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4.17 AVERAGE
4.17 AVERAGE
informative
reflective
Great introduction to a lot of information that can be hard to find elsewhere. So important to hear from autistic folks themselves
4.5 - this is by far the most comprehensive account I’ve read that does not talk down to its audience. Reading this was incredibly validating, and I can only hope NTs make their way to this book to begin questioning their own assumptions as well.
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
emotional
informative
slow-paced
challenging
informative
reflective
slow-paced
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
This book brought up a bunch of relevant topics regarding autism that I haven't seen in other, older books, and that aren't talked about enough. I especially liked the inclusion of how autism in women is different and that they need to navigate the world differently, especially regarding things like consent and dating. I liked that it brought up struggles in the workplace and school, and whether to disclose the diagnosis or not. Many other aspects of autism were brought up too, including the history of diagnosing, which was super interesting (and sad). There were many things that neurotypical people don't need to think about, so I think it would be especially good for them to read, so they can start to understand better.
I think the goal of the book to change the autism conversation was accomplished. It was a bit slow, and there were too many political anecdotes brought up, but that's the author's career, so it makes sense. That could have been toned down, though. I think this would be a helpful book for anyone trying to understand autism, be it their own or someone they know. I think it would be particularly helpful to those in education, politics, or those wanting to make their business more inclusive. Worth a read!
I think the goal of the book to change the autism conversation was accomplished. It was a bit slow, and there were too many political anecdotes brought up, but that's the author's career, so it makes sense. That could have been toned down, though. I think this would be a helpful book for anyone trying to understand autism, be it their own or someone they know. I think it would be particularly helpful to those in education, politics, or those wanting to make their business more inclusive. Worth a read!
informative
reflective
slow-paced
hopeful
informative
medium-paced
I like that this book featured perspectives from autistic people all over the spectrum and with different support needs. It did a really good job of demonstrating that the "high functioning" "low functioning" labels aren't useful. I learned about different ways autistic people can receive support for their needs. Also contains good information on the history of the autism diagnosis, and issues autistic people face (such as institutionalization and the sheltered workshop program in the US). I appreciated that it also talked about the intersections between autism and other identities like race or gender/sexuality, especially addressing the myth that naive autistics are being brainwashed into thinking they're queer. The author seems to have some hope for the trajectory of rights autistics will gain, although knowing what is currently happening in the US makes that seem depressing.
The narration in the audiobook can get a little rough in places, however since I think it was valuable for this to be read by the author, I don't subtract any points for that.
The narration in the audiobook can get a little rough in places, however since I think it was valuable for this to be read by the author, I don't subtract any points for that.
This non-fiction novel aims to educate people on issues affecting autistic people, such as policy, education, work, housing, health care, romantic relationships, queerness and gender, and race and intersectionality. In his novel, Eric Garcia inserts himself and other autistic people (through their stories and lived experiences) in the “autism conversation” - which, for so long, has excluded autistic voices.
I found the main themes were well explained, and the topics are distinctly divided into chapters (meaning someone could skip to whatever chapter they like to read about the topic of their choosing). The writing is clear and easy to follow.
Also, Eric Garcia is a political journalist, and his experiences in this field are littered throughout the novel. However, if you aren’t interested in journalism or politics, there is still a lot to grasp from this novel.
Overall, I think it would've also been cool if this had been a collaborative project, where different people had been assigned different topics to write about. Eric Garcia does include the stories of people with higher support needs, people of colour, queer people, and more, but this could've been a neat idea too. This isn't a complaint as much as it is the projection of an idea of equal value. This being said, I enjoyed reading this and appreciate what Eric Garcia has created. I'd probably give this novel 3.75 stars, so I'm rounding up to four (4).
I found the main themes were well explained, and the topics are distinctly divided into chapters (meaning someone could skip to whatever chapter they like to read about the topic of their choosing). The writing is clear and easy to follow.
Also, Eric Garcia is a political journalist, and his experiences in this field are littered throughout the novel. However, if you aren’t interested in journalism or politics, there is still a lot to grasp from this novel.
Overall, I think it would've also been cool if this had been a collaborative project, where different people had been assigned different topics to write about. Eric Garcia does include the stories of people with higher support needs, people of colour, queer people, and more, but this could've been a neat idea too. This isn't a complaint as much as it is the projection of an idea of equal value. This being said, I enjoyed reading this and appreciate what Eric Garcia has created. I'd probably give this novel 3.75 stars, so I'm rounding up to four (4).