ND book listing 2023 onwards

Not reviews; in a rough order of recommendation for my future self in case I want to revisit, dumped from my Obsidian notes.

English

Unmasking Autism – Devon Price

Nails hit: 8/10

I've honestly not expected that, thinking I've seen it all at the point I started reading it, but this hit SO many nails and is a very thorough and balanced intro to the subject. It nicely reports a wide range of experiences, and is actionable thanks to callouts and unmasking exercises / guides. Probably the more pragmatic self-advocacy book between this and Aspergirls. Also, atypically a (retrans) foppy transmasc angle (https://drdevonprice.substack.com/p/detransition-is-gender-liberation).

#audiobook

Apergirls – Rudy Simone

Nails hit: 9/10

The self-advocacy book to read in order to feel understood... Lots of relatable stories. Sad at times. A bit outdated with respect to language – see the title and lots of focus on binary “male” and “female” autism (which is understandable due to the social reality, but is handled better by the community today). As other self-advocacy books, almost sinful in calls to be more selfish. Includes everything needed as an intro eg disability discussion, gender discussion, gender non-conformance discussion, how support needs vary, sensory control, strengths and weaknesses, workplace...

#audiobook

Divergent Mind – Jenara Nerenberg

Nails: 8/10

Much more overall feministic angle than I've expected, which is great, but I have gotten enough of that elsewhere. Pleasant to go through, not sure useful to revisit.

#audiobook

Autism in heels – Jennifer Cook O'Toole

Nails: 7/10

This hit many things regarding growing up. The author's voice is not always likeable and she has an overdone tendency to be snobby and romanticize her neuroatypicality, but sometimes it's okay: there's a need to balance out negative attitudes (also, the author is self-aware about that).

#ebook

ADHD 2.0 – Hallowell, Ratey

Nails: 5/10

A medical voice from doctors, includes stuff not-so-useful for undiagnosed like drug overview. Not all ADHD things feel all relatable to me (as I'm mostly just inattention that's not balanced or overpowered by anxiety, interest, willpower, fear, etc, and I still don't understand why post-HRT I'm so ADHD/EE compared to the old pre-HRT autistic modeing). In a few places differs from major in-community voices. Still, a good read.

#ebook

Nails: 3/10

Probably due to age and experience so far, but not so useful or interesting; addressed to kids and even if I see why adults could find it useful, most of the rules I've long figured out myself, and most of the author-focused stories told I've already found in Autism in heels.

#ebook

Polish

Dziewczyna w spektrum – Ewa Furgał

Nails hit: 7/10

Another book that I heard so much about that I've postponed reading until after others and did not expect it to have as much interesting content as it did. Seems like a good intro overall, although Ewa / Dziewczyny w spektrum have other intro materials online that are more concise and less personal. Probably in the top three “would recommend to my ND mom” alongside Price's and Simone's books.

#ebook

Cykle – Anita Wojtkiewicz

Nalis: 7/10

Sadly, “Cykle” as in “z cyklu”, not as in “my whole self is shifting in some kind of periodical manner”, which is the book I'd love to read. Pretty personal. A bunch of quotes to mark up, but not really as comprehensive and entry point as the Furgał's book.

#ebook

Cukry – Dorota Kotas

Nails: 6/10

Kind of a personal literary oneiric self-biographical story set. Pleasant to read, not so much for me to learn from.

#ebook