Beyond the Wall: Personal Experiences with Autism and Asperger Syndrome

This second edition of Beyond The Wall is an autobiographical account that gives a rare, detailed and warm insight into the life of someone with autism. Shore relates his personal and professional experiences in a simple and open manner, creating an informative, user-friendly text that sheds new light on the trials and tribulations of those with autism. The author not only gives his personal views within this book, but also gives family events and background, while connecting his own experiences to recent research, making it of equal interest to both individuals and professionals.

About the Author :
Stephen Shore: Diagnosed with "atypical development with strong autistic tendencies" and nonverbal until age four, Stephen Shore was viewed as "too sick" to be treated on an outpatient basis. Stephen Shore is now completing his doctoral degree in special education at Boston University with a focus on helping people on the autism spectrum develop their capacities to the fullest extent possible.

Review :
"A surprisingly warm journey into the psyche of an 'Aspie.' The reader is led on a wonderful excursion showing how personal courage and persistence mixed with an encouraging and unyielding family has allowed Stephen Shore to successfully deal with significant brain differences that are called Asperger Syndrome. His openness is refreshing and his use of music to contact and relate to himself and other 'Aspies' is remarkable. This is an invaluable guide and statement of hope for 'Aspies' and people who love them." - John Ratey, M. D., associate clinical professor of psychiatry, Harvard Medical School Author of A User's Guide to the Brain: Perception, Attention, and the Four Theaters of the Brain Co-author, Driven to Distraction, Answers to Distractions, and Shadow Syndromes "As you read Stephen's book about his life, you will marvel at the courage, persistence and intelligence that continue to guide his quest to cope with a complex, highly nuanced world. You will finish the book - not only with greater understanding of the autism spectrum - but with renewed appreciation of what it means to become fully human." - Arnold Miller, director, Language and Cognitive Development Center, Waban, Massachusetts "This book is an important welcome addition to the literature on Asperger Syndrome. Stephen Shore understands AS from the inside, and has taken on the valuable role of guide to the outsider. A patient teacher, he opens doors for the traveller that otherwise remain closed. His book, and the life it describes, will go a long way to raising awareness of AS, highlighting the special strengths that AS confers, whilst not minimising the difficulties. It also contains a wealth of information on how to manage AS." - Simon Baron-Cohen, professor of developmental psychopathology, Autism Research Centre, University of Cambridge "This book aggregates so much important information about Asperger functioning that should be translated into other languages. I'm sure the world's Asperger children would be grateful for the better services that would result." - Walter Camargos, M. D., child psychiatrist and assistant professor of psychiatry, Faculdade de Ciencias Medicas de Minas, Gerais, Brazil