Task #13: A book by or about someone that identifies as neurodiverse

[Book Riot]

Use this space to discuss books you're reading or that might fit the 13th Read Harder task.

[Justin's 52 Books]

Sorry for the ignorant question, but would PTSD be defined as neurodiverse as it would be something inflicted on a brain rather than a condition that one starts life out as?

[Kate]

I am also feeling ignorant about this category, Justin. In my very limited experience, the term "neurodiverse" is often applied to people with autism, but I'm not sure what else falls under that umbrella.

[Bonnie G.]

By no means is this an exhaustive list, but in addition to autism spectrum disorders those with ADHD, dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, Tourette Syndrome, intelectual/developmental disability, schizophrenia and sociopathy consider themselves neurodiverse. Essentially, anything neurologically atypical that is identifiable on the human genome. Generally neurological issues cased by injury or environment without a chromosomal component are not included, but i don't know that is set in stone.

[Chrissy]

Here's a quote from a neurodiversity blog:

Neurodiversity is a concept where neurological differences are to be recognized and respected as any other human variation. These differences can include those labeled with Dyspraxia, Dyslexia, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Dyscalculia, Autistic Spectrum, Tourette Syndrome, and others.

[Kimberley]

Pretty sure I will be reading The Kiss Quotient for this one. Had my eye on it for a while

[Sue]

Two romance suggestions for this category that have #ownvoices autistic representation (by and about autistic women):

The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang

A Girl Like Her by Talia Hibbert

[Allie]

I didn't know the book included a character that is neurodiverse (the blurb on the back told me next to nothing about it), but I'm currently reading Holding Up the Universe, which includes a character with prosopagnosia (face blindness).

[Allie]

Bonnie wrote: "By no means is this an exhaustive list, but in addition to autism spectrum disorders those with ADHD, dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, Tourette Syndrome, intelectual/developmental disability, sch..."

Oh, I just read your comment, so if injury-based neurological issues don't count, then my previous rec doesn't hold.

[Bonnie G.]

Allie wrote: "Bonnie wrote: "By no means is this an exhaustive list, but in addition to autism spectrum disorders those with ADHD, dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, Tourette Syndrome, intelectual/developmental ..."

Alie, that is what i have been told, but i am not 100% sure

[Laura]

If you are looking for non-fiction/memoir, I highly recommend Look Me in the Eye: My Life with Asperger's by John Elder Robison and Born on a Blue Day: Inside the Extraordinary Mind of an Autistic Savant by Daniel Tammet. Of course, anything by Temple Grandin is well worth your time.

[Brittany]

I started The Kiss Quotient yesterday and am almost finished with it. I don’t usually do too many romance novels but I’m liking this one so I’ll probably read Helen Hoang’s second book The Bride Test when it comes out in May.

[Justin's 52 Books]

Bonnie wrote: "By no means is this an exhaustive list, but in addition to autism spectrum disorders those with ADHD, dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, Tourette Syndrome, intelectual/developmental disability, sch..."

Thanks Bonnie.

[✨ A ✨]

These fit:

[Sara]

I have a question that's more clarification. The challenge is to read a a book by or about someone that IDENTIFIES as neurodiverse - does that mean that the subject or the author has to identify (i.e. believe that) "neurodiversity is a concept where neurological differences are to be recognized and respected as any other human variation"

or does it mean

that the subject or author has a disorder that is under the umbrella of neurodiversity, whether they themselves agree with the idea of neurodiversity or have any idea even what it is?

[Brandon]

A Mango-Shaped Space
Turtles All the Way Down

[Cendaquenta]

I just found a Twitter thread of some 2019 releases by autistic authors: https://twitter.com/beccasbookrealm/s...

[Veronica]

Sara wrote: "I have a question that's more clarification. The challenge is to read a a book by or about someone that IDENTIFIES as neurodiverse - does that mean that the subject or the author has to identify (i..."

I'm inclined to go with the latter, as I don't know how long the terms "neurodiversity" or "neurodivergent" have been around. Agatha Christie reportedly had dysgraphia and dyslexia, so I'm going with the first Hercule Poirot for this task. Whether or not she would have identified as neurodivergent, she still had these disorders that today we would classify as neurodivergent. I'm curious as to what others think, though.

