Siblings and Autism: Stories Spanning Generations and Cultures

In this moving collection of beautifully-written personal accounts, siblings from a variety of backgrounds, and in different circumstances, share their experiences of growing up with a brother or sister with autism. Despite their many differences, their stories show that certain things are common to the "sibling experience": the emotional terrain of looking on or being overlooked; the confusion of accommodating resentment, love, and helplessness; and the yearning to connect across neurological difference.

Deb Cumberland is Associate Professor of English and Director of Graduate Studies in English at Winona State University, Minnesota. She teachers literature and creative writing classes, and has published creative nonfiction on autism. Bruce Mills is Professor of English at Kalamazoo College, Michigan, and has served as the Board Chair of The Gray Center for Social Learning and Understanding, a nonprofit organization that works with individuals on the autism spectrum. He has also published creative nonfiction on autism. Deb has a brother with autism, and Bruce has a son on the spectrum and a neuro-typical daughter.