Executive Summary
“Be Different: My Adventures with Asperger's and My Advice for Fellow Aspergians, Misfits, Families, and Teachers”, is written by John Elder Robison. This is a bestselling memoir of the author, who was born with Asperger, when there was no mechanism to diagnose this condition. By that time he got to know about this condition, he had developed some unique strategies to deal with this condition. He identified his strengths and turned them into opportunities for himself. This book is unique in a way because it has been developed with a positive thought. It does not consider this syndrome as a burden, but recognizes it as a gift. He identifies that people with this condition are able to do myriad things, which the normal people are not able to perform. Although, there has been numerous books on the subject but the information shared by the author through this book is most accessible and relevant to a broader perspective. It is mandatory for people with this condition to discover their special skills and hone them, which will keep them away from self-doubt and ridicule. This book can be considered as a guidebook for people with Asperger Syndrome and related conditions. It identifies the dos and don’ts for people with Asperger. All the information shared by him is based on concrete scientific research and his personal experiences. This book is the most relevant to the readers because it is written by someone who has also suffered from the same problems as the target readers.
Be Different –John Elder Robison
Introduction
“Be Different: My Adventures with Asperger's and My Advice for Fellow Aspergians, Misfits, Families, and Teachers”, is written by John Elder Robison. This is a bestselling memoir of the author, who was born with Asperger, when there was no mechanism to diagnose this condition. He came to realize about this disease when he was in his early forties. He was socially isolated but was intelligent, which allowed him to do certain jobs with rock bands and toy makers but it played a little role to develop likeness for himself by classmates and authority figures. He faced difficulties in his childhood due his non-socializing behavior, avoiding eye contact, and blurts out non sequiturs. By that time he got to know about this condition, he had already developed some unique strategies to deal with it. He identified his strengths and turned them into opportunities for himself. This book is a must read for people with Asperger, Autism, and similar conditions. It is equally relevant to the teachers and parents, who deal with them. Unlike other books on the same topic, this book is unique due to three basic reasons, which will be elucidated in the subsequent paragraphs. These reasons will highlight this is a must-read book for its target audience.
Asperger as a gift not as a burden
Most of the guidebook on Asperger Syndrome considers this condition as a burden that must be managed to be in the arena of normal people. However, this book is unique in a way that it has been developed with a positive thought. It does not consider this syndrome as a burden, but recognizes it as a gift. He identifies that people with this condition are able to do myriad things, which the normal people are not able to perform. All the notions, strategies, and advices shared by him are not just to instill a sense of emotional inspiration and motivation, but it is backed by his personal experiences and scientific research conducted by him. Therefore, the messages shared by him are not mere uplifting talks. This book is presented in way a big brother is articulating his ideas to his younger brother that expounds the life with this condition and how to cope up with things in life.
In the initial chapters of the book, Robison explains what Asperger Syndrome actually is and what are its effects on people? This explanation is done by dividing the syndrome into three broad categories: Proto-Aspergian, Aspergian, and Nypical. Although, there has been numerous books on the subject but the information shared by the author through this book is most accessible and relevant to a broader perspective. The information shared in it can is relevant to the people with different level of people. Robinson explains that not every person with this syndrome is genius, but each one with this condition has some particular excellent quality. He inclines the reader to ponder differently, which will allow them to discover some important, special, and unusual skills in them. He elucidates that attitude and depression is the major causes, which hampers us to discover these strengths and diverts them from these gifts. This concept explained by him is the major motivation for the people with this syndrome that encourage them to find their inner potential without caring about what people think about themselves. It is mandatory for people with this condition to discover their special skills and hone them, which will keep them away from self-doubt and ridicule.
Guidebook for People with Asperger
This book can be considered as a guidebook for people with Asperger Syndrome and related conditions. It identifies the dos and don’ts for people with Asperger. By explaining all the thoughts, he is not being like a motivational speaker or someone who is sharing empty platitudes, but all the information shared by him is based on concrete scientific research and his personal experiences. The book also expounds the various aspects associated with this syndrome including ritualistic behavior, underdeveloped empathy, social difficulties, facial-blindness, and intense focus. Other people, who might not have experienced this by themselves might label an Aspergerian as unemotional, apathetic, checked out, weird, stupid and sometimes even as sociopathic. Robison highlights these nuances associated with this condition and helps the Aspergians to deal with these nuances. By sharing his strategies and experiences, he does not intend to help them to come closer to the yardstick drawn by the Neurotypicals. However, he highlights that Aspergians have got a more plastic brains that refers to the fact that they have high level of adaptability and ability to learn in their own way.
Robinson does not teach the people with Asperger Syndrome to act like the way neurotypical society do, but he guides them to be true with them. The basic notion of the book is to give a sense of understanding that life for Aspergian will become very easy, if they will understand the decorum and practice the same amongst the neurotypical society. He teaches them the notion of healthy co-existence with the people around them. This healthy co-existence is supported by maintaining their gifted identify. The entire book is written with the concept of positive psychology and all the strategies shared in it are inspired by the same belief.
Based on Real life Experience
This book is the most relevant to the readers because it is written by someone who has also suffered from the same problems as the target readers. If the book was written by someone who has no real life close experience of this syndrome then the credibility would be comparatively less. Asperger Syndrome is marked with problems associated with expressing themselves that makes it quite difficult for some third person to do the same job.
Robison at various instances has cracked jokes on himself in the books to explain few situations where he was not able to read the situation marked with his blank stares and misunderstanding that was due to language interpretation differences. He is of the idea that the person who lacks display of feelings does not means that particular person lacks feelings.
Conclusion
This book is unique because it has been developed with a positive thought, which makes it a must-read book. It does not consider Asperger Syndrome as a burden, but recognizes it as a gift. Robinson explains that not every person with this syndrome is genius, but each one with this condition has some particular excellent quality. By explaining all the thoughts, he is not being like a motivational speaker or someone who is sharing empty platitudes, but all the information shared by him is based on concrete scientific research and his personal experiences. This book is the most relevant to the readers because it is written by someone who has also suffered from the same problems as the target readers. A combination of the mention features synergizes to make it a must-read book.
