Arriving Late: The Lived Experience of Women Receiving a Late Autism Diagnosis

by Jodi Lamanna

"The stories within this book tell of the journey women take to late autism stories of discovery, strength, self-awareness and belonging."

An honest and eye-opening collection of stories from the lives of late diagnosed autistic women across the world, brought together with thoughtful observations from neurodivergent advocate, Jodi Lamanna.

Exploring life before and after diagnosis and covering topics such as masking, social interaction, parenting and employment, this book provides much-needed insight into the challenges and successes of late diagnosed women.

With chances for reflection on your own experiences, informative diagnosis tips and guidance on what can be done in the future to properly support autistic women, this is an essential read for late diagnosed women and those supporting them.

Genres: Nonfiction, Autistic Spectrum Disorder

189 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 21, 2024

Reviews

[Sarah Boon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. Each person had a different journey, but as a late diagnosed autistic myself, I saw parts of myself in each story. It was like a warm hug in some ways. Very reassuring and affirmative read as a fellow autistic woman.

[Alana · Rating 3 out of 5]

I almost bought this book I thought it would be that amazing but it was so/so. Honestly, the stories I couldn’t relate to that much personally until the very end when they said a few things I really resonated with and shared a lot of resources I can’t wait to read

[Susanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very interesting read.

[Skye Schreifels · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seven women plus the author share their life experiences from before they were diagnosed, and the author does a good job of including women from a wide variety of backgrounds. Really excellent, will revisit.

I'll also note that this book offers some direct, albeit anecdotal, counterexamples to some traits claimed to be emotional immaturity by the book Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents - if both books are of interest to you, I'd recommend reading them concurrently.

[Erica Lewis · Rating 3 out of 5]

This wasn't what I was expecting. It read like a writeup of an undergrad research project. I may have liked it better if I had a paper copy not the audiobook. But the individual stories were interesting and felt honest and thoughtful.

[Yael · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars. I am really grateful to Lamanna for making space for these stories - some have really stuck with me. There is very little editing of the women's voicse, which I found hard to read, but easier to keep take in on the audiobook. I'm glad I came across it!

[Jessica Duarte · Rating 5 out of 5]

Recommend read! Very relatable.

[maddi1134 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't love the editing style of this book, but I absolutely loved the personal narratives of being late in life diagnosed. So much relatable content!

[Tiff · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful set of lived experiences. Very helpful on my unmasking journey