[Kate]

Thanks for the clarification, all. I have read a good amount of the serious, autism-focused juvenile fiction that's come out in the last few years (it happens when you're a children's librarian), so I think I am going to try a different tack with this and read something by Dav Pilkey, who talks about his ADHD all the time in interviews. Because they're so popular, I've never felt the need to actually read any of his books - they sell themselves to my patrons!

[Thegirlintheafternoon]

Sue wrote: "Two romance suggestions for this category that have #ownvoices autistic representation (by and about autistic women):

The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang

[book:A Girl Like Her|402338..."

I didn't know Talia Hibbert identified as neurodiverse! I'm definitely using "A Girl Like Her" for this category. Thanks, Sue!

[Bonnie G.]

The prompt specifies a novel, so memoirs won't work. There are lots of options. Prolific authors like Johm Irving and Richard Ford are dyslexic so that opens things up.

[Bonnie G.]

Great list Cedaquenta!

[Serendipity]

Bonnie, Where do you see this task specifying a novel? Anywhere I've seen just says a book so novel, memoir or any other genre would work.

[Bonnie G.]

Sorry. Confused it with the trans or nonbinary prompt. Ignore me!

[✨ A ✨]

I haven't read these yet.
The Rosie Project
The Rosie Effect

But they fit right?

[Miriam]

Time for me to finally read The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, I think.

[Lauconn]

I'm planning on The Rosie Project, probably, but for anyone looking for historical romance, The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie would work, as would The Lawrence Browne Affair. They're historicals, so the heroes aren't as clearly defined as neurodiverse as they would be in a contemporary novel, but it's clear that's who they are.

[Satrina]

Kate wrote: "Thanks for the clarification, all. I have read a good amount of the serious, autism-focused juvenile fiction that's come out in the last few years (it happens when you're a children's librarian), s..."

Wow! I didn't know that about Dav Pilkey and ADHD. My son loves his books

[Tracy]

I have The Reason I Jump: The Inner Voice of a Thirteen-Year-Old Boy with Autism so Im going to finally read it.

my first thought was Temple Grandin though.

[Nupur]

Oliver Sacks has written some incredible books about neurodiversity: An Anthropologist on Mars: Seven Paradoxical Tales and The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat and Other Clinical Tales, to name a couple.

[Megan]

Tracy wrote: "I have The Reason I Jump: The Inner Voice of a Thirteen-Year-Old Boy with Autism so Im going to finally read it.

my first thought was Temple Grandin though."

I’m going to read the reason I jump as well.

[Cendaquenta]

The Eagle Tree is about a 14-year-old autistic boy. I am not sure whether the author is neurodivergent/neurodiverse. However it comes recommended by Steve Silberman who is a huge proponent of the neurodiversity movement, so I'm reasonably confident that it at least won't be an actively stereotypical or harmful book. Plus, it seems to be free on Kindle Unlimited/Prime Reading just now - don't know if it still will be during 2019 though.

[Trina]

The protagonist of this book has high-functioning autism: The Gauguin Connection. There are a dozen books in this series, and this is the first.

[Tracy]

Cendaquenta wrote: "The Eagle Tree is about a 14-year-old autistic boy. I am not sure whether the author is neurodivergent/neurodiverse...."

Oh possibilities.....I own this on my kindle. Thanks for the heads up Cenda :-)

[Stine]

I think I'm going with Hyperbole and a Half: Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem, and Other Things That Happened

From what google could tell me about neurodiversity, depression is included under that ''umbrella'', and the book talks about depression and mental health, so for me it's a good enough fit. :)

[Kristina]

You could probably do Flowers for Algernon and double up with the letters challenge. If you count mood disorders, you could read any of Carrie Fisher's books (she had bipolar disorder).

[Laura]

Cendaquenta wrote: "The Eagle Tree is about a 14-year-old autistic boy. I am not sure whether the author is neurodivergent/neurodiverse. However it comes recommended by Steve Silberman who is a huge pr..."

Oh, I loved this book so much! It is really beautiful. I might need to re-read it.

[Shelley]

Fangirl is on the GR shelf list for neurodiverse (https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...). From the description it's not explicit although it seems like the main character certainly has some issues she's working through. Has anyone read it? The Westing Game is also on that list, but it seems even further removed from the spirit of the challenge.

