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

[[deleted user]]

I just finished "Heart Berries" for the Indigenous Women task for the Reading Women challenge and will double dip for this challenge. Mailhot has PTSD and Bipolar II so I definitely think that qualifies!

[Sherri]

The Warner Boys by Ana & Kurt Warner

[Clay]

I can't remember where I read the recommendations (maybe it was in here and I just can't find it?), but I've heard that The Lightning Thief counts because the central character is Dyslexic...

[Book Riot]

Hey everyone! Our list of recommendations for this task is now up: http://bookriot.com/2019/02/12/read-h...

[Deborah]

Ok I still don't really understand what neurodiverse is. So does Agoraphobia count as neurodiverse? I'm thinking about Agorafabulous!: Dispatches from My Bedroom. Or since I know dyslexia and autism count, Imight go with The Spy Who Couldn't Spell: A Dyslexic Traitor, an Unbreakable Code, and the FBI's Hunt for America's Stolen Secrets or Not Even Wrong: Adventures in Autism

[Emma]

Megan wrote: "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."

My reasoning was that it's a fairly realist setting and Merricat falls under the definition of neurodiverse (i.e. "displaying or characterized by autistic or other neurologically atypical patterns of thought or behavior; not neurotypical.")

[Amy]

The author or character has to identify as neurodiverse. The book can't just have a character that seems to be neurodiverse. They have to identify themselves that way. Am I reading the task correctly?

[Kris V]

Sorry to Disrupt the Peace by Patty Yumi Cotrell

The narrator I would say definitely identifies as neurodiverse

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...

[Megan]

Emma wrote: "Megan wrote: "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..."

Just because you think she does doesn't make it fact.

[Sheri]

I read Alice Isn't Dead, the main character has anxiety and so does the author. The author put in an afterward that Keisha's struggle with anxiety is drawn from his own experiences. He says he writes horror as an outlet for the horrors in his own head already.

[Cendaquenta]

FWIW regarding We Have Always Lived In The Castle, I'm autistic and definitely think Merricat is too. But since nothing is ever stated on-page about it, it wouldn't fit this task.

[Sarah]

The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang is a modern romantic novel by a neurodiverse author about a neurodiverse protagonist.

[Sherri]

Just finished The Hollow of Fear (Lady Sherlock # 3)by Sherry Thomas.

[Christopher]

Does anyone know if One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest would count in this category? A local book club will be reading this in April and I've had this on my bucket list for a while.

[Shelley]

I just finished Golden Child and I think it definitely counts for this. While the main character doesn't have an actually diagnosis, him being different is a major part of how and why the story progresses. In fact, there is one entire scene about how he is not actually stupid but can read without the words jumping around. It's a debut book published this year by a Trinidadian author and takes place in rural Trinidad, if anyone is looking for other challenges.

[Lauren]

I plan on reading A Boy Made of Blocks which is about a father and his autistic son. It's based on the author's experiences with his own son.

[Cendaquenta]

I just stumbled upon a couple of tweets from Catherynne M. Valente (whom I'm a big fan of) discussing the fact that she has ADD. She describes herself as "non-neurotypical", and also mentioned that one of the characters in her Fairyland series was written that way.
https://twitter.com/catvalente/status...
https://twitter.com/catvalente/status...
https://twitter.com/catvalente/status...

[L Y N N]

Love Anthony has stuck with me almost 5 years later. Genova is so skilled and I loved this book! Also gave me a much greater appreciation for the sacrifices parents make for their challenged children...

[Lavanya]

I’m reading freshwater for task 13. ( a book by a trans or non-binary author) but I think freshwater counts here as well. The main character has dissociative identity and the book portrays many layers of thoughts.

[Jenna]

Bonnie wrote: "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."

The prompt doesn't specify that it has to be a novel - it just says book.

I'm reading NeuroTribes: The Legacy of Autism and the Future of Neurodiversity for this challenge.

[Jane]

Doesn't the author have to identify as neurodiverse?

