The other day a reader asked if I had recommendations for books on Autism for adults. She has a 26 year old adult son who needs help negotiating sensory issues, social skills and decision making.
Many books out there about Autism focus on educators working with children who are Autistic or are geared towards parents supporting their child with Autism. But this mom does bring up a good point… where are all of the books on Autism for adults?
If you’ve personally read any of these books, be sure to leave a comment about which ones you found helpful!
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Books on Autism for Adults
Autism Adulthood: Strategies and Insights for a Fulfilling Life: Autism Adulthood features thirty interviews with autistic adults, their parents, caregivers, researchers, and professionals. Each vignette reveals firsthand a family’s challenge, their circumstances, their thought processes, and their unique solutions, and plans of action.
Overcoming Anxiety and Depression on the Autism Spectrum: A Self-help Guide Using CBT: Award-winning author Dr. Lee A. Wilkinson’s new book presents strategies derived from cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), adapted specifically for adults on the higher end of the autism spectrum, to help them overcome anxiety and depression, and improve their psychological well-being.
Ask and Tell: Self-Advocacy and Disclosure for People on the Autism Spectrum: Ask and Tell aims to help people with autism effectively self-advocate in their pursuit of independent, productive, and fulfilling lives. Ask and Tell is unique by being the first book to speak to the twin issues of self-advocacy and disclosure for people with autism and by consisting exclusively including the cover art and the preface by Temple Grandin of contributions by those on the autism spectrum for persons on the spectrum.
Nerdy, Shy, and Socially Inappropriate: A User Guide to an Asperger Life: Well known in the autism community and beyond for her popular blog, Musings of an Aspie, Cynthia Kim’s book is rich with personal anecdotes and useful advice. This intelligent insider guide will help adults with ASDs and their partners, family members, friends, and colleagues, but it also provides a fresh and witty window onto a different worldview.
Living Well on the Spectrum: How to Use Your Strengths to Meet the Challenges of Asperger Syndrome/High-Functioning Autism: Navigating the “neurotypical” world with Asperger syndrome or high-functioning autism (AS/HFA) can be extremely stressful. But by understanding the specific ways your brain works differently–and how to tap into your personal strengths–you can greatly enhance your well-being.
Aspergirls: Empowering Females with Asperger Syndrome: Gold Medal Winner in the Sexuality / Relationships Category of the 2011 IPPY Awards. Honorary Mention in the 2010 BOTYA Awards Women’s Issues Category . Girls with Asperger’s Syndrome are less frequently diagnosed than boys, and even once symptoms have been recognized, help is often not readily available. The image of coping well presented by AS females of any age can often mask difficulties, deficits, challenges, and loneliness.
Pretending to be Normal: Living with Asperger’s Syndrome (Autism Spectrum Disorder) Expanded Edition: Compelling and witty, Liane Holliday Willey’s account of growing to adulthood as an undiagnosed ‘Aspie’ has been read by thousands of people on and off the autism spectrum since it was first published in 1999. Bringing her story up to date, including her diagnosis as an adult, and reflecting on the changes in attitude over 15 years, this expanded edition will continue to entertain (and inform) all those who would like to know a little more about how it feels to spend your life `pretending to be normal’.
Life and Love: Positive Strategies for Autistic Adults: Written for adults on the spectrum and those involved parents, spouses, friends this book is divided into two sections: life and love.
The Journal of Best Practices: A Memoir of Marriage, Asperger Syndrome, and One Man’s Quest to Be a Better Husband: Filled with humor and surprising wisdom, The Journal of Best Practices is a candid story of ruthless self-improvement, a unique window into living with an autism spectrum condition, and proof that a true heart can conquer all.
Been There. Done That. Try This!: An Aspie’s Guide to Life on Earth: Temple Grandin, Liane Holliday Willey, Anita Lesko, Stephen M. Shore, and many other Aspie mentors, offer their personal guidance on coping with the daily stressors that Aspies have identified as being the most significant, in order of urgency – anxiety, self-esteem, change, meltdowns, depression, friendship, love, and much, much more. Based on years of personal experience, this book is packed with advice from Aspie mentors who have all been there and done that!
Emotional Mastery For Adults With Aspergers: practical techniques to work with anger, anxiety and depression: There is a common misconception that people with Aspergers don’t feel emotions, but that is simply not true. What is true is that there is difficulty understanding , communicating and dealing with the emotions that are present.
Aspergers and Adulthood: A Guide to Working, Loving, and Living With Aspergers Syndrome: Adulthood is complicated for anyone, though it can be especially overwhelming for someone living with Asperger’s. Thankfully, Asperger’s and Adulthood presents targeted strategies from learning specialist Blythe Grossberg to help young adults with Asperger’s kick-start careers, cultivate healthy relationships, and create independent paths as maturing adults. Grossberg lends her expertise by providing an Asperger’s road map—pointing out potential obstacles and offering valuable how-tos for thriving in the world.
Thank you for this list!
You’re more than welcome 🙂 I hope it proves helpful.
I read Aspergirls a while ago and I was really diappointed. There was way too little science in it and I did not really get the point of it. It might just as well be a book of people that claim to have Autism without actually being on the spectrum. I think the book should have been more self critical with the ‘symptoms in girls’ and not put one experience of on person as a general symptom.
And lastly there was so much american entitlement in there that made it hard for me to relate.
I do not recommend this book!
Thanks for your honest feedback!