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

[Sherri]

I finished The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang.

[Nicole]

For this challenge I read Fangirl. I didn't like it, so I wouldn't recommend it. Neurodivergence in this book includes social anxiety, dyslexia, addiction, and bipolar disorder/some other issue with mania.

[Sami]

For this, I have read The Bride Test for this task and have loved this!

Helen Hoang, did it again! I love the steamy romance aspect but I think I love the perspective it provides as well!

[Stephanie]

I just finished The Bride Test as well. I thought it was even better than Kiss Quotient and the neurodiversity piece is really informative.

[Milena]

I just finished The Bride Test yesterday. I also liked the neurodiversity aspect even more than the romance. I also really liked Esme's personal journey.

[Christi]

I just read The Martian Child: A Novel About a Single Father Adopting a Son and am counting it for this task, at least for now. The boy in the novel/memoir is diagnosed with ADHD (among other things).

It's an interesting book, and a pretty quick read; I read it because I enjoyed David Gerrold's Trek books, just started reading The Man Who Folded Himself and found out I own an omnibus of his Dingilliad series.

[Sarah]

Would "My Year of Rest and Relaxation" count for this prompt? I can't tell if the main character has anxiety and am not 100% sure anxiety counts as neurodiversity...

[Sheri]

Sara, I don’t know about that book specifically, but I counted anxiety as neurodiverse. I was looking up different definitions, more than one source included it.

[AJ]

Does "The Girl w/the Dragon Tattoo" fit this task? Every body recognizes that Lisbeth has Asperbergers and she acknowledges she's different but where the original publication of the book was well before neurodiverse came to collective consciousness, I dont know if it counts?

[Melissa]

Amanda wrote: "Does "The Girl w/the Dragon Tattoo" fit this task? Every body recognizes that Lisbeth has Asperbergers and she acknowledges she's different but where the original publication of the book was well b..."

Spoiler Alert!

Hi Amanda! I love the questions about representation that have popped up in several of the categories, as I have learned so much for others. As a mom of a person who is on the spectrum, here's my take:

I think some people have championed the idea that Lisbeth is neurodiverse, as she does seem to have some standout markers. Others have made a solid argument that Lisbeth's behavior arises out of having to endure extreme and ongoing abuse, making her a more likely candidate for Complex PTSD, which can be misdiagnosed as Autism, Borderline Personality Disorder, etc.

Larsson himself seem to avoid giving her an obvious diagnosis. However, as the story unfolds over the three books and we come to understand her past, her behavior becomes more understandable in context, so this might underscore the adaption to trauma explanation.

Of course it is quite possible she is both a survivor and neurodiverse.....

I'll be interested to hear what other people think.

[Sarah]

thanks Sheri!

[Megan]

I just finished The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang for this prompt.

[C. S.]

I read Crazy Is My Superpower: How I Triumphed by Breaking Bones, Breaking Hearts, and Breaking the Rules last year for the "Celebrity Memoir" task, and it would completely fit this one as well. I don't particularly like celebrity memoirs, and have no interest in or knowledge of WWE wrestling - and I still loved this book.

Mendez-Brooks is very open about both her own and her mother's bipolar disorder and the impacts it has had on their lives. Highly recommended.

[Jennie]

Would Lab Girl by Hope Jahren work? https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

[Bonnie G.]

Jennie wrote: "Would Lab Girl by Hope Jahren work? https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2..."

Hope Jahren does not identify as neurodiverse as far as I know. She certainly did not appear to be neurodiverse in the book. Weird? Yes she is (that is a compliment.)

[Jennie]

Thanks, Bonnie! I’m only partway through the book and she’s talked about mental health issues requiring medications but hasn’t mentioned a diagnosis as far as I remember. I guess I’m unclear on whether depression would be classified as neurodiverse. I appreciate the help!

[Bonnie G.]

Jennie wrote: "Thanks, Bonnie! I’m only partway through the book and she’s talked about mental health issues requiring medications but hasn’t mentioned a diagnosis as far as I remember. I guess I’m unclear on whe..."

I read this years ago, and forgot about that entirely. Some people do count depression as neurodiversity. It is a very loose term. I stand corrected. Enjoy the book! I loved it.

[Jennie]

No worries at all, Bonnie! I just didn't know if that "counted". Thanks for your time. <3

[Charley Girl]

Selu 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."

Perfect! Love Karin Slaughter! Thanks for this comment,

[Teresa]

I read On the Edge of Goneand gave it 5 stars, it's one ne of the best books I've read this year. The main character is an autistic bi-racial teen girl with a drug addict single mother, living in Amsterdam.

[Carolina]

I have debated about this topic for a long time. In the end I have decided to try Spellwright which is a fantasy book about a wizard whose powers depend on writing the spells out, but who has dyslexia.

[Karin]

Author Kevin Wilson discusses his Tourette's Syndrome in this article, so one of his books could therefore count for this category.

https://www.npr.org/sections/health-s...

[Kris]

If anyone is still looking for a book for this category, I highly recommend Brain on Fire by Susannah Cahalan. I didn’t originally pick it as part of this year’s challenge, but it fits. The writing is fantastic as is the story itself.