Author | Alexei Maxim Russell |
---|---|
Country | United Kingdom |
Language | English |
Genre | Mystery Young Adult Fantasy Adventure |
Publisher | Jessica Kingsley Publishers |
Publication date | October 15, 2011 |
Media type | Print (Paperback) |
Pages | 304 |
ISBN | 978-1-84905-262-7 |
LC Class | PR9199.4.R857 T78 2012 |
Trueman Bradley is a fictional character in a series of detective novels written by Alexei Maxim Russell. Bradley is characterized as a genius detective with Asperger syndrome. [1]
He first appeared in the book Trueman Bradley – Aspie Detective, a novel written by Alexei Maxim Russell and published in 2011 by Jessica Kingsley Publishers. It was the first detective novel to feature an openly autistic detective as a protagonist and was the first work of fiction to portray Asperger syndrome as a "different way of thinking",[ citation needed ] with some advantages over the neurotypical way of thinking – and therefore, not necessarily a disability. It was translated into German in 2013 by Von Loeper Literaturverlag Publishers, of Karlsruhe, Germany. It was followed by the second book in the series, Trueman Bradley – The Next Great Detective, in 2015. [2] [3]
In Trueman Bradley – Aspie Detective:
Trueman leaves his hometown of Heartville, Illinois, and arrives in New York City, hoping to fulfil his dream of becoming a private detective, like his comic book heroes. He is soon told that a man with AS could not possibly succeed as a detective. Undeterred, Trueman uses his exceptional mathematical skills to invent a crime-fighting equation, and with the help of his new friends and some amazing inventions, sets out to test his skills against the criminal world of New York. He is determined to show the police, his friends, and himself, that a person with AS can become as good a detective as anyone else, maybe, even, one of the best.
In Trueman Bradley – The Next Great Detective:
Trueman Bradley visits London and sets up shop on Baker Street, in the hopes of becoming the next Sherlock Holmes. Using hints he has derived from the original Sherlock stories, Trueman uncovers the mysterious methods of "The Great Detective" and uses them to solve the mystery of how his grandfather acquired his fortune, as well as helping Scotland Yard to capture a notorious cat burglar. With the help of new wearable technology, called Sension (created by Catalin Voss), a small army of drones and the inspiration of Yuri Nakagawa (the Japanese model whose Instagram he is doggedly obsessed with) – along with the help of a few new friends, Trueman learns the value of deduction, imagination and instinct, in detective work, and proves that he has what it takes to become "The Next Great Detective. [4]
BFK Books described Trueman Bradley as "a genius detective with a difference." [5] According to BFK Books: "Russell's writing style is pleasant and easy, reminiscent of the simplicity and innocence of Alexander McCall Smith."
CM Magazine wrote, "Asperger's Syndrome (AS) makes him a complex protagonist in a novel centred around a young man trying to make it as a private detective." [6] CM Magazine goes on to describe it as "Somewhat reminiscent of the simplistic and formulaic episodes of Sobol's Encyclopedia Brown mystery series in combination with the bold private detective genre of Hammett's The Maltese Falcon , along with a nod to Haddon's central character in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time , the book also has its own unique style". [7] [8]
Trueman Bradley has gained a cult following in advocacy and educational circles. Including being added to the book lesson plan for grade 6 students, by the Cromwell Center for Disabilities Awareness, of Portland, Maine, in 2015. Being officially adopted, in that same year, by Ireland's Department of Justice and Equality, as official teaching material for their "Someone Like Me" program, for primary schools – designed to encourage understanding of disabilities in their students and encourage and instil the "celebration of difference" in children. [9] [10]
Asperger syndrome (AS), also known as Asperger's, is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by significant difficulties in social interaction and nonverbal communication, along with restricted and repetitive patterns of behaviour and interests. The syndrome is no longer recognised as a diagnosis in itself, having been merged with other conditions into autism spectrum disorder (ASD). It was considered to differ from other diagnoses that were merged into ASD by relatively unimpaired spoken language and intelligence.
The diagnostic category pervasive developmental disorders (PDD), as opposed to specific developmental disorders (SDD), was a group of disorders characterized by delays in the development of multiple basic functions including socialization and communication. It was defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), and the International Classification of Diseases (ICD).
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time is a 2003 mystery novel by British writer Mark Haddon. Its title refers to an observation by the fictional detective Sherlock Holmes in the 1892 short story "The Adventure of Silver Blaze". Haddon and The Curious Incident won the Whitbread Book Awards for Best Novel and Book of the Year, the Commonwealth Writers' Prize for Best First Book, and the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize. Unusually, it was published simultaneously in separate editions for adults and children.
Anthony John Attwood is a British psychologist notable for his work on Asperger syndrome. He resides in Queensland, Australia, where he is an Associate Professor at Griffith University.
