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4.17 AVERAGE
4.17 AVERAGE
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
medium-paced
This book blended Eric Garcia's personal experiences as a lower support needs autistic man with the stories of a whole cast of autistic individuals he has interviewed, all while weaving in facts and history on the diagnosis of autism and the studies that have (and have not) been conducted. I was impressed by just how diverse his interviewees were and how respectful he was of each individual. His comparisons between autism and queer language were particularly poignant to me, and I can think of many people - neurodivergent and neurotypical - to which I will be recommending this book.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Ableism, Bullying, Chronic illness, Eating disorder, Homophobia, Mental illness, Racism, Self harm, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Alcohol
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
We're Not Broken is an OK representation of the challenges autistic individuals face.
I wouldn't call it particularly thorough; there are many examples of Garcia talking about the policy surrounding autism in vagueries, and barely touching on actual autistic experiences. Because I am autistic, I am intimately familiar with autism, which is why I'm able to parse Garcia's writing style and content. He claims that this book is for nonautistic people, but I unfortunately think he missed the mark.
However, I did learn a bit about autism policy - even though it was kind of depressing - and that I might need more support than I'm getting. So I did appreciate that the book gave me that.
I wouldn't call it particularly thorough; there are many examples of Garcia talking about the policy surrounding autism in vagueries, and barely touching on actual autistic experiences. Because I am autistic, I am intimately familiar with autism, which is why I'm able to parse Garcia's writing style and content. He claims that this book is for nonautistic people, but I unfortunately think he missed the mark.
However, I did learn a bit about autism policy - even though it was kind of depressing - and that I might need more support than I'm getting. So I did appreciate that the book gave me that.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism
informative
inspiring
slow-paced
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
This is a well-written exploration of the autistic experience in the US. I appreciate Eric Garcia’s research and the education he offers. Quite a lot crammed in here - some subjects/chapters need their own expanded spaces.
informative
medium-paced
informative
inspiring
fast-paced
A must read for anyone who knows and cares about autistic people!
I’m glad I finally got around to picking up We’re Not Broken. With Garcia being a political journalist, I really appreciate that he was able to talk about disability policies and autism advocacy efforts over the years. I came to learn some history I wasn’t previously aware of, particularly that around autism self-advocacy. I also found it really interesting to hear from a male perspective about the autistic experience, because thus far I’ve only read from women. When picking this up, just keep in mind that there are certain things Garcia discusses that are now outdated. For example, Garcia references a lot of organizations or events centering autistic people. I kept looking up those things referenced as I was interested in participating, only to find out they were defunct or no longer running.
hopeful
informative
sad
tense
medium-paced