[Tracy]

Stine wrote: " From what google could tell me about neurodiversity, depression is included under that ''umbrella'', and the book talks about depression and mental health, so for me it's a good enough fit. :) "

I would agree that this works. If you look at studies of psychiatric disorders and mood disorders, imaging of the brain shows areas that work differently than normal. I picked a book about aspergers but I have a few about Borderline Personality Disorder and that works because ( as an example) their prefrontal cortex does not work normally, their HPA axis doesn't work normally and they have a decrease in oxytocin. So their ability to think and act under stress is impaired and they are always under stress in their normal state.

[Ariel]

Shelley wrote: "Fangirl is on the GR shelf list for neurodiverse (https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...). From the description it's not explicit although it seems like the main characte..."

I've read both of those and I don't recall anyone in them being neurodiverse, but it's also been a while since I've read them.

[Tabitha]

Lauconn wrote: "I'm planning on The Rosie Project, probably, but for anyone looking for historical romance, The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie would work, as would [book:The Lawrence Browne Affair|30..."

Out of curiosity, as these both sound interesting, is it the character, author, or both who fit for this task?

[Driftwood]

Ariel wrote: "Shelley wrote: "Fangirl is on the GR shelf list for neurodiverse (https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...). From the description it's not explicit although it seems like t..."

I don't feel like Fangirl is about a neurodiverse character, it is more about a girl going through grief and changes in college.

[Ariel]

Driftwood wrote: "Ariel wrote: "Shelley wrote: "Fangirl is on the GR shelf list for neurodiverse (https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...). From the description it's not explicit although i..."

That sounds right.

[Lauconn]

Tabitha wrote: "Lauconn wrote: "I'm planning on The Rosie Project, probably, but for anyone looking for historical romance, The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie would work, as would [book:The Lawrence ..."

It's the characters in both of these. The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie is otherwise a pretty typical historical (but really compelling), with a hero who is neurodiverse. For The Lawrence Browne Affair, it's a M/M romance, and one of the heroes is neurodiverse. I found them both interesting, because it shows how no one around them really knew how to understand their experiences - there weren't any labels beyond "madness," which was to be avoided at all costs.

[✨ A ✨]

Driftwood wrote: "Ariel wrote: "Shelley wrote: "Fangirl is on the GR shelf list for neurodiverse (https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...). From the description it's not explicit although i..."

I also recently read this book. And I never got any indication of any neurodiverse main characters.

EDIT ADD IN: I just remembered! Cather's father has bipolar. But the book isn't about him so....

[Julia]

I was thinking about Freshwater by Akwaeke Emezi because the main character develops separate selves.. Would that count?

[Tabitha]

Lauconn wrote: "Tabitha wrote: "Lauconn wrote: "I'm planning on The Rosie Project, probably, but for anyone looking for historical romance, The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie would work, as would [bo..."

Thank you! I think I might try to read both this year even if I only count one for the challenge. They both sound really interesting.

[Ava]

Kate wrote: "Thanks for the clarification, all. I have read a good amount of the serious, autism-focused juvenile fiction that's come out in the last few years (it happens when you're a children's librarian), s..."

Do you have any recommendations for middle grade books that would work for this task? I'm doing a "book club" with my 9-year-old daughter and am trying to introduce her to different voices/genres that she may not choose on her own. (Bonus if I can also use the books we read for my reading challenges.)

[Tracy]

Ava wrote: " Do you have any recommendations for middle grade books that would work for this task? I'm doing a "book club" with my 9-year-old daughter and am trying to introduce her to different voices/genres that she may not choose on her own. (Bonus if I can also use the books we read for my reading challenges.) "

The Goldfish Boy comes to mind. Super sweet story with a little bit of mystery. The character has OCD, if you count that as neurodiverse ( I definitely would, tons of experience with it in our house). I can't wait to do a re read of this with my daughter, but I think it might be another year.

[Shelley]

Azrah wrote: "Driftwood wrote: "Ariel wrote: "Shelley wrote: "Fangirl is on the GR shelf list for neurodiverse (https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...). From the description it's not e..."

All of this sounds about like what I was expecting. I will definitely not be following that list. Thanks!