Your Life Is Not a Label: A Guide to Living Fully with Autism and Asperger's Syndrome for Parents, Professionals and You!

by Jerry Newport, Ron Bass (Foreword)

Jerry Newport, diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome / High Functioning Autism at age 47, wrote this book for those with developmental disorders, but it resonates with people with any disability. His message: everyone has the power, and the right, to improve the quality of their lives despite their disability. Don't believe you must be "normal" to be happy; learn to co-exist with neuro-typicals, and become the best human being you can be. Jerry candidly reveals his own failures and successes. His heartfelt advice stems from a deep sense of caring for "his people" on the spectrum. If you read only one personal account about autism, this should be it!

Genres: Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Nonfiction

340 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2001

About the author

Gerald David "Jerry" Newport is an author and public speaker with Asperger syndrome whose life was the basis for the 2005 feature-length movie Mozart and the Whale. He is known for his frank advice and humor when giving presentations. A graduate of the University of Michigan with a B.A. in mathematics, he is also a savant with the ability to perform difficult mathematical calculations in his head. He has two elder brothers, John and James (Jim).

Reviews

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an insightful and helpful book. With this label and diagnosis crazy society of ours, it's good to have someone say that those labels don't matter - you just have to know who you are. Everyone can have a good life if they understand themselves, their limits, their strengths and their weaknesses. At that point, you can go get help were necessary.