[Bonnie G.]

Jenna wrote: "Bonnie wrote: "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."

The prompt ..."

You are 100% right, so sorry!

[taeli]

Jane wrote: "Doesn't the author have to identify as neurodiverse?"

The prompt is just a novel by OR about someone who identifies as neurodiverse, so as long as either the author or subject is neurodiverse, it's good.

[Britany]

Finished by Tracey Garvis Graves

My Review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Asmaa]

Does '' Flowers for Algernon''
by Daniel Keyes count for this task?
the main character is portrayed as a mentally retarded person

[Julia]

I've so far read and loved On the Edge of Gone by Corinne Duyvis. This is science fiction- y, with a main character on the spectrum, and so is the author. I read a lot of nonfiction and fiction about people on the spectrum.

Asmaa, if you want to read a Flowers for Algernon- like novel with neurodiverse characters look at The Speed of Dark by Elizabeth Moon. She isn't neurodiverse, but her son is.

[Octavia]

I read Turtles All the Way Down by John Green for this, and I liked it well enough. A solid three out of five. I really enjoyed the main character, and the depiction of the way her brain worked, but this is the second Green novel I've read where I just didn't find the romance convincing. Far more compelling to me was Aza's relationship with her best friend Daisy. That was great - I always like reading stories with strong friendships in them.

[Sarah]

I read Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes for this and am hoping it counts. It had been on my to-read list for a while but I'd avoided it because I thought it'd be boring. I really enjoyed it and thing it was an important read, so others may enjoy it as well!

[willaful]

This seems like a well thought out definition of neurodiverse: http://neurocosmopolitanism.com/neuro...

He includes Down Syndrome, so I'd think Flowers for Algernon, or other books about someone with an intellectual disability, would count.

I read Convenience Store Woman and thought it really harmful, so not sure I want to count it... I really feel uncomfortable with the correlation of autistic traits and psychopathy.

[Jane]

I did not think a correlation was made between autistic traits and psychopath behavior. The man in the story was clearly in a different state of mind than the "conenience store woman."

[Bobby]

I read Just Add Water: A Surfing Savant's Journey with Asperger's by Clay Marzo and Robert Yehling. It was a perfect read both for this challenge and for Autism Acceptance Month.

[Tammy]

willaful wrote: "This seems like a well thought out definition of neurodiverse: http://neurocosmopolitanism.com/neuro...

He includes Down Syndrome, so I'd think Flowers for Alge..."

Thanks willaful. This blog post is interesting. If I'm understanding correctly, the writer might even be saying that this challenge task should say "a book by or about someone who identifies as neurodivergent", instead of neurodiverse. I didn't notice Down Syndrome specifically mentioned, but may read this more completely later. I just find this topic very interesting.

I recently read Convenience Store Woman with my book group and we discussed whether or not the main character may possibly be autistic, or a psychopath (I'm pretty sure this is the word someone used). I do not mean any offense, just thought I'd mention that we were just discussing this last week! The whole point of this prompt is to appreciate different types of brains and ways of thinking, so I guess it's good that it's getting us thinking about it, at least. To me, it wasn't clearly stated that the character identifies as autistic or otherwise, so I wouldn't count the book for that reason.

[willaful]

Jane wrote: "I did not think a correlation was made between autistic traits and psychopath behavior. The man in the story was clearly in a different state of mind than the "conenience store woman.""

I'm not calling the man a psychopath -- I'm referring to the woman character, who literally considers "shutting up" her nephew with a sharp knife.

[Siobhan]

I could save this space to be eternally disappointed by a stranger's idea of "good representation" for neurodivergent people (I've been burned before) or I could just count Middlegame or something else by Seanan McGuire/Mira Grant (has someone already said Into the Drowning Deep or Down Among the Sticks and Bones because those also have neurodivergent protagonists).

[willaful]

Tammy wrote: To me, it wasn't clearly stated that the character identifies as autistic or otherwise, so I wouldn't count the book for that reason. "

She definitely identifies as "not normal," so I think could be included on that account. But as I said, I don't want to count her because I think it's bad rep.

