Has anyone read this?

Yes. One quotation that I found particularly useful was:

 'I have noted that people with Asperger’s syndrome (level 1 autism) may function reasonably well in one-to-one interactions, using their intellectual capacity to process social cues and non-verbal communication, and using memory of similar social situations to determine what to say and do.’

I relate to this quotation as it shows that autism is all about processing information and that social situations mainly become overwhelming because of difficulties keeping up with the pace of interaction.

Tony Attwood makes the autistic experience relatable to neurotypical people and he perceives diagnosis really positively.

Yes. One quotation that I found particularly useful was:

 'I have noted that people with Asperger’s syndrome (level 1 autism) may function reasonably well in one-to-one interactions, using their intellectual capacity to process social cues and non-verbal communication, and using memory of similar social situations to determine what to say and do.’

I relate to this quotation as it shows that autism is all about processing information and that social situations mainly become overwhelming because of difficulties keeping up with the pace of interaction.

Tony Attwood makes the autistic experience relatable to neurotypical people and he perceives diagnosis really positively.

Absolutely can relate to that. When it's 1 on 1 people comment that they don't see anything different about me. The more people (and the more animated the conversation) the harder it is for me to keep up. 

People have been surprised to see me chatty when talking to them and then shut down once more people get involved in the conversation. 

Yep! I related to that passage also. I'm a good friend one on one. In a group, I sit on the edge most often. I don't mind but it's hard to keep up

As I've just mentioned to the previous poster, I watched a video on YouTube by Temple something-or-other.  And because I found her very boring and unlikable, I said to myself, "If that's what being autistic is, then I'm not autistic."  This book, however, seemed attractive because it was described as being more of a clinical study than a subjective account. I had to stop reading after the first couple of paragraphs, though, because I found myself revisiting painful memories of trauma and sadness from a lifetime of being misunderstood and mistreated. 

I'm not sure it's in my best interest to go back and face the loneliness and pain of the past.