Abstract

Natural Genius: The Gifts of Asperger's Syndrome is Susan Rubinyi's story of raising her son Ben who has Asperger's Syndrome (AS), and how she has come to view his condition as a blessing. While acknowledging the challenges posed by AS, she emphasizes the extraordinary positives of her son's life and his particular gifts - his photographic memory, perfect pitch and French-English bilingual abilities.

Current Awareness Service, November 2006

`Natural Genius: The Gifts of Asperger's Syndrome is Susan Rubinyi's story of raising her son Ben who has Asperger's Syndrome (AS), and how she has come to view his condition as a blessing. While acknowledging the challenges posed by AS, she emphasizes the extraordinary positives of her son's life and his particular gifts - his photographic memory, perfect pitch and French-English bilingual abilities…Her journey with Ben is an enriching and strengthening one of personal transformation. An immensely hopeful and positive book, this should be read by anyone concerned with bringing up a child with Asperger's Syndrome.'

Leicester Review of Books
`A scholar of cross-cultural language teaching, women's studies, and science fiction and fantasy, Rubinyi is also the mother of a son with Asperger's Syndrome, and it is the story of raising him that she tells here. She emphasises his particular gifts, including photographic memory, perfect pitch and French-English bilingual abilities. She appends advice for other parents.'
www.booknews.com
Susan Rubinyi is the mother of a son who has Asperger's Syndrome. Fluent in four languages, she has worked extensively in cross-cultural areas such as language teaching, interpreting, translating and writing. She co-edited one of the first feminist science-fiction anthologies, administered a university Women's Studies program, and has written several articles and a book on fantasy and science fiction.
`I would strongly recommend this book for its recognition of the extraordinary potential of individuals who are both different and gifted. Throughout the book there are many insights into a strengths-based approach…Thanks are due to Susan Rubinyi, her son Ben Rubinyi and the family for sharing their life so openly. One is richer for knowing one is not alone and there are many doors of achievement for those with natural genius waiting to be opened and walked through.'
Good Autism Practice, Vol.8, May 2007
`A very positive account by the mother of a young man who has Asperger syndrome of his raising and of how she came to regard his condition as a blessing whole acknowledging the challenges it poses to him and others. Rubinyi advocates a strength based approach to bring up a child with AS.'
The British Institute of Learning Disabilities,