Women from Another Planet: Our Lives in the Universe of Autism

Rating:
Summary: A must-have ASD book
Review: I am very excited about this book! Years ago there were not enough books on ASD and now there are too many to choose from. This book is now on my must-have list, for female or male readers.
The many voices represented make it clear that ASD is not a one-size-fits-all description; each contributor is a strong individual, an interesting person, and a poet at heart. The personal stories are fascinating; the poetry is beautiful and pertinent. This is book of revelations and the reader will have many "I never thought of it quite that way" moments no matter how much they think they know about ASD.
There are also many excellent references, which I happen to think is very important.

Rating:
Summary: A must-have ASD book
Review: Most books by autistic people have two main flaws: They are written from one person's point of view that usually includes a lot of generalization, and the authors write primarily about the parts of themselves that most neatly fit autism stereotypes. This is an anthology, so it contains multiple perspectives on the same issues. And it is a well-conceived book, so it does not stay neatly within the boundaries of current autism stereotypes. The main complaint I have about it, if any, is that it does not always do such a good job of avoiding stereotypes of other disabilities, whether physical or mental. And that it periodically refers to all the women in the book as "Asperger's syndrome" whether they officially are that or some other kind of autism. These things might put off some readers who would otherwise enjoy it. But no book is perfect.

This book is intended for reading by all sorts of autistic people, and it is written by all sorts of autistic people. The authors come from different backgrounds, classes, sexual orientations, thinking styles, and kinds of autism. They range from people diagnosed in childhood to people diagnosed in adulthood, people who receive a fair amount of official assistance to people who receive none, and people who are on the boundaries between autism and neurotypicality to people well into the autistic side of things. This is important because most books by one autistic woman at a time end up with the problem of overgeneralization from one perspective. It's hard to do that in a book with so many and varied people writing for it. For instance, there are times when several of the authors are saying, "This is the way autism is," and another author will say, "Hey, wait a minute, it's not that way for *me*!" That's the beauty of having multiple sources of input.

The book is meant as a crossroads between feminism and the neurodiversity movement, and a discussion of life as autistic women. Neither side of this is neglected -- people's lives are discussed as they relate to autism, as they relate to womanhood, and as autism relates to womanhood. Do not assume that all you will be hearing about are stereotypical autistic statements and stereotypical female statements, however -- the writing in this book ranges from poetry to prose; the topics from spirituality to the mundane aspects of daily life, as well as specifically female things like motherhood (yes, autistic people *can* be mothers!) This book is neither dry nor boring, and it gets a message across without being preachy.

It is laid out with an introduction at the beginning, several sections of writing that are connected just loosely enough and just tightly enough, and a glossary and recommended reading at the end.

It's hard to pick a favorite part. There are too many parts that I either relate to or learn from. There is no one simplistic view of autistic women espoused, so there is a lot to choose from. Jane Meyerding's "Growing Up Genderless", in which she recounts never quite fitting the feminine role stereotype, is familiar. There are important statements about the underdiagnosis of autistic women. I like "MM"'s descriptions of her early and profound connection to animals and her strong sense of spirituality. There are lots of poems and stories that look at the emotional side of being an autistic woman, from beautiful to harrowing. There are the printed email discussions at the beginning, in which you can see conversations that present several sides of certain issues, that make up an important whole. There are so many good things that I can't list them all. There are a few things I dislike, but in a book by so many people, that's predictable.

Taken as a whole, this book is amazing -- and I'm not saying that just because autistic people wrote it; I've read lots of books by autistic people. I read it and it gets into my life as a whole person and an autistic woman, not just the bits and pieces people want to hear about when they read autism books. Nobody in the book has a life precisely like mine, but somehow it doesn't matter -- somehow the most important internal parts are represented. It blends the personal, medical, and political effectively and gracefully. Most books about autism, even the personal ones, look mainly at our brains and "symptoms". This one is not so limited by convention. It looks into our lives and souls.

If you know an autistic woman, please read this book and talk to her about it. Even if you don't, this book is crying out for a wider audience than the narrow audience it seems at first glance to have. This book would be interesting to people beyond feminists and people with an interest in autism. I've already bought a copy for a non-autistic woman I know, which I don't normally do with my limited budget, and I've recommended it to my local feminist bookstore, which I also don't normally do with my limited capacity for socialization. This may well be my new favorite among books by autistic people. If it's not, it's close to it.

