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3.87 AVERAGE
3.87 AVERAGE
This was super compelling, just not what I'm looking for right now; a very interesting memoir. I would be interested in finishing it another time.
hopeful
informative
reflective
medium-paced
I listened to the audiobook of this title and overall I thought it was a memoir worth reading.
It follows Laura James' experience of her autism diagnosis, how it affected her life, her journey in understanding her neurodiverse mind, and how she ultimately comes to accept herself and find healthier ways to cope with those things that neurotypicals take for granted.
It follows Laura James' experience of her autism diagnosis, how it affected her life, her journey in understanding her neurodiverse mind, and how she ultimately comes to accept herself and find healthier ways to cope with those things that neurotypicals take for granted.
Firstly, the audiobook narration by Louiza Patikas was lovely - very engaging and authentic (it was only after I finished that I realised I hadn't been listening to the author narrate their own story).
I enjoyed following Laura James' journey in making sense of things, of suddenly having a label to understand things she had previously not understood about herself, and how she comes to accept herself as she is.
I did find some of the narrative quite repetitive - covering the same themes and ideas over and over again. I think this is because Laura James is writing this while on this journey, and so inevitably reflecting on similar themes as they come up time and again for her. A tighter edit would have probably made this more digestible.
In places, I also found the structure confusing. There was one section in particular where James was discussing her children leaving home and having an empty nest and how she had left her husband, and then suddenly we were with James and her young children in the family home. I found this very confusing and difficult to follow.
I was surprised to hear Laura James say she found herself reflected in The Rosie Project, as I had previously heard autistic people say they find this portrayal leans into unhelpful stereotypes. However, James shares that she found helpful ways of coping through the pages of that book.
I'm glad I read this one and would recommend it to those seeking to understand more about autism, especially if autism is something you're not familiar with and you want to understand how it is experienced. Personally, I'd recommend reading Stim, edited by Lizzie Huxley-Jones, which is an anthology covering a wide range of voices, each exploring their diverse experiences. If I remember rightly, Laura James has a piece in that anthology (I'm pretty sure that's how I stumbled across this book).
I enjoyed following Laura James' journey in making sense of things, of suddenly having a label to understand things she had previously not understood about herself, and how she comes to accept herself as she is.
I did find some of the narrative quite repetitive - covering the same themes and ideas over and over again. I think this is because Laura James is writing this while on this journey, and so inevitably reflecting on similar themes as they come up time and again for her. A tighter edit would have probably made this more digestible.
In places, I also found the structure confusing. There was one section in particular where James was discussing her children leaving home and having an empty nest and how she had left her husband, and then suddenly we were with James and her young children in the family home. I found this very confusing and difficult to follow.
I was surprised to hear Laura James say she found herself reflected in The Rosie Project, as I had previously heard autistic people say they find this portrayal leans into unhelpful stereotypes. However, James shares that she found helpful ways of coping through the pages of that book.
I'm glad I read this one and would recommend it to those seeking to understand more about autism, especially if autism is something you're not familiar with and you want to understand how it is experienced. Personally, I'd recommend reading Stim, edited by Lizzie Huxley-Jones, which is an anthology covering a wide range of voices, each exploring their diverse experiences. If I remember rightly, Laura James has a piece in that anthology (I'm pretty sure that's how I stumbled across this book).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts
informative
reflective
medium-paced
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
As someone who works daily with kids on the Autism spectrum, I found her account of the ways that her Autism affects her life to be so interesting and eye-opening. I particularly loved how she found coping strategies as an adult learning to put a name to some of the challenges that she faced her entire life. This memoir is super relatable and inviting
informative
medium-paced
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
inspiring
funny
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Content Warnings
Moderate: Mental illness
Minor: Ableism, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts