his confidence and reveals his struggles to find a niche that works for him. As a way of concluding, the author summarizes with simplicity and clarity his understanding of the autism spectrum. This is done in way that makes the concepts intelligible to families regardless of the individual differences of their child. Perhaps more than anything, Stephen Shore brings us as readers to an acceptance and appreciation for people who are different. With the simplicity and directness of a child, the author shares his well earned knowledge and wisdom. "Beyond the Wall" is on my "short list" of books about autism; it deserves your attention.
Rating: 
Summary: Beyond the Wall... a memoir on ASP/autism
Review: There were definitely parts of the book that entertained me and parts of the book that taught me something. But, like most books which are essentially memoirs, there were large sections of the book that were a bit slow and relevant really to the writer more than anyone who might read it. Odd format... It is the author speaking but there are sections in a different font denoting a change in POV... that was a bit odd. Also included info from his mother--who is really hardly typical as she has both a MR child AND suffered from agrophobia--as well as his wife--who I felt sorry for. She is Chinese and in her country, this diagnosis is shameful. They were married three years before she KNEW about this... Made me sad for her. I was encouraged that this fellow is married, gainfully employed and seems somewhat happy. Gave me hope for my son. Saw some things in his book that my son does, that I had no id'd as an ASP behavior. Definitely worth a look, but by far, not the best resource I've ever seen.
Rating:
Summary: Informative and entertaining in equal measures
Review: This book brings a much more detailed perspective on early adult life on the autistic spectrum than many others. The fact that it is looking at AS through a man's eyes is also worth noting. The author touchs on career choice issues that many with AS have agonised over. To disclose or not to disclose being the Big Question. I won't spoil your reading by recounting the author's experiences. The book describes 'relationships' in candid AS terms. There is a huge amount here for researchers and professionals to dwell on. However, the book is not a guidebook for managing relationships better (or even getting into them) and a crucial metacommentary on events in the book is largely absent. Overall I enjoyed this book. Most readers will find the latter half of the book dealing with college and adult life more revealing than the first half, in my opinion. The book presents AS in sharp tones on occasion. It is a 'warts and all' narrative, but I highly recommend reading it.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent and easy to read
Review: This book was a wonderful read. It sounds like the author is talking right to you, and yet he does not talk down-if one is not fluent in hyperlexic english, they can still get a vocabulary boost. I cannot name one part that I most enjoyed, because I found the whole thing quite informative and at the same time entertaining.
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