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Beyond Rain Man
Although one child in 68 is diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder, psychologist Anne Ross is stunned when she learns her son has Asperger’s Syndrome. The diagnosis propels her more deeply into her life’s work with children on the spectrum.
Her compelling and lyrical story of raising — and launching — her son is one of anguish as well as joy, and what she learns along the way will help other families who are living this perplexing, remarkable, and humbling journey of parenthood.
"Dedicated work, teaching, and mentoring is required to enable a young adult on the autism spectrum to be successful. Anne Ross will show you how her tireless persistence paid off."
–Temple Grandin, author of The Autistic Brain: Helping Different Kinds of Minds to Succeed
"Well-written, honest, and insightful. Complementing clinical experience with her personal story, Anne Ross highlights both the common features of Asperger's and the individual differences in presentation. She pulls no punches in exploring the darker side of the syndrome and acknowledging her own parenting mistakes. Clinicians, families with members on the spectrum, and people who simply have an interest in an increasingly visible syndrome will find this book accessible, engaging and thought provoking."
–Graeme Simsion, author of New York Times bestsellers The Rosie Project and The Rosie Effect
"As both a school psychologist and parent of a child with an autism spectrum disorder, Anne Ross provides double insight into understanding and supporting someone with Asperger’s Syndrome. Her story is engaging, informative, and accurate. Parents and professionals will benefit greatly from her wisdom."
–Tony Attwood, Ph.D., author and Adjunct Professor, Griffith University, Queensland and senior consultant, Minds & Hearts Clinic, Brisbane, Queensland
"Beyond Rain Man adds a fresh and unusual dual perspective on autism—seeing one's child through both a psychologist's and a mother's eyes. An honest account of how a professional learns from her son to help other parents."
–Simon Baron-Cohen, author and professor, Cambridge University
Her compelling and lyrical story of raising — and launching — her son is one of anguish as well as joy, and what she learns along the way will help other families who are living this perplexing, remarkable, and humbling journey of parenthood.
"Dedicated work, teaching, and mentoring is required to enable a young adult on the autism spectrum to be successful. Anne Ross will show you how her tireless persistence paid off."
–Temple Grandin, author of The Autistic Brain: Helping Different Kinds of Minds to Succeed
"Well-written, honest, and insightful. Complementing clinical experience with her personal story, Anne Ross highlights both the common features of Asperger's and the individual differences in presentation. She pulls no punches in exploring the darker side of the syndrome and acknowledging her own parenting mistakes. Clinicians, families with members on the spectrum, and people who simply have an interest in an increasingly visible syndrome will find this book accessible, engaging and thought provoking."
–Graeme Simsion, author of New York Times bestsellers The Rosie Project and The Rosie Effect
"As both a school psychologist and parent of a child with an autism spectrum disorder, Anne Ross provides double insight into understanding and supporting someone with Asperger’s Syndrome. Her story is engaging, informative, and accurate. Parents and professionals will benefit greatly from her wisdom."
–Tony Attwood, Ph.D., author and Adjunct Professor, Griffith University, Queensland and senior consultant, Minds & Hearts Clinic, Brisbane, Queensland
"Beyond Rain Man adds a fresh and unusual dual perspective on autism—seeing one's child through both a psychologist's and a mother's eyes. An honest account of how a professional learns from her son to help other parents."
–Simon Baron-Cohen, author and professor, Cambridge University
272 pages, Paperback
Published April 5, 2016
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About the author
Anne K. Ross
2 books90 followersBeyond Rain Man is a 2016 Foreword INDIES winner!
https://awards.forewordreviews.com/bo...
Anne K. Ross is the pen name for an award-winning writer and school psychologist with three decades of experience working in public schools in Northern California. She holds a master’s degree in educational psychology, a Ph.D. in clinical psychology, and an MFA in creative writing. She is a past winner of an American Psychological Association dissertation research award, and she has published in professional and literary journals. Her creative writing has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize and a Lambda Literary Award. She is the mother of two young adult sons.
https://awards.forewordreviews.com/bo...
Anne K. Ross is the pen name for an award-winning writer and school psychologist with three decades of experience working in public schools in Northern California. She holds a master’s degree in educational psychology, a Ph.D. in clinical psychology, and an MFA in creative writing. She is a past winner of an American Psychological Association dissertation research award, and she has published in professional and literary journals. Her creative writing has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize and a Lambda Literary Award. She is the mother of two young adult sons.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
November 14, 2016
We are proud to announce that BEYOND RAIN MAN by Anne K. Ross is a B.R.A.G.Medallion Honoree. This tells a reader that this book is well worth their time and money!
August 2, 2016
As I dug into Beyond Rain Man by Anne K. Ross, I felt empathy for the whole family. At times it seemed like they were on a train careening out of control, screeching down a mountain without brakes. At the edge of my seat, I wondered if and how they would manage to stay on the tracks.
I won’t tell you any more than that, other than the fact that Ross is a fine writer and a courageous woman. She manages to explain things about autism and its place in modern society without getting too academic. It is even more impressive (and effective) that she is willing to show her dark side as a mother. You know what I mean: those times when your patience runs thin and you respond in a less than generous manner; those times when you don’t act like the adult in the room, even though it is the role required of you.
