Pretending to be Normal
Living with Asperger's Syndrome
by Liane Holliday Willey Foreword byTony Attwood At age three, Willey's parents had her tested, and found that she was gifted and spoiled. Her behavior explained, she was raised as gifted and spoiled. She made her way through elementary and high school, knowing she was different but not self-aware enough to know how she was different. In college, away from the people who knew of her idiosyncrasies, away from friends, her AS became more problematic. However, she made it through college, got married, and can pass for normal.
This is an account of the problems her Asperger's Syndrome present(ed) to Willey. As such, it emphasizes her problems more than her solutions. It blames her problems on AS in general, instead of sensory dysfuctions which come along with AS. Although Willey tells us that she is glad she is AS, her book doesn't show us the strengths that would make her feel good about who she is. The last chapters do give practical advise. Willey says that her husband is a big part of helping her to get through her life, but does not tell us how she managed to date in the first place.
Happy reading.