This book is all the things I've described, and more. It is also truly, artistically (and autistically) beautiful.

Rating:
Summary: Wow. A look at our real, whole lives for once.
Review: Most books by autistic people have two main flaws: They are written from one person's point of view that usually includes a lot of generalization, and the authors write primarily about the parts of themselves that most neatly fit autism stereotypes. This is an anthology, so it contains multiple perspectives on the same issues. And it is a well-conceived book, so it does not stay neatly within the boundaries of current autism stereotypes. The main complaint I have about it, if any, is that it does not always do such a good job of avoiding stereotypes of other disabilities, whether physical or mental. And that it periodically refers to all the women in the book as "Asperger's syndrome" whether they officially are that or some other kind of autism. These things might put off some readers who would otherwise enjoy it. But no book is perfect.

This book is intended for reading by all sorts of autistic people, and it is written by all sorts of autistic people. The authors come from different backgrounds, classes, sexual orientations, thinking styles, and kinds of autism. They range from people diagnosed in childhood to people diagnosed in adulthood, people who receive a fair amount of official assistance to people who receive none, and people who are on the boundaries between autism and neurotypicality to people well into the autistic side of things. This is important because most books by one autistic woman at a time end up with the problem of overgeneralization from one perspective. It's hard to do that in a book with so many and varied people writing for it. For instance, there are times when several of the authors are saying, "This is the way autism is," and another author will say, "Hey, wait a minute, it's not that way for *me*!" That's the beauty of having multiple sources of input.

The book is meant as a crossroads between feminism and the neurodiversity movement, and a discussion of life as autistic women. Neither side of this is neglected -- people's lives are discussed as they relate to autism, as they relate to womanhood, and as autism relates to womanhood. Do not assume that all you will be hearing about are stereotypical autistic statements and stereotypical female statements, however -- the writing in this book ranges from poetry to prose; the topics from spirituality to the mundane aspects of daily life, as well as specifically female things like motherhood (yes, autistic people *can* be mothers!) This book is neither dry nor boring, and it gets a message across without being preachy.

It is laid out with an introduction at the beginning, several sections of writing that are connected just loosely enough and just tightly enough, and a glossary and recommended reading at the end.

It's hard to pick a favorite part. There are too many parts that I either relate to or learn from. There is no one simplistic view of autistic women espoused, so there is a lot to choose from. Jane Meyerding's "Growing Up Genderless", in which she recounts never quite fitting the feminine role stereotype, is familiar. There are important statements about the underdiagnosis of autistic women. I like "MM"'s descriptions of her early and profound connection to animals and her strong sense of spirituality. There are lots of poems and stories that look at the emotional side of being an autistic woman, from beautiful to harrowing. There are the printed email discussions at the beginning, in which you can see conversations that present several sides of certain issues, that make up an important whole. There are so many good things that I can't list them all. There are a few things I dislike, but in a book by so many people, that's predictable.

Taken as a whole, this book is amazing -- and I'm not saying that just because autistic people wrote it; I've read lots of books by autistic people. I read it and it gets into my life as a whole person and an autistic woman, not just the bits and pieces people want to hear about when they read autism books. Nobody in the book has a life precisely like mine, but somehow it doesn't matter -- somehow the most important internal parts are represented. It blends the personal, medical, and political effectively and gracefully. Most books about autism, even the personal ones, look mainly at our brains and "symptoms". This one is not so limited by convention. It looks into our lives and souls.

If you know an autistic woman, please read this book and talk to her about it. Even if you don't, this book is crying out for a wider audience than the narrow audience it seems at first glance to have. This book would be interesting to people beyond feminists and people with an interest in autism. I've already bought a copy for a non-autistic woman I know, which I don't normally do with my limited budget, and I've recommended it to my local feminist bookstore, which I also don't normally do with my limited capacity for socialization. This may well be my new favorite among books by autistic people. If it's not, it's close to it.

This book is all the things I've described, and more. It is also truly, artistically (and autistically) beautiful.

Rating:
Summary: A Great Read!
Review: This book is written by autistic women with all different backgrounds and experiences, so it helps even people that have no contact with autism to learn about how an autistic person lives and the sort of experiences that that person has, but in more depth than simply a description of characteristics that is typically found when researching a developmental disorder such as autism online or in the library. The best part of this book is that all of the stories and poems are real; they are real experiences and real thoughts and feelings told by real women. It is an invaluable resource both for people simply willing to learn about autism and for people living with autism, perhaps undiagnosed, and especially for friends or family members of autistic persons.

