In an immensely varied and thoughtful collection of true life reflections on love, marriage and the single life, 26 authors with autism share their experiences and knowledge about successful (and unsuccessful) relationships. Digging deep into the many and varying ways in which autism affects feelings and relationships with others, these honest and intelligent testimonies give the insider's perspective on love on the spectrum. Whether you're a serial dater, hopelessly romantic or happily single, these perceptive and often funny explorations shows how to make good choices, surmount bad ones, and live a good life.
Foreword.
Luke Beardon.
1. Different Loves for Different Folks. Wenn Lawson.
2. Knowing, Being, Living : I Am One. Tracy Turner.
3. Man in Progress. Alex Wilkinson.
4. A Marriage of Two Halves. Sandra Beale-Ellis.
5. Learning to Adapt to a Different Type of Relationship. Joseph Edmonds.
6. True Love, Finding Someone Special Enough to Deserve Me. Lynette Marshall.
7. Benefits and Drawbacks of Relationships in a Different Culture to One's Own. Freddie.
8. Meeting the Train. Alyssa Aleksanian.
Appendix 8a. 'Do You Come with Instructions?' Alyssa Aleksanian.
9. Learning From Failed Relationships and Overcoming Sexual Obsession. David Walsh.
10. The Infatuation that Almost Killed Me. Anthony Sclafani.
11. A Relationship is Not a Hobby. It's a Full-time Commitment, Like it or Not! Norman Bridge.
12. Accepting Each Other (AKA Chapter Twelve). Alexandra Brown.
13. How to Build and Maintain an Intimate Relationship. Dr Christopher Wilson.
14. Thoughts From a Late-diagnosed Aspie... and From Her Husband Too.... Joanna Treasure.
15. What Makes an Individual the Right Partner? Lacey Kerr.
16. Finding Out That the Two of Us Share a Place on the Spectrum. C.A. Smart.
17. Welcome to Planet PJ. P.J. Hughes.
18. Will I Get it Right Next Time? Philip Bricher.
19. 'Doing Social' - Every Old Sock Meets a New Shoe. David Smith.
20. Happily Married on the Spectrum. Paul and Elizabeth Wady. 21. Anniversary Flowers - It's the Thought That Counts. Jules. 22. Love (and Sex) is Just a Game. Gwen Greenwood.
23. Relationships - Sublime or Ridiculous? Atul Movelis.
24. Intimate Relationships - Head or Heart? A. Nonny Mouse.
25. Kissing the Frog. Chris Stobart.
26. An Aspie Accord. Planet Autism.
When giving adults a diagnosis of autism, one of the first and ongoing issues for them involves initiating and maintaining social relationships. I could not convey the levels of diversity or the various creative means of managing social relationships until this book was written. Thankfully I now have this excellent and engaging resource to offer the autistic people I meet. I am confident this positive take on relationships will become a well-thumbed addition to my library!
