Excellent, but with gender limitations
This is an excellent overview of Asperger Syndrome and its impact on the marriage compact. It's useful for everyone, but has less usefulness for men with female partners who have the syndrome. That's because the syndrome is found predominantly in males and Ms. Aston's research was with couples of this composition.
Great For Partners of Men With AS
What I really liked about this book is it's clarity and to-the-point writing. There isn't a whole lot of fluff (it's a short book) but it covers the basics very well. If you've been in a relationship with a man who as Asperger Syndrome for any length of time, you'll likely find yourself nodding your head, pleased to see that your feelings and thoughts are so well-addressed in this book.
What impressed me perhaps most of all is that this book manages to address some of the difficulties faced by the partner of someone with AS without making it seem as if they are a victim of their partner's AS. There is a refreshing tone of "this can work" throughout the book, acknowledging that, while some things can be difficult, men with AS also have some very redeeming qualities. AS is not a disease, and you shouldn't look at your partner as defective. People with AS just process their world differently. As in any relationship, partners need to decide what they are and are not willing to accept.
The book does touch a bit on women with AS, though it is brief and I feel it misses the mark somewhat. Still, I give this book five stars because I truly and honestly believe that any partner of a man with AS will benefit greatly from reading this. Men with AS may also benefit, as this book is a key to understanding his partner's experience.
I would highly recommend this book.
As close as you will ever get to a set of instructions
You don't have to be married to someone with Asperger's to value this book. Anyone who has autism in their family will see the patterns and traits outlined here in ways surprising and unexpected, and will recognize themselves in the process. Living with a person with autism can make you think you are crazy because of the coping mechanisms you put in place - people with autism can be orderly in a way that is enviable and makes you feel completely disorganized yourself and the next thing you know you're alphabetizing your medicine cabinet and sorting playmobil toys by the date they were manufactured.
The Other Half of Asperger's helps people without autism measure the impact of autism on theirs lives and empowers them to value the good things and minimize the bizarre ones. It allows you to knit those two halves (be they of a marriage, parent-child or brother-sister relationship) back into a whole.
Helpful
Very timely for me and tells it like it is. Nice to know I am not alone.
Basics covered
While this book is well written, I did purchase it hoping that it would include more about women with Aspergers who have a neurotypical partner. I struggled with the fact that I identified more with the author's said issues with her Partner with AS, than i did with her explanations for the partner with AS. I was disappointed that her experience only included two women with AS. Having said that, i still think that it is a good book for my partner as he still has to come to terms with my being on the Autistic Spectrum.
(17 reviews)