[Stephanie]

Regarding Turtles All the Way Down, I don't think OCD is related to neurology.

[Judy]

I read On the Edge of Gone for this category.On the Edge of Gone by Corinne Duyvis

[Bonnie G.]

Stephanie wrote: "Regarding Turtles All the Way Down, I don't think OCD is related to neurology."

Actually it can be. It is a very common accompaniment to ASDs for reasons neurological and too complicated for me to understand. I am temporarily living with a young autistic person (the daughter of a dear friend) with OCD and anxiety, and her neurologist tried to explain it to me.

[Cendaquenta]

I've heard that doctors won't diagnose someone with both autism and OCD - is that correct?
I'm diagnosed autistic and strongly suspect I have OCD as well.

[Bonnie G.]

Cendaquenta wrote: "I've heard that doctors won't diagnose someone with both autism and OCD - is that correct?
I'm diagnosed autistic and strongly suspect I have OCD as well."

My friend's daughter (she is 24 and her Autism diagnosis was made just before her 3rd birthday) has both diagnoses. Perhaps doctors no longer do that, but 20ish years back they did. And the doctor in question is one of the leaders in the field so I am confident she subscribes to best practices.
.

[Stephanie]

Thank you--interesting to learn....

[Stephanie]

I just read Kiss Quotient--the character and author have autism spectrum. Her thoughts and behavior are very OCD when it comes to microwaving plastics. I will look into it more.

[Bonnie G.]

Interesting reading on the topic https://www.spectrumnews.org/features...

[Carolina]

Just to explain something, OCD gets misused a lot in our society. It’s not just having a tendency to be perfect or put things neatly in order, or being germ-phobic, or even being set in your ways, or having a specific interest that you spend all your time on.

*Trigger warning*

OCD is a debilitating disorder where someone’s thought are terrifying and overpowering. It’s the horrifying thoughts that if you don’t count to 100, or you don’t flick the switch 20 times, or you don’t walk in exactly the right way, something horrible will happen. The compulsive behaviour is to sooth the obsessive thoughts which can centre around extreme disasters or tragedy.

Full disclosure, I don’t suffer with OCD, I’m just a psych student. If I upset anyone, or haven’t explained the reality properly, I’m really sorry!

[Stephanie]

Thank you. I have had severe OCD and been through ERP therapy for it. I was only saying the thing about the plastic and the microwave because of my experience and that of others' (that I know about through group therapy). It was a scene that I think could have been indicative of OCD--she could not ingest food that was in plastic that had been in the microwave, which rang true. She seemed to be completely incapable of doing it.

I agree it gets misused in our society a lot. It doesn't bother me at all, but it is probably not good because when people have terrible suffering related to OCD that has nothing to do with germs and hand washing, they probably feel very, very alone.

[[deleted user]]

Corey Alexander just posted this rec list of books with autistic representation, which might be useful for this challenge!

[Siobhan]

Into the Drowning Deep is $2.99 on Amazon Kindle (and maybe other mobile formats?) today (30 April)

[willaful]

I decided to count Shadowsong for this prompt, because I felt that part of the book was the author writing through her own feelings, and ultimate acceptance of her bi-polar disorder. It just really seemed to fit, thematically.

I'm also reading a very interesting true crime (sadly, not nonviolent true crime) book, with an autistic character. The 57 Bus: A True Story of Two Teenagers and the Crime That Changed Their Lives.

[Alexis]

Clay wrote: "I can't remember where I read the recommendations (maybe it was in here and I just can't find it?), but I've heard that The Lightning Thief counts because the central character is Dysl..."

The characters have ADHD as well. I'd say it counts.

[Alexis]

Rachel wrote: "Corey Alexander just posted this rec list of books with autistic representation, which might be useful for this challenge!"

Thanks for this. I didn't have a good idea of where to look outside the Book Riot rec page for some of these challenges, and I wanted to be more creative than that.