Families of Adults with Autism is a collection of real-life stories of people on the autism spectrum growing up, as told by their parents and siblings. The individual accounts explore the challenges that families of people with autism have faced, and the techniques they have used to improve the quality of their children's lives, from mega-doses of vitamins and dietary changes to intensive interaction. The contributors also relate how they have worked with their children or siblings to help them to function at their highest possible level, be it showing an awareness of their environment, holding down a full-time job in a local store, competing in the Special Olympics, or achieving international recognition as an artist. This book will offer practical and heartwarming advice to families who are affected by autism spectrum disorders, and provide insights for professionals working with people with ASDs.

Kelly Harland's stories explore her son's life to the age of 14, and the new and unexpected universe she and her husband - both professional musicians - must learn to navigate with him. Will's fears, anxieties, and obsessions can dominate daily life, making a trip to the grocery store seem like a walk across a minefield. But amidst these unpredictable "flip-outs" and "freak-outs," there are moments of wonder. When Will finally learns the give and take of conversation, or dreams about his future, it rekindles his mother's belief that anything is possible.

Men with Asperger's Syndrome, young and old, experience difficulty with social interaction, which can be a stumbling block when it comes to getting a girlfriend. Here is a book that demystifies the enigma of 'relationships' by explaining everything in Asperger-friendly terms (some of them mathematical, naturally).Asperger Meets Girl provides hope for all hopeless wooers by offering a choice of three interrelated abstract models for understanding boy - girl relationships. And, to make life easier, these models are presented in graph form where possible. The book also gives valuable practical tips for maximising one's chances of successfully developing a relationship, such as how to start a conversation without scaring the other person off, avoiding the inclination to stare and understanding the concept of 'personal space'. Serious, and seriously funny, this book will help bring happy endings to Asperger boys and make them laugh in the process.

Raising a child with Asperger's Syndrome (AS) can be a great struggle and an exhausting fight for the rights of someone who is both gifted and different. In Natural Genius: The Gifts of Asperger's Syndrome, Susan Rubinyi tells the story of raising her son Ben and how she came to view his AS, and the gifts that come with it. Rather than examining the negatives and difficulties, she emphasizes the extraordinary positives of her son's life ? his photographic memory, perfect pitch and French-English bilingual abilities. Advocating a strengths-based approach, Rubinyi explains how her background in foreign language, science fiction and music, as well as her own feelings of alienation, have helped her to understand alternative and cross-cultural perspectives in life. Her journey with Ben is an enriching one of personal transformation. An immensely positive book, this should be read by anyone wishing to encourage the great reward that lie within the challenges of Asperger's Syndrome.