The Autistic Me

Since I first uploaded the ePub for A Spectrum of Relationships  in 2011, several thousand copies have been purchased. Yet, there are only two reviews, and one mentions grammar errors that my wife and I cannot locate, despite rereading the text multiple times. I realize that few people review books, and even fewer offer valuable suggestions, but I do wonder why so few readers respond to the book. Only a handful of people have written to me about the book, and most of those emails are short "Thank you" notes without suggestions or ideas. Not that I don't like a thank you, but I want to improve the book. The text should inform, entertain, and lead to more ideas. Some writers might prefer a lack of engagement with readers, but I want to learn from readers and offer them something better with each revision to a text. If you have purchased A Spectrum of Relationships , let me know your impressions: What did you like about the book, and how could I do "more" o...

I finished reading Finding Kansas this weekend. If you want to learn a bit more about the author, Aaron Likens, you should visit his websites: http://lifeontheothersideofthewall.blogspot.com/ http://www.findingkansas.com/ Aaron's father warns readers that the essays within Finding Kansas might seem depressing and hopeless. The essays don't promise a better future for Aaron. As Aaron reminds us, real life isn't neatly packaged with closure at the end — and this book is merely a beginning of sorts, anyway. I'm left feeling miserable about autism spectrum disorders and about my own autistic traits. It is probably because I'm already exhausted and frustrated and reading Finding Kansas while sorting out my own path in life was a bit much to tackle. Finding Kansas is not a self-help book. It's not a traditional memoir. There's no story arch, and I'm not certain there is forward progress. Being tired, I start to see my own "treadmill...

When I was asked to read and comment on Finding Kansas: Living and Decoding Asperger's Syndrome I didn't expect the book to affect me much, if at all. I've read many autism memoirs and some seem more familiar than others. I can relate to the writings of Stephen Shore, for example, more than the works of John Elder Robison. Temple Grandin touches on experiences I understand, but her life was far more challenging than anything I've experienced. The readers of Finding Kansas might understand what its like to live with an autism spectrum disorder. I'm not sure, because I keep trying to tell myself that I'm not like Aaron — even when I know much of what he writes is familiar. The writings of Aaron Likens reflect emotions and social issues so familiar they hurt. His memories trigger my own negative memories, causing a fair amount of misery. At the same time, I cannot relate directly to some of his experiences and impulses. I recognize Aaron struggles with his e...

Depression scares me. I can imagine nothing worse than a lack of hope. Page after page,  Finding Kansas: Living and Decoding Asperger's Syndrome reminds the reader that many autistic teens and adults struggle with depression. As I read Aaron Likens' essays, I'm keep returning to something mentioned early in the text by his father: depression. Aaron mentions his mother briefly in an essay, stating that she's had something of an emotional breakdown. At the same time, it is clear that Aaron recognizes his own depression and its illogical nature. I tell families and individuals with autism spectrum disorders that they should work with the best clinicians they can locate (and, sadly, afford). When an ASD is accompanied by depression, anxiety disorders, or other conditions, a relationship with a medical professional with neuropsych knowledge is essential. Be careful, though — psychologists and other clinicians tend to develop biases and blinders based on their areas of ...

Aaron Likens dreams of being a top-tier professional race driver. Auto racing is the most important thing in his life, often at the cost of social connections. His focus also seems to impair his overall judgment in ways best understood by reading his memoir, Finding Kansas . Many, maybe most, of the people I've met with autism spectrum diagnoses, have a tendency to perseverate. From simple repeating of sounds or movements for a few minutes to years focused on a topic, the nature of perseveration varies by individual. In some cases the focus drifts into obsession. I found myself wanting to tell him, "Stop talking about racing. Young women don't care." Aaron's idea of a good day together is watching races. If someone else loves racing as much, then that might make sense, but it is painfully clear that "Emily" does not share Aaron's passion for racing. The line between interest and obsession is important. A special interest can help you connect to...

I'm reading Aaron Likens' Finding Kansas while I am revising my eBook A Spectrum of Relationships . I mention my project because I was updating the section on relationships at work when I reread Aaron's essay "Work" and found myself reflecting on how difficult workplaces can be for people with autism spectrum disorders. I certainly find workplaces confusing. Aaron's struggles in the workplace feel all-too-familiar. The gray areas are annoying. The interactions with others are exhausting. Honesty often backfires, and kind people are too often punished for doing what seems right. Because we seek to understand people, asking questions about coworkers is how we sometimes try to navigate and anticipate how people might interact with us. The problem with seeking information is that it can seem like gossip. Maybe it is "gossip" to others, but autistics are simply trying to learn the rules others seem to know intuitively. I end up wanting to avoid peo...

This weekend I will try to finish reading Finding Kansas  by Aaron Likens. I haven't posted many book reviews to The Autistic Me because I don't find that many autism-related books "fun reading" (and some autism books support ideas I don't wish to promote). I will post my thoughts as soon as I finish with the text. So far, it is interesting, without many of the elements I find annoying in other autism-related works.

I don't view myself as part of the market for most autism books found on bookstore shelves, most of which are for parents. These books tend to cover familiar material, too often including data and information I consider faulty or even misleading. However, when I was asked by a representative of Skyhorse Publishing if I might review a book for parents with a section on education, I consented. 1,001 Tips for the Parents of Autistic Boys: Everything You Need to Know about Diagnosis, Doctors, Schools, Taxes, Vacations, Babysitters, Treatment, Food, and More by Ken Siri ISBN: 978-1-61608-105-8 I cannot endorse this text for a number of reasons, some merely stylistic but some that are, at least for me, far more important. Stylistic Issues The "1,001 Tips" are not actually individual tips. Most of the "tips" are composed of a few sentences from other sources. Too many of these sources are websites, not academic journals or scholarly texts. Some of the sourcing is uncle...