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

[Rachel]

I really enjoyed Borderline. The MC and author both have Borderline Personality Disorder. I think the core of this prompt is to learn and experience a difference perspective than is most common and I think this book does an excellent job showcasing diversity in many ways. I’m going to read the third book in the series for this task.

[Lucia]

Hi there! i'm compiling lists of everyone's suggestions in case that's easier for people (I know it is for me!) c:

https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...

[Bonnie G.]

Lucia wrote: "Just a note that as an autistic person myself I found The Rosie Project really problematic. It smelt of neurotypical-trying-to-hard-but-not-actually-researching and the whole "love solves mental is..."

Thank you for that perspective and the great recommendation.

[Kate]

In case anyone's still looking for kidlit, other children's authors who could qualify for this challenge are Tom Angleberger (autism spectrum), Avi (dyslexia), and Patricia Polacco (dyslexia).

Avi in particular is extremely prolific, and The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle is one of my desert-island books. When I finally got to meet him and have my childhood copy signed, I acted like I was meeting Brad Pitt or something :)

[Laura]

Lucia wrote: "Hi there! i'm compiling lists of everyone's suggestions in case that's easier for people (I know it is for me!) c:

https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1..."

Thank you for doing this, Lucia! Really really helpful!

[Brandon]

True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle is a great book, Kate!

If Tom Angleberger counts, then may I recommend Return of the Jedi - Beware the Power of the Dark Side!. It adds a bunch of great storytelling bits and footnotes to an already wonderful source movie.

[Janice]

For clarification, does Synesthesia count as neurodiverse?

TIA!

[Juliet]

Philip K. Dick was schizophrenic, and it certainly played a part in his work so I may grab The Man in the High Castle or Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?

[Bonnie G.]

I would imagine synesthesia is a form of neurodiversity.

Juliet, where did you here Dick was schizophrenic? He suffered from severe anxiety leading to bouts of agorophobia and self harm. He was also abusive to many of his wives and lovers. He wrote about schizophrenia but I have never seen any indication of a diagnosis. I would like to read more about that if you can point me in that direction.

[Jenny]

Jenn wrote: "I plan on reading Queens of Geek. The author is autistic and I believe the main character is as well."

Yes! It has fantastic anxiety representation as well!

[Ashley]

Book Riot published a list of 50 books on neurodiversity last year where they indicated #ownvoices where applicable: https://bookriot.com/2018/06/07/books...

[Ashley]

Seluxes wrote: "The Will Trent series by Karin Slaughter would work well here. Will Trent lives with dyslexia, and it's a secret he keeps most of his colleagues."

That's a great idea! I love Karin Slaughter!

[Karin]

Ashley wrote: "Book Riot published a list of 50 books on neurodiversity last year where they indicated #ownvoices where applicable: https://bookriot.com/2018/06/07/books..."

Thanks for this! This book in particular looks interesting to me.

Ido in Autismland: Climbing Out of Autism's Silent Prison

[Kelly]

Ashley wrote: "Book Riot published a list of 50 books on neurodiversity last year where they indicated #ownvoices where applicable: https://bookriot.com/2018/06/07/books..."

This is so helpful! Thank you! I think I’m going to read LIFE, ANIMATED: A STORY OF SIDEKICKS, HEROES, AND AUTISM BY RON SUSKIND. Sounds really moving.

[Andrea]

Rubbernecker, by Belinda Bauer, is a gripping mystery with an autistic protagonist. Highly recommend. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...

[BookWormBen]

Thanks for the suggestion, Kelly! My plan is to read "True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle."

[willaful]

Lucia wrote: "Just a note that as an autistic person myself I found The Rosie Project really problematic. It smelt of neurotypical-trying-to-hard-but-not-actually-researching and the whole "love solves mental is..."

I could have written this myself. I also DNF'd it.

On the Edge of Gone is fantastic.

[willaful]

If synesthesia counts, A Mango-Shaped Space is a middle-grade book my son really enjoyed.

[Luella]

The Dinosaur Man: Tales of Madness and Enchantment from the Back Ward is about people with schizophrenia thinking I may do that.

[Tammy]

I've been researching this a bit and am still not sure if Down syndrome would count, but if it does I recommend My Heart Can't Even Believe It: A Story of Science, Love, and Down Syndrome, a memoir by a woman whose daughter has Down syndrome.

If it doesn't, it would count for both the journalist and less than 100 reviews prompts.

[Kelly]

Ginny Moon by Benjamin Ludwig is narrated by a 14-year-old autistic girl in foster care, and is inspired by the author's own daughter, who was adopted from foster care. I found it utterly compelling, and finished it in a single sitting.

[Suzanne]

I just finished The Disorganized Mind: Coaching Your ADHD Brain to Take Control of Your Time, Tasks, and Talents with my ADHD support group.

[Cat]

I see people mentioned Chuck Tingle- I don't think he counts, since Chuck Tingle is a pseudonym, and there's a lot of evidence that his work and identity is deliberate parody.

[Leslie (updates on SG)]

I'm trying to fulfill these prompts with books for my Around-the-World Reading Challenge. So, I'm choosing Samko Tale's Cemetery Book.

[Natasha]

Marcelo and the Real World would be an excellent read for this. I won’t be using it myself, since I’ve already read it, but I highly recommend it.

[Teresa]

I found a couple sci-fi books that look interesting, The Speed of Dark and On the Edge of Gone.

