I hiatus'd on book reviews for a number of reasons, not the least of which is that the end of 2016 is kicking my butt. I really hope 2017 is better...
Anyway! Meet "How to Be Yourself in a World That's Different: An Asperger Syndrome Study Guide for Adolescents," by Yuko Yoshida. Note the Japanese name. This book was translated from Japanese. It strikes me as unusual, but highly welcome, to see a book like this come out of Japan, one of the most homogeneous societies in the world. Autism is not very positively regarded in the US, and the US is relatively individualistic. I can only imagine the pressure autistic people in Japan must live with... But here's this book, telling everyone it's okay to be different.
This is about the most positive take on autism I've ever seen in my life, and that includes every cloyingly sweet and over-positive Made-For-TV-Movie-ready parent support books. This, thankfully, is not cloyingly sweet or over-positive. It is cognizant of the challenges inherent in the lives of autistic people, but insists that the vast majority of what we're told are weaknesses are actually strengths, when used appropriately. It follows up this viewpoint with actual examples along with its positivity. Many books, particularly ones for parents, like to go on about how special autistic people are, but there's nothing behind the positivity. They go right back to talking about weaknesses and flaws and lacks in that autistic person the instant they're done talking about how great we are. It makes a person feel a mite jaded.
The book is organized into two sections: Information (defining what autism is) and Advice (how to use what you have). At the time of publication in 2007, much less was known about autism than we know now, so the book mainly focuses on behaviors, brain differences, and how these things manifest in thought processes and actions. That said, for all that the book's understanding is outdated, it's not particularly inaccurate. So if you find this book to read it yourself, don't skip this section. I didn't personally see myself in every descriptor on these pages, but some of them absolutely applied.
The advice section is the larger part of the book, and contains neatly organized advice for getting through life. These include strategies for people that tend to think literally, as well as explanations about a couple oddities of politeness (like why you have to apologize when you've bumped someone accidentally- it's not like you meant to). It also includes advice on the perennial problem of how much and when to talk about your hobbies and interests.
In truth, I think this book, barely over 100 pages, could easily have been five times the length and still not been a complete guide to thriving autistically in a neurotypical world. It makes an excellent stab at the generalities and a few specifics in a very short time, and doesn't pretend to have all the answers. Instead, it encourages you to think of them yourself using the guidelines and advice it provides.
Anyway! Meet "How to Be Yourself in a World That's Different: An Asperger Syndrome Study Guide for Adolescents," by Yuko Yoshida. Note the Japanese name. This book was translated from Japanese. It strikes me as unusual, but highly welcome, to see a book like this come out of Japan, one of the most homogeneous societies in the world. Autism is not very positively regarded in the US, and the US is relatively individualistic. I can only imagine the pressure autistic people in Japan must live with... But here's this book, telling everyone it's okay to be different.
This is about the most positive take on autism I've ever seen in my life, and that includes every cloyingly sweet and over-positive Made-For-TV-Movie-ready parent support books. This, thankfully, is not cloyingly sweet or over-positive. It is cognizant of the challenges inherent in the lives of autistic people, but insists that the vast majority of what we're told are weaknesses are actually strengths, when used appropriately. It follows up this viewpoint with actual examples along with its positivity. Many books, particularly ones for parents, like to go on about how special autistic people are, but there's nothing behind the positivity. They go right back to talking about weaknesses and flaws and lacks in that autistic person the instant they're done talking about how great we are. It makes a person feel a mite jaded.
The book is organized into two sections: Information (defining what autism is) and Advice (how to use what you have). At the time of publication in 2007, much less was known about autism than we know now, so the book mainly focuses on behaviors, brain differences, and how these things manifest in thought processes and actions. That said, for all that the book's understanding is outdated, it's not particularly inaccurate. So if you find this book to read it yourself, don't skip this section. I didn't personally see myself in every descriptor on these pages, but some of them absolutely applied.
The advice section is the larger part of the book, and contains neatly organized advice for getting through life. These include strategies for people that tend to think literally, as well as explanations about a couple oddities of politeness (like why you have to apologize when you've bumped someone accidentally- it's not like you meant to). It also includes advice on the perennial problem of how much and when to talk about your hobbies and interests.
In truth, I think this book, barely over 100 pages, could easily have been five times the length and still not been a complete guide to thriving autistically in a neurotypical world. It makes an excellent stab at the generalities and a few specifics in a very short time, and doesn't pretend to have all the answers. Instead, it encourages you to think of them yourself using the guidelines and advice it provides.
Read This Book If:
You're anybody. Particularly if you're autistic, but it also has sections and thoughts for "support people" or parents, caregivers, and anyone else involved in supporting a person on the autism spectrum. This is a much-needed dose of optimism and good advice in a world that's full of downers and pointing fingers and guilt.
I'm so glad to hear your opinion of this book. I thought it was a worthwhile read, and am glad that an asd authority agrees.
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