Aquamarine Blue 5: Personal Stories Of College Students With Autism [Hardcover]

Dawn Prince-Hughes (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 30, 2002 | ISBN-10: 0804010536 | ISBN-13: 978-0804010535 | Edition: 1

The first book to be written by autistic college students who have been diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome, or High Functioning Autism, Aquamarine Blue 5 demonstrates their unique way of looking at and solving problems and the challenges they face. These readable essays detail the struggles of a highly sensitive group and show that there are gifts specific to autistic students that enrich the university system, scholarship, and the world as a whole. Containing the stories of a dozen autistic students, the book deals with everything from learning to eat in dormitory dining halls to making friends to exploring sexuality.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Prince-Hughes, an adjunct professor of anthropology and author of a book about gorillas, prefaces the essays in this collection with biographical information about each writer. Crediting the Internet with a rise of an "autistic culture," the editor goes on to differentiate between classic autism and Asperger's syndrome (AS), a condition with which she herself struggles. Each contributor tells his or her story, helping to illuminate problems with relationships, communication, obsessions, sensory channels, jobs, etc. Moreover, the special talents of these bright individuals and their coping mechanisms come to light. Here neurotypicals, autistics' label for "normals," can get hints about using counterquestions to promote better conversations, and those with AS can follow suggestions such as seeing a career counselor before choosing a college major. Sharing their trials and tribulations, these adults offer their communities a certain expertise, especially in libraries and universities, where people with such conditions are often successful. Nancy McCray
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

About the Author

Dawn Prince-Hughes, who has Asperger syndrome, is an adjunct professor of anthropology at Western Washington University, Bellingham, Washington.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 152 pages
• Publisher: Swallow Press; 1 edition (November 30, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0804010536
• ISBN-13: 978-0804010535
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,778,405 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars View from the inside, January 14, 2003

By 

"khjd2" (New England United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Aquamarine Blue 5: Personal Stories Of College Students With Autism (Paperback)

An intriguing collection of essays by those on the autistic spectrum(AS). The editor has deliberately resisted overediting of the essays so the AS style of thinking and wording comes through. The writers mostly focus on their college and young adult years and the problems with finding friends and employment. Life poses many difficulties, even for higher functioning AS people with college degrees. They have academic and job skills, but the social differences pose a significant barrier.

A relative of mine found this book helpful in giving insight to how some AS people perceive and encounter the world. This book might also be helpful to AS teenagers and young adults to help them realize a commonality of experience.

I am amazed by the explosion of books on Aspergers and autistic spectrum disorders. Until recently, there were only a few books available with the "inside" perspective of autism, such as by Temple Grandin. I welcome the contribution of others' perspectives.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Making Sense of the Senses, August 23, 2004

By 

BeatleBangs1964 (United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Aquamarine Blue 5: Personal Stories Of College Students With Autism (Paperback)

This is an excellent book that explains what adults with autism/Asperger's contend with. This book is composed of essays by university students who provide personal accounts of what living with autism/Asperger's means and how they have coped and made giant steps forward.

I like the passage about synesthesia, that is linked sensory modes. One contributor explains how numbers and letters have colors; henceforth the title "Aquamarine Blue 5." She explains how certain sounds can have colors; this sensory condition has until very recently received little press.

Synesthesia can take on many forms. For certain people on the a/A spectrum, synesthesia is part of the sensory package. Some people can taste and smell certain words; colors can have an auditory component and in some cases, people have reported being able to see music.

How I wish I had this book when I was a university student! This sterling gem of a book helps clarify so much of what the Autism/Asperger's experience is all about for so many people.

I wish I could rate this one even more stars. This book is truly outstanding.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars I wish I could have read a book like this ten years ago..., January 28, 2006

By 

Suz "treadingwater" (Freeland, United Kingdom) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Aquamarine Blue 5: Personal Stories Of College Students With Autism (Paperback)

This is a collection of writings by college / university students on the autistic spectrum, talking about both their challenges and their gifts, as well providing an insight into their lives. This will probably be of most use to those planning to go into higher education who might want to get a better idea of what it will be like and what situations they may face, but will be of interest to anyone who enjoys reading about the experiences of others. The only thing that disappointed me a little was that many of the contributors were studying similar courses and had similar experiences, so it didn't cover the wide range of experiences I hoped it would, but it was a good read all the same.