Personally, I am very close to two people with Asperger's Syndrome and at first, it was very hard for me to relate to either of them. I think at first, people often misjudge others' actions as being rude or cold just because the way they act is different from what "society" is used to. However, that is not fair. There is no "normal". We are all different and that's what makes us interesting. If I had judged the two people I know that have Asperger's, I would have missed knowing two extremely intelligent, interesting, and inspiring individuals who mean more to me than I could have ever imagined. We all adapt to our environments in whatever way is comfortable to us. As I have learned more about Asperger's Syndrome and autism, I notice that I can relate quite a lot to the actions and feelings typical of these disorders.

I think this book helps people understand what it is like living with a developmental disorder and also makes both diagnosed and undiagnosed people say, "Hey, there are others out there kind of like me!" The stories and poems are honest and interesting and provide an excellent resource for anyone.

P.S. My favorite story in the book is called "'Cause It's Friday" (219) because it's so honest, funny, and well-written... and shows how sometimes, people have to make the most out of life at even the worst of times. The author, Kimberly Tucker, is one of the best non-fiction writers I've ever seen, so if anyone ever gets the chance, read more of her work! I mean it.

Rating:
Summary: Celebrate! Wave the Puzzle-Patterned Autism Banner Proudly!
Review: To say I truly love this book would be a vast understatement. Instead of presenting one theory or the "Procrustean Bed" approach of painfully forcing people to support a certain finding, this book provides a myriad of insights into autism among women.

I am good and tired of the Rain Man stereotype that protrays people with autism has having savant abilities and no viable social skills; I am equally tired of the "rocking and staring" stereotype of autism as well. Sadly, stereotypes are so often applied to any population and this book unfortunately has passages wherein other groups are painted with the Stereotyping Brush. That is the only drawback.

Since this book contains a myriad of descriptions, it provides the much needed service of explaining that autism and its related neurobiological condition Asperger's is as unique as there are individuals who are on the spectrum. As the NT (neurotypical) population recognizes and claims individuality, the same applies among the a/A population.

How wonderful to find a book by people with autism about people with autism. This is the only work I am currently aware of that is concentrated on women who have autism. The fact that the authors come from all walks of life is representative of the multi-cultural/multi-ethnic world we all, as people live in is a very powerful statement. Autism does not discriminate.

I also like the way the authors describe their individual needs in coping with a largely NT world; the voice for accessibility can be seen, heard and felt throughout this work. The authors are not reluctant to challenge stereotypes and make individual claims describing how they are personally affected by having autism.

What makes this book so unique is that it is connects feminism and autism. NT issues are also addressed in this work as well. At no time did I feel these roads diverged; rather I felt the NT and a/A road converged frequently throughout this book.

A wide range of issues are discussed such as the spiritual aspects of people's lives; their core values and beliefs; their work experiences; things they do on a routine basis. Indeed, it is just this wide range that speaks even more to the diversity of the Autism Experience and encourage people to celebrate that part of their lives. Readers will come away wanting to wave the Autism Banner with Pride!

This book is a masterpiece. Like the Autism Ribbon made up of multi-colored, interlocking pieces, this book puts together a beautiful mosiac of the Autism Experience among a diverse group of women. The image as a whole, prose and poetry combined with each individual voice makes for a very unique work of art.

This book is for everybody. NT readers will come away with a greater understanding and appreciation for autism; readers on the a/A spectrum will feel this book speaks to some aspects of their lives. It contains a fresh set of perspectives about human lives and how autism is a part of those lives and not the sole focus. This is a book I'll keep banging on the drum for because I think the messages it imparts need to be heard by all, and not just the seemingly intended audience.

This is certainly a book that will leave readers deep in thought for a very long time.




Rating:
Summary: Fascinating Read
Review: Women From Another Planet knocked my socks off, enlightened me and gave me insight into the lives of autistic people. It also points out how we neurologically typical people often treat autistic people as if they are worth less than we are, sometimes with absolute cruelty. It was quite ironic to read about the "normal" persons insensitivity, lack of imagination, and selfish selfcenteredness (all supposedly autistic traits) around many of these women. I found the whole book marvellous and fascinating. Since there are 19 contributors, the variety of experiences and traits is huge. A good read!