In this clear and accessible introduction to autism, Alexander Durig provides a host of ideas and examples that enable the reader to understand the phenomenon of autism, recognize different kinds of autistic perception and behaviour, and prepare for interaction with autistic people. To help 'normal' people understand and lose their fear of autism, Durig discusses the notions of 'slight' autism, being or becoming 'autism-friendly', and the mental well-being of autistic-people. The author explains how autistic perception 'works' and how it yields autistic behaviours', to enable readers to see the world through the eyes of an autistic person, and thus change the way they perceive autism.
Read it as a reference to my research project at university. The author stated that he wanted to deliver the most simple explanation as possible and I think he somehow achieved it. As English is my second language, I find this book quite accessible to readers who don’t use English as their mother tongue. It’s a good and succinct introduction to who are studying autism at any level.
The only part of the book that was helpful to me was the beginning of the book where the author had a few pages of crude drawings about what an autistic brain may look like (less social, more computer). High functioning would have a little more social capabilities and more computer- logic thinking). A person with severe learning difficulties would have normal social skills but little computer skills. Not a very informative book, but helped a little in understanding autism- definitely the easy way.