Asperger Awareness: A Key to Success for IT and Technical Managers

a book by Stephen Plowright

If you are a manager of technical people, you will already have an intuitive understanding that many of your personnel have natural traits and abilities in common that help to make them good at what they do. In many technical teams, around half of the workers will score significantly higher than average on an Asperger test. This book explains the benefits of understanding Asperger traits. Distilled to the relevant and concise facts, this manual is easily read and absorbed by busy managers. It is also useful for technical people who want to better understand their own traits and abilities, and also their rights in the workplace. For those interested in further reading, books are suggested at the end of each chapter.

For ordering information visit Lulu.com

Important Note:  I have not read the book and inclusion on the site is not an endorsement.  I am simply providing information about books related to Autism Spectrum Disorders to anyone who might be interested.

Wicked Good: Sisters publish novel from their ASD blog

Sisters Amy Lewis Faircloth of Hampden, Maine and Joanne Lewis of Florida have published their first co-written novel about a single mother who is battling addiction struggling to raise her adopted son who is a teen on quest to find his birth parents, understand his Asperger’s Syndrome, and be a better son.

Faircloth and her teenage son both have AS, and much of the fictional story is written based on their personal traits.  The project began as a way for the sisters to do something fun together.  It took three years to complete, and after having a difficult time finding a publisher, they decided to post some of the chapters online via a blog.

The book has won the online 2011 Reader Favorite Award and is among the finalists for the Royal Palm Literary Awards, which will be announced October 22 at a writer’s conference in Orlando, Florida.

You can read the first two chapters of the book online at www.amyandjoanne.com.

John Elder Robison’s new book “Be Different: Adventures of a Free-Range Aspergian”

New York Times Best Selling Author John Elder Robison presents another look at life with Asperger’s Syndrome with his latest release Be Different: Adventures of a Free-Range Aspergian. The book provides practical advice for those diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome, an autism spectrum disorder (ASD), their families and teachers — or anyone who feels like a misfit.  The underlying message of the book is that every person, Aspergian or not, has something unique to offer the world, and every person has the capacity to create strong, loving bonds with their family and friends.

A quote on his web site reads, ” I believe those of us with Asperger’s are here for a reason, and we have much to offer.”  And Robison is living proof of that.  In his memoir Look Me in the Eye: My Life with Aspergers (2007), Robison relates a variety eccentric experiences from his younger years – some humorous and some sad – which led him to a successful career even though he had a hard time fitting in.  He was diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome at age 40.

Throughout their lives, and especially during childhood, many people with Asperger’s Syndrome face social deficits and alienation from others who are considered neurotypical or normal.   Read about the many facets of Aspergers here. But many Aspergians are also extraordinarily gifted in particular skills such as concentration, abstract reasoning or mechanical skills.   In Be Different, Robison argues that Asperger’s is about difference, not disability.  He also offers practical advice on how Aspergians can improve communication and social skills that keep them from taking full advantage of, or even recognizing their often remarkable gifts.

Robison has 31  appearances scheduled throughout the U.S. during 2011 to promote Be Different and is planning trips to Canada and overseas.  For more information about John Elder Robison, his appearances and his books, be sure to visit his web site www.johnrobison.com. You can also follow him on Twitter @johnrobison or read his blog at www.jerobison.blogspot.com.

New book HOUSE RULES by Jodi Picoult takes on Asperger’s Syndrome

Best-selling author Jodi Picoult’s newest book to be released March 2, 2010 is called HOUSE RULES.  The fictional work is about a single mom Emma Hunt, her 18-year old son Jacob who has Asperger’s Syndrome, and her 15-year old son Theo. Jacob has a hard time reading social cues or expressing himself. Like many kids with AS, Jacob has a special interest in one subject – in his case, forensic analysis. He’s always showing up at crime scenes, thanks to the police scanner he keeps in his room, and telling the cops what they need to do…and he’s usually right.  His fascination with forensics leads him into trouble when one day his tutor is found dead, and the police come to question him.  The typical behaviors of Asperger’s – not looking someone in the eye, stimulatory tics and twitches, inappropriate affect – can resemble signs of guilt — and suddenly, Jacob finds himself accused of murder.  According to the synopsis on Picoult’s web site, “HOUSE RULES looks at what it means to be different in our society, how autism affects a family, and how our legal system works well for people who communicate a certain way – but lousy for those who don’t.”

Read the book review by Christine Ma on philly.com

A conversation with author Jodi Picoult about HOUSE RULES