After I finished reading Beyond Rain Man I bought a copy for a friend who had seen dark times raising her own son. After devouring it she said, “That was my life. I want to meet the woman who wrote this book.” That’s what Ross manages to do. In telling her story with razor-sharp honesty softened by a deep reserve of love, Ross makes us feel like it’s our story, too. I highly recommend this book to parents, teachers, aunts, and neighbors, anyone who has or knows a young person on the autism spectrum, which you will learn from reading this book, is just about all of us.
I won’t tell you any more than that, other than the fact that Ross is a fine writer and a courageous woman. She manages to explain things about autism and its place in modern society without getting too academic. It is even more impressive (and effective) that she is willing to show her dark side as a mother. You know what I mean: those times when your patience runs thin and you respond in a less than generous manner; those times when you don’t act like the adult in the room, even though it is the role required of you.
After I finished reading Beyond Rain Man I bought a copy for a friend who had seen dark times raising her own son. After devouring it she said, “That was my life. I want to meet the woman who wrote this book.” That’s what Ross manages to do. In telling her story with razor-sharp honesty softened by a deep reserve of love, Ross makes us feel like it’s our story, too. I highly recommend this book to parents, teachers, aunts, and neighbors, anyone who has or knows a young person on the autism spectrum, which you will learn from reading this book, is just about all of us.
September 22, 2016
It takes courage to write a memoir about family. An author exposes herself and her loved ones to observation and criticism as well as appreciation. Anne K. Ross has taken a close look at her family’s unique situation in Beyond Rain Man. Asperger’s Syndrome caused her older son’s problems, but it took a long time for the family to find that out. She looks at his condition as both a mother and a school psychologist, feeling despair over his excessive reactions to noises, the seams of his clothes scratching his skin, and any answer that is remotely ambiguous or open-ended. It’s countered by moments of joy at the accomplishments of her “Sweet Boy.”
An accomplished writer who looks at the diagnosis from a unique perspective, Ross brings a full gamut of emotions to her observations. She compares her own reactions to the parents of students on the spectrum with her own reactions to her son’s unpredictability. The whole family is in a tough situation, and this is the story of how they cope, survive, and come to terms with a condition that was barely recognized when her son was born.
An accomplished writer who looks at the diagnosis from a unique perspective, Ross brings a full gamut of emotions to her observations. She compares her own reactions to the parents of students on the spectrum with her own reactions to her son’s unpredictability. The whole family is in a tough situation, and this is the story of how they cope, survive, and come to terms with a condition that was barely recognized when her son was born.
August 22, 2016
Beyond Rain Man is a great read. I am on the autism spectrum and I recognized many of my own traits in Mat, Anne's son. I am also a mother and so I could empathize with the parenting aspect at times. Finally, I liked the part about Anne herself having to identify children at school, such a difficult thing to do. Thank you Anne for this interesting and beautifully written book.
September 21, 2016
I really liked the subject matter and the way it was written. A great book.
March 27, 2016
Beyond Rain Man offers incredible insight, support, and understanding to the complexities of raising a child on the autism spectrum. Anne lends an interesting perspective as a professional, academic, and parent, and provides an honest and candid account of the many trials, tribulations, and successes raising a child on the autism spectrum. I see this book as, above all, a source of comfort and support to the community -- understanding that even professionals are not immune to the many adjustments of raising a child with autism, and even professionals must keep learning. Readers will grow with Anne and Matt, see themselves in them, and of course, root for them the entire way. Anne is additionally a gifted story-teller, and she made her story incredibly easy to read. Beyond Rain Man is as poetic as it is cerebral.
April 24, 2016
A heartbreaking and heartwarming, informative, deeply honest story of raising a child with Asperger's/high functioning autism. Accurate, up to date information about research and therapies is sprinkled into a moving story about a family's experiences during some turbulent years of child-raising, and it ends with a sense of accomplishment, acceptance, and contentment. Highly recommended for families as well as professionals who want to know about the kids on the less visible (hidden disability) end of the autism spectrum but who still have significant educational and social needs. This book should be required reading for undergraduate and graduate students in education, special education, psychology, and autism training programs as well as currently practicing physicians, psychologists, and therapists.
December 10, 2016
I was so excited to receive Beyond Rain Main By Anne K. Ross through goodreads.com. I am the mother of a a 40 year old son with an ASD who was not diagnosed until he was 16. Then it was PDD,nos which may translate to Aspergers in the current DSM. I can relate to most of what the author has written about and would recommend this book to anyone with a child or relative with any Autism Spectrum Disorder. Miss Ross sheds light on many issues of raising or dealing with ASD the very important one being its no one's fault and why didn't I see it.
Thank you so much for writing your son's story.
Thank you so much for writing your son's story.
September 23, 2024
4.18 an interesting, honest read. As a retired Sped teacher I really appreciated the sections on “why the increase in ASD?”, which is what I’m often asked about when speaking to people outside education. I also appreciated the “we’ll get there in understanding why at some point.” Recommended!
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June 17, 2016So great to finally pick up a book written by a parent of a kid on the spectrum to find that they struggled along the way. I know from experience that this parenting gig is ever changing & with my son, it is quite the wild ride. Thank you to Ann & her family for sharing their story.
April 10, 2016
Adored this memoir of a mother and psychologist struggling with her son's autism. Never saccharine, but open and unsparingly honest, this is an important book about family and fallibility. Anne Ross is a fine writer.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews