Product Description

The first book to be written by autistic college students who have been diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome, or High Functioning Autism, Aquamarine Blue 5 demonstrates their unique way of looking at and solving problems and the challenges they face. These readable essays detail the struggles of a highly sensitive group and show that there are gifts specific to autistic students that enrich the university system, scholarship, and the world as a whole. Containing the stories of a dozen autistic students, the book deals with everything from learning to eat in dormitory dining halls to making friends to exploring sexuality.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #503542 in Books
• Published on: 2002-11-30
• Original language: English
• Dimensions: .45 pounds
• Binding: Paperback
• 152 pages

From Booklist
Prince-Hughes, an adjunct professor of anthropology and author of a book about gorillas, prefaces the essays in this collection with biographical information about each writer. Crediting the Internet with a rise of an "autistic culture," the editor goes on to differentiate between classic autism and Asperger's syndrome (AS), a condition with which she herself struggles. Each contributor tells his or her story, helping to illuminate problems with relationships, communication, obsessions, sensory channels, jobs, etc. Moreover, the special talents of these bright individuals and their coping mechanisms come to light. Here neurotypicals, autistics' label for "normals," can get hints about using counterquestions to promote better conversations, and those with AS can follow suggestions such as seeing a career counselor before choosing a college major. Sharing their trials and tribulations, these adults offer their communities a certain expertise, especially in libraries and universities, where people with such conditions are often successful. Nancy McCray
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

About the Author
Dawn Prince-Hughes, who has Asperger syndrome, is an adjunct professor of anthropology at Western Washington University, Bellingham, Washington.