Published on 12, July, 2020
I wondered if anyone had read Melanie Sykes’ autobiography and whether you related, especially if you’re a woman with both ASD/ADHD? I had mixed feelings about it but I think she’s the first public autistic woman that seemed similar to me (as in, can ‘perform’ well socially, but crumbles behind the scenes). However, I also find celebrity culture at odds with an autistic world (hence her difficulties), but I think I would have run from the public eye as soon as possible. It must be incredibly hard if your special interest involves a lot of people. I related to her nativity and drive and her quest for the truth in things.
I also wondered if anyone had read any other autobiographies that gave you a different perspective of autistic experiences?
I was excited to learn about this book a couple of days ago. Nobody's Normal: How Culture Created the Stigma of Mental Illness.Blurb: Grinker infuses the book with the personal history of his family’s four generations of involvement in psychiatry, including his grandfather’s analysis with Sigmund Freud, his daughter’s experience with autism and culminating in his research on neurodiversity. Drawing on cutting-edge science, historical archives and cross-cultural research in Africa and Asia, Grinker takes readers on an international journey to discover the origins of, and variances in, our cultural response to neurodiversity.
Ordered but not yet read.
I hadn't realised Melanie Sykes was autistic... It's not exactly an autobiography, and I've not read it myself, but Through Autistic Eyes by Nicky Collins sounds interesting ("a collection of stories from autistic women across the globe who gained their diagnosis later in life").
Yeh I can imagine so many people are toxic in tv - I’m glad Mel is able to be open and honest. Thanks for the recommendations- I have lots on my library list!
I agree - it helps so much to have other women’s perspectives and it’s so important to break the stereotypes. I still feel like such an imposter but hearing how autism presents so differently for each person (and women in particular) really helps to validate my experiences.
Next up on my list. I've become a bit obsessed reading bios of other autistic women. Loved Fern Brady's offering. Christine McGuiness' is more simply written but gives very useful insights into autistic women and abuse and parenting autistic kids as an autistic woman.
I love it when the well know are prepared to be so open. They are using their profile to gain acceptance and undestanding for us all and present a role model for others.
I have pre ordered Melanie’s book as an audiobook, it’s available on the 22nd June. I follow Mel on Instagram, she doesn’t really work on TV anymore, from what she has said is that some of the well known celebrities who come across as being lovely people are actually very toxic. It became too much for her. Another book I really enjoyed was Odd Girl Out by Laura James. I’m in the middle of an audiobook at the moment called Different, Not Less.
Oh thanks so much for these, I can’t wait to read them all! I’ve read Explaining Humans which I found really interesting. I love her analogies.
I think Melanie Sykes is bringing out an audiobook soon so that may be better than the book. I’ve just reserved Katherine’s book on my library app so I’ll let you know how I get on once I’ve read it. I have had far too many meltdowns over pushchairs and car seats!!
This Person (Ottilie) said:Fingers in the Sparkle Jar
It’s brilliant! I hope you enjoy it. You are very welcome for the recommendations, there is so much great autistic literature that represents the diversity of our Ausome autistic community.
Yes. I love how she describes her connection to nature.
This Person (Ottilie) said:Have you read The Salt Path by Raynor Winn
No.
It's great, isn't it? It makes me want to go on a very long walk and be free of everyday concerns. Have you read The Salt Path by Raynor Winn? It's also set on the south west coast path.
I have Fingers in the Sparkle Jar in my "to read" section in my bookshelf. Some of the others I haven't got or read so I'll look them up. Thanks for the recommendations!
I know what you mean - I tried reading Jonathan Van Ness's book and it's written the way he talks and I struggled with it. I feel like it would be better as an audiobook of him reading it. I'll give Melanie's book a go if it's in the library or charity shop, or if she brings out an audiobook.
Katherine's book is great even if wasn't partly about her getting diagnosed. When I read it I had a lightbulb moment where she describes a meltdown she has trying to put her son in his pushchair on a visit to London. After years of getting fobbed off it gave me the courage to go for diagnosis, so it will always have a special place in my heart. Let me know if you read it and what you think. I love discussing books (ex-librarian here).
This Person (Ottilie) said:When I read Katherine May's The Electricity of Every Living Thing I
I really like this book.
I have not read Melanie Sykes autobiography, but here are some other autistic memoir recommendations:
Another brilliant book to improve autistic wellbeing is ‘Avoiding Anxiety in Autistic Adults’ by Luke Beardon. The author is not autistic but otherwise neurodivergent.
All of these books are brilliant and highlight the diversity of our autistic community!
Hope you enjoy your autistic literature flow state/deep dive!
Thank you so much for all those recommendations- they all sound brilliant. It would be interesting to read Katherine May’s as parenthood has been a huge challenge for me,
I enjoyed Melanie’s book but I found it hard to get into at first. I think she writes as if she’s speaking so some of it didn’t flow. Having said that, once I got into it I couldn’t put it down. I found her story very interesting. She doesn’t really mention her autism much till towards the end but you can see how that has caused a lot of her difficulties.
Oh that sounds good, I’ve added it to my list!
Interesting, yes. I have been fascinated with psychology and behavioural science since a young age so probably explains why.
I haven't read Melanie's so can't comment on that. I don't like celebrity stuff but I always liked Mel on TV back in the 90s so maybe I'll give it a go if it's worth it?
When I read Katherine May's The Electricity of Every Living Thing I identified strongly with how her autism is for her. She has similar interests to me too so I enjoy reading her observations. Laura James's Odd Girl Out I found relatable in some ways and not in others. I think she is probably more rigid than me in her need for routine. Ferne Brady's Strong Female Character I couldn't put down it was so engrossing for me. She grew up in quite bad circumstances and ended up being a stripper. I like how she's unapologetically herself and has no shame about what she did to survive. Rebecca Shiller's Earthed is about her year of being diagnosed ADHD. She's very good at explaining how it feels to be on the precipice of breakdown and helped me understand ADHD better. Most of all I like how these books are changing the preconceptions about autism and are so well written that they are being read by a wide audience.
I haven't read Melanie Sykes' book but I did read Fern Brady's. I found it really helpful to hear from someone who was the same age as me with some similar experiences (meltdowns, working class background, high academic achiever, queer) and when it came to things where our experience differs I felt like I could understand her reasons for making certain choices because of those other things being so similar.
She's also very funny, as you'd expect from a comedian- there are parts of her book that made me laugh out loud.