Life without a script : living with Asperger's syndrome/High functioning Autism is written by Ian Anderson McDougal, who shares his 'lived' experiences with us in this amazing book.
The author takes us through his early childhood through adulthood, sharing various glimpses from his life, but what truly mesmerized me was his profound thinking that is deep, full of empathy, positive outlook and an innate understanding of his strengths and weaknesses. He is a young man, who is interested in a myriad of subjects; such as social sciences, economics, philosophy, psychology and history. Let me share why I loved this book so much. The author shares about his school days, where he was bullied and traumatized as he was 'different' and didn't know how to fit in with others. That is, unfortunately, a common problem faced by many on the Autism spectrum as well as by many neurotypical kids. But the author shows great understanding by trying to understand the perspective of the ones who bullied him! I don't know many people who are mature enough to try to understand people who tormented us. Sometimes, when I read books written by adult Autistics, I often wonder about the validity of 'lack of theory of mind'; that is described as one of the main characteristics of Autism!!
The author also stresses the importance of finding a job/employment that is built on one of the strengths of the individuals on the spectrum. He shares the feed back he got from his coworkers; they describe him as' lazy' and 'dumb' when he does work that he does not find interesting and compares it to the ' talented' and 'dedicated' responses he gets when he is emotionally involved in the work that he finds interesting.
God Bless you Ian and may you prosper and shine in whatever career you pursue. Our best wishes are with you!
The book is available only as a Kindle edition and is very pocket friendly as it costs Rs 49/- only. You can purchase it on Amazon India
