I have a teenage son who was diagnosed last year with Mixed Developmental Disorder, including ASD/AS. I borrowed this book in the hope that he would read it and understand a little about his condition. Obviously I myself am trying to learn and understand 'what makes him tick'and bagan to read it before him. Sentence after sentence, page after page it appeared that Luke (the books author and subject)and my son could be the same person and my son could indeed have written this book himself. My son, being sceptical of having this condition at first refused to read it, but after becoming agitated with me reading out the many parallels to his own life, took the book from my hands stating that he was going to find a page where something would prove that he indeed was different from Luke and did not have this condition. After dipping into the book randomly for 20 minutes trying to find something that would prove the professionals, myself and everyone else wrong he admitted defeat. Every sentence/ paragraph he had attempted to read out to me further added to the evidence against his own beliefs. It has challenged his own perceptions of himself and whilst he is still outwardly in denial about his condition there is no doubt that this book has had a great impact on him and he is definately more willing to find out more. To this end, the book has been a complete success, it has broken through a barrier of denial that for a long time has seemed impossible to penetrate. It doesn't offer any 'fixes' and I think Mothers will find this book more helpful than Fathers insofar as women very often need 'insight' and men very often need to find a solution. This book is definately now on my wish list. If you have friends or relatives who express the opinion that 'there is nothing wrong with your chid that X, Y or Z wouldn't cure' or that in order for there to be a 'condition' there must be visible obvious symptoms this may be the book that changes their persepctive as it doesn't bamboozle with science.
