Abstract

Recently the phrase "Asperger Syndrome" became part of my vocabulary. It explains all the things my psychologist could not.'

- Will Hadcroft

What makes the Asperger child immerse himself in such things as Doctor Who and The Incredible Hulk? In this honest and entertaining autobiographical account, Will Hadcroft links his obsessive TV series fixations to eventually being diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome. He describes drawing comfort from identifying with heroic individuals or fictional characters, and the liberating effect of an accurate diagnosis for someone who felt 'out of place' and didn't know why.

This original and highly readable book offers a fresh insight into the experience of feeling 'unmutual', or misunderstood, and how this can result in bullying at school and in the workplace, escalating into social phobia, paranoia and obsessive behaviour. It amply illustrates some of the more subtle expressions of the Asperger condition and provides an accessible introduction to those new to AS.

What makes the Asperger child immerse himself in such things as Doctor Who and The Incredible Hulk? In this honest and entertaining autobiographical account, Will Hadcroft links his obsessive TV series fixations to eventually being diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome. He describes drawing comfort from identifying with heroic individuals or fictional characters, and the liberating effect of an accurate diagnosis for some one who felt `out of place' and didn't know why.

This original and highly readable book offers a fresh insight into the experience of feeling `unmutual', or misunderstood, and how this can result in bullying at school and in the work place, escalating into social phobia, paranoia and obsessive behaviour. It amply illustrates some of the more subtle expressions of the Asperger conition and provides an accessible introduction to those new to AS.

Autism Us
This is an honest and brave account of growing up in the autism spectrum. The eccentric and colourful Will is our fast friend, guide and mentor in battling the wiles of life: peer pressure and the desire to fit in (in the schoolyard or office); our tendency to escape into fantasy; and negotiating relationships (including girlfriends).The Feeling's Unmutual reads like an instruction book - an alternative title might as well be Life on the Spectrum: A Users Manual. Its bare autobiographical style makes us wince when Will screams: "I'm not the same!" as we travel with him, in vivid detail, through the seemingly endless vulnerability of difference. Parents, educators and the like will agree that this is the harder part of the journey. Will provides a fantastic insight into the lives of the guys and girls we all work with and know, if only to get an eyewitness account of some very real reasons behind the anger and confusion. The rest of the book is much more positive, highlighting (amongst other things) the success of behaviourist tricks which are quite easy to teach and adopt. Techniques such as those arresting faulty thinking are shown to be remarkably effective. Will chronicles his won battle with anxiety, depression, unemployment and being single, culminating in diagnosis at the age 33. the stages of acceptance are related in a positive light: he puts his diagnosis into a wise perspective, rather than letting it dominate things. Will's message is one of compromise rather than selling out, and just like his heroes, he wins the girl, house, office job and several publishing contracts - without ever forgetting that different doesn't mean wrong.
Autism Spectrum Australia
I strongly suggest you read it.The reader goes on a journey with Will and shares with him the ups and downs of his life. I felt myself hoping that Will's luck would change as I turned each page and was delighted to be able to share his later triumphs and improved fortune. I think Will will have found writing this book useful. Hopefully, by writing down his negative experiences, he can now consider them past history and get on with a new chapter of his life. Certainly, he is an imaginative and talented guy. If you only buy books with a strong Doctor Who connection, then bear in mind that this book has lots of references to Doctor Who in it and has Colin Baker's seal of approval. But it's worth reading in it's own right and is to my mind an important book.
Celestial Toyroom (Doctor Who Appreciation Society)
Will Hadcroft's fascinating and compulsively readable book offers a powerful insight into fears and horrors more chilling than anything portrayed in fiction, and into his courage in coping with them.
John Christopher, author of the Tripods and Sword of the Spir
an account of the struggle of a man who has been misunderstood (quite deliberately at times) all his life. The book shows his enthusiasm, his active and vivid imagination, obsessional behaviour and eccentric train of thought. I would highly recommend this book for general reading, particularly for aspergers, as they may be able to be encouraged, despite how hard the world can be for those who view the world differently.
Autism Matters
This book is a must read for all in the caring professions and should be included on the reading list for citizenship at Key Stage 4. It is a celebration of difference and an indictment of systems that insist in conformity and a system that celebrates the ability to lie, be duplicitous, and say what the system wants to hear even if you don't believe it.
Good Autism Practice
With disarming honesty, Will Hadcroft takes us on an often painful journey through a life made tolerable by intermittent escape from the confusing world around him into the alternative worlds offered by fantasy and science fiction on television. I feel humbled and proud to have been there for Will with my TARDIS, albeit on a television screen, when he needed an anchor. Any actor who needs to justify his trade should read this book, as should anyone who simply wants to experience a fine writer telling his own moving and honest story.
Colin Baker, the Sixth Doctor Who
Will Hadcroft has an insatiable passion for writing. He is the author of the children's adventure novel Anne Droyd and Century Lodge and has written Asperger poetry. Will lives in Lancashire, UK.