The autism rights movement, also known as the autistic acceptance movement, is a social movement within the context of disability rights that emphasizes a neurodiversity paradigm, viewing the autism spectrum as a result of natural variations in the human brain rather than as a disease to be cured. The movement advocates for several goals, including greater acceptance of autistic traits and behaviors; services that focus on improving quality of life and well-being instead of suppression and masking of autistic traits that are adaptive or not harmful or imitations of the behaviors of neurotypical (non-autistic) peers ; the creation of social networks and events that allow autistic people to socialize on their own terms; and the recognition of the autistic community as a minority group.
High-functioning autism (HFA) is an autism classification where a person exhibits no intellectual disability, but may exhibit deficits in communication, emotion recognition and expression, and social interaction. HFA is not included in either the American Psychological Association's DSM-5 or the World Health Organization's ICD-10, neither of which subdivides autism based on intellectual capabilities.
Societal and cultural aspects of autism or sociology of autism come into play with recognition of autism, approaches to its support services and therapies, and how autism affects the definition of personhood. The autistic community is divided primarily into two camps; the neurodiversity movement and the Pathology paradigm. The pathology paradigm advocates for supporting research into therapies, treatments, and/or a cure to help minimize or remove autistic traits, seeing treatment as vital to help individuals with autism, while the neurodiversity movement believes autism should be seen as a different way of being and advocates against a cure and interventions that focus on normalization, seeing it as trying to exterminate autistic people and their individuality. Both are controversial in autism communities and advocacy which has led to significant infighting between these two camps. While the dominant paradigm is the pathology paradigm and is followed largely by autism research and scientific communities, the neurodiversity movement is highly popular among most autistic people, within autism advocacy, autism rights organizations, and related neurodiversity approaches have been rapidly growing and applied in the autism research field in the last few years.
John Elder Robison is the American author of the 2007 memoir Look Me in the Eye, detailing his life with undiagnosed Asperger syndrome and savant abilities, and of three other books. Robison wrote his first book at age 49.
House Rules (2010) is the eighteenth novel by the American author, Jodi Picoult. The novel focuses on a young adult male, Jacob Hunt, with Asperger's syndrome living in Townsend, Vermont, who is accused of murder. The novel follows the struggle between Jacob and his family, the law, and his disability.
Freaks, Geeks, and Asperger Syndrome: A User Guide to Adolescence is a non-fiction book about Asperger syndrome published in 2003. The then 13-year-old author, Luke Jackson, has Asperger syndrome himself. Jackson wrote the book because he felt there was not enough useful information on the Internet about the subject.
Asperger's Are Us is an American comedy troupe. They are the first comedy troupe consisting entirely of people with Asperger syndrome, though their shows do not reference autism at all.
Rudy Simone is an American author of books on Asperger's Syndrome.
Aspergirls: Empowering Females with Asperger Syndrome is a non-fiction book written by American author Rudy Simone. It was published in 2010 by Jessica Kingsley Publishers. The book is about women and girls who have Asperger syndrome and their experiences. It was written to help girls and women who have been diagnosed with Asperger's.
Gunilla Gerland is a Swedish author and lecturer on the topic of autism.
Alexei Maxim Russell is a Canadian writer of fiction and non-fiction. He is most notable as the creator of Trueman Bradley. Trueman Bradley is a fictional character in a series of detective novels, with an international following. Bradley is characterized as a genius detective with Asperger's Syndrome. His work has developed a cult following in educational and advocacy circles, having been added to school lesson plans and officially adopted as educational material for government programs, which focus on disability awareness and equality.
Yuri Nakagawa (中川友里) is a Japanese fashion model, public figure and popular fashion blogger. She is an official fashion blogger for JFW, which is an international fashion exhibition, regularly organized by prominent Japanese fashion newspaper, Senken Shimbun.
Jennifer Cook (formerly O'Toole) (born October 24, 1975) is an American author and speaker. She is known for her six Asperkids books, which have been translated into six languages and include the winner of the Autism Society of America's Book of the Year Award. Her memoir Autism in Heels: The Untold Story of a Female Life on the Spectrum is a Wall Street Journal Bestseller, a "Best Book" title winner by Publishers Weekly, and named a "Best Memoir" and one of both the "Best Autism Books of All Time" and "Best-Selling Autism Books of All Time" by BookAuthority. She is the on-camera autism expert in Netflix's series "Love on the Spectrum US."
Catalin Voss is a German inventor and entrepreneur.
Stephen Mark Shore is an American autistic professor of special education at Adelphi University. He has written several books on autism: College for Students with Disabilities, Understanding Autism for Dummies, Ask and Tell, and Beyond the Wall. Currently, he serves on the board of Autism Speaks, and is one of the first two autistic board members in its history, looking to improve the potential of those on the autism spectrum. He once headed the Asperger's Association of New England and was on the board of the Autism Society of America.