April is Autism Acceptance Month, a wonderful time of year to learn about Autism, read books and pieces by Autistic authors, and celebrate all our differences. We’ve blogged before about books by Autistic authors and children’s books that focus on Autism. Today, I want to share some new books by Autistic authors! But first…
Did you know that many prefer an infinity symbol to represent neurodiversity and/or Autism to the historically accepted puzzle piece symbol? You can read more opinions on that from The Art of Autism (reactions from many different autistic people), Jayar Brenner (autistic writer), Cari Ebert (parent of a child with Autism), and Autism Parenting Magazine.
Now, for the books…
The Electricity of Every Living Thing by Katherine May (2021). In anticipation of her 38th birthday, Katherine May set out to walk the 630-mile South West Coast Path. She wanted time alone, in nature, to understand why she was having so much trouble coaching with everyday life; why motherhood had been so overwhelming and isolating; and why the world felt full of expectations she couldn’t meet. She was also reeling from a chance encounter with a voice on the radio that sparked her realization that she might be autistic. And so began a trek along the ruggedly beautiful path by the sea that takes readers through the alternatingly frustrating, funny, and enlightening experience of re-awakening to the world around us. This sees Katherine come to terms with what it would mean to be autistic, leading her to re-evaluate her life so far–with a much kinder, more forgiving eye. We bear witness as she forms a new understanding that finally allows her to be different rather than simply awkward, arrogant, or unfeeling. The physical and psychological journeys of this inspiring book become inextricably entwined, and as Katherine finds her way across the untamable coast, we learn alongside her how to find our way back to our own true selves.
How to Be Human: An Autistic Man’s Guide to Life by Jory Fleming (2021), also available on e-book and downloadable audiobook from the Indiana Digital Library. A remarkable and unforgettable memoir from the first man with autism to attend Oxford on a Rhodes scholarship, revealing what life is really like inside a world constructed for neurotypical minds while celebrating the many gifts of being different.
I Have Been Buried Under Years of Dust: A Memoir of Autism and Hope by Valerie Gilpeer and Emily Grodin (2021), also available on e-book from the Indiana Digital Library. A remarkable memoir by a mother and her autistic daughter who’d long been unable to communicate—until a miraculous breakthrough revealed a young woman with a rich and creative interior life, a poet, who could finally have her words heard.
Navigating Autism: 9 Mindsets for Helping Kids on the Spectrum by Temple Grandin (2021), also available on e-book and downloadable audiobook from the Indiana Digital Library. International best-selling writer and autist Temple Grandin joins psychologist Debra Moore in presenting nine strengths-based mindsets necessary to successfully work with young people on the autism spectrum. Examples and stories bring the approaches to life, and detailed suggestions and checklists help readers put them to practical use. Temple Grandin shares personal experiences and anecdotes from the thousands of parents and professionals who have sought her advice, while Debra Moore draws on more than three decades of work as a psychologist with kids on the spectrum and those who love and care for them.
We’re Not Broken: Changing the Autism Conversation by Eric Garcia (2021), also available on e-book and downloadable audiobook from the Indiana Digital Library. This book is a message from autistic people to their parents, friends, teachers, coworkers, and doctors showing what life is like on the spectrum. It’s also my love letter to autistic people. For too long, we have been forced to navigate a world where all the road signs are written in another language.