[Kate]

I just finished Dog Man for this category (Dav Pilkey has ADHD and dyslexia, which actually jumpstarted his career as an author and graphic novelist). It was better than I expected and I totally understand why my young patrons like it so much - it is classic early elementary school humor!

[LeAnna]

Oh yay another reason to read Turtles All the Way Down!

[Amanda (Books, Life and Everything Nice)]

I can't wait to read through all the suggestions as I love books by people who are neurodiverse. I read The Handbook for Highly Sensitive People by Mel Collins. The author identifies as a highly sensitive person, or HSP, which I consider to be neurodiverse. I hope this book counts!

[Lauren]

Queens of Geek by Jen Wilde - Ive had my eye on this one since it was released actually. :)

[Amelia]

Rivers Solomon is an AOC who identifies as autistic and ADAH, along with several other marginalized identities. I’m reading their book An Unkindness of Ghosts for this prompt, since both the author and main character are neurodiverse, and it is set on a generation spaceship so it would double for the AOC book about or set in space.

[Amelia]

I forgot, An Unkindness of Ghosts could be a three-for-one, as Rivers Solomon also ID’s as trans/non-binary.

[Teresa]

I dnf'd An Unkindness of Ghosts. I couldn't get into it and I no longer read books I feel blah about.

[Ashley]

Amelia wrote: "Rivers Solomon is an AOC who identifies as autistic and ADAH, along with several other marginalized identities. I’m reading their book An Unkindness of Ghosts for this prompt, since both the author..."

I just read this and I don't know why I didn't catch on that this would fit this prompt! The neurodiversity of the main character is one of the reasons I enjoyed it so much.

[Julia]

An Unkindness of Ghosts was one of my favorite books last year.

I'm intending to read On the Edge of Gone for this. &/Or possibly The Kiss Quotient or The Place Inside the Storm.

I strongly recommend The Speed of Dark, Rain Reign, Of Mice and Men, & the non-fiction NeuroTribes: The Legacy of Autism and the Future of Neurodiversity and In a Different Key: The Story of Autism, Thinking in Pictures: My Life with Autism, The Reason I Jump: The Inner Voice of a Thirteen-Year-Old Boy with Autism.

[Siobhan]

Into the Drowning Deep has an autistic mc and it's about murder mermaids.

[Rachel]

I don't really want to say too much about the book, but I don't think Freshwater by Akwaeke Emezi would work here. First, I am uncomfortable applying the Western label of Dissociative Identity Disorder to her. Second, that's not a neurodiverse condition. I just finished the book a couple days ago, and while it works for another prompt I don't think it fits here.

I also don't think The Rosie Project and its sequel fit either honestly. I saw the author speak, and he viewed his character as quirky, but was not comfortable applying the ASD label to him. He didn't do any research on ASD.

[Candace]

I could triple play An Unkindness of Ghosts, but I think I'll read Turtles All the Way Down for this prompt.

[ekr]

Rachel wrote: "I don't really want to say too much about the book, but I don't think Freshwater by Akwaeke Emezi would work here. First, I am uncomfortable applying the Western label of Dissociative Identity Diso..."

I agree. The challenge clearly states the book has to be by or about someone who identifies as neurodiverse. Most of the books listed here don't meet that criteria.

[Jessica]

So, it seems the main character has to be neurodiverse and be aware of it? I just finished Lamb in Love and one of the featured characters was brain damaged at birth and mute. He is really a very big part of the book although perhaps not the main character. And it's unclear that he realizes he is neurodiverse. So I'm guessing this one would not work for this prompt?

[Siobhan]

I think Book Riot is trying to use "neurodiverse" as an umbrella term that doesn't have a negative connotation. Therefore, if it's canon that the protagonist is autistic, has OCD, has dyslexia etc (I don't know the whole list), even if they don't think of themselves as "neurodiverse," it should count.

[Candace]

first, we make the beast beautiful: A New Story About Anxiety has been on TBR list for a while. I think it would count for this task

[Romy]

Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata

[Teresa]

Oh, Convenience Store Woman looks good.

[Amy]

Romy wrote: "Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata"



Does this author identify as neurodiverse? I read this book for the translated book by a woman task and didn't realize that it was a double dipper for this task as well. The main character didn't seem to self identify as anything but a misfit.

[Carolina]

Tammy wrote: "I've been researching this a bit and am still not sure if Down syndrome would count, but if it does I recommend [book:My Heart Can't Even Believe It: A Story of Science, Love, and Down Syndrome|293..."

As a psych student, I'd say that Down Syndrome doesn't count as neurodiverse, more developmental. But that may be too technical, so if you want to consider it here, it's a personal choice.

[Emma]

For anyone who likes Shirley Jackson, We Have Always Lived in the Castle is a fit for this challenge, I think.

[Mandie]

Jenn wrote: "I plan on reading Queens of Geek. The author is autistic and I believe the main character is as well."

Thank you for this recommendation. I just picked it up from the library.

[Megan]

Emma wrote: "For anyone who likes Shirley Jackson, We Have Always Lived in the Castle is a fit for this challenge, I think."

How do you figure? They're just weird people.

[Tammy]

Carolina wrote: "Tammy wrote: "I've been researching this a bit and am still not sure if Down syndrome would count, but if it does I recommend [book:My Heart Can't Even Believe It: A Story of Science, Love, and Dow..."

Okay, thanks Carolina. I'm pretty interested in this particular task, so I'll probably read another book for this, anyway.