books i've read by ND authors

1. Loud Hands: Autistic People Speaking: A Collection of Essays printed by the Autistic Self Advocacy Network. AA
2. Funny, You Don't Look Autistic by Micheal McCreary (a memoir-ish book by an autistic Canadian comedian. Delightful!). AA
3. Nobody Nowhere by Donna Williams (one of the first memoirs to be published by an autistic woman). AA
4. Spectrums: Autistic Transgender People in Their Own Words edited by Maxfield Sparrow (fantastic book, really wonderful to share with trans or non-binary autistic teens). AA
5. Underdogs by Chris Bonnello (a YA post-apocalyptic novel centering around the survivors from a special education school in England. The heroes are all neurodivergent). AA
6. On The Edge of Gone by Corinne Duyvis (a book about the end of the world and an autistic girl navigating her way onto a generation ship). AA
7. The State of Grace by Rachael Lucas (a teenage autistic girl navigates her world). AA
8. Queens of Geek by Jen Wilde (a book about three friends, one of whom is coded autistic, going to their first comic con). AA
9. A Kind of Spark by Elle McNicoll (a young autistic girl learns about the witches burned in her villages centuries ago and fights for a memorial. The book covers the emotional cost of masking and burnout). AA
10. The Boys in The Back Row by Mike Jung (Middle grade novel about male friendship). AA
11. Other Bound by Corrine Duyvis (YA fantasy novel about an earth boy who unintentionally inhabits the body of a servant girl from another world). AA
12. The City In The Middle Of The Night by Charlie Jane Anders (Settlers on a distant planet fight and ultimately align with the native population). SPD
13. The Art of Saving the World by Corinne Duyvis (YA book about a girl named Hazel who has to save the world with four other Hazels from different dimensions). AA
14. Underdogs: Tooth and Nail by Chris Bonnello (Book two in the series about a group of special education students who save the world). AA
15. Nerdy, Shy, and Socially Inappropriate: A User Guide to an Asperger Life by Cynthia Kim (A late diagnosed woman's memoirs/musings). AA
16. The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Kline (lovely story about a magic children's social worker finding a home). ADHD
17. Scattered: How ADD Originates and What You Can Do About It by Gabor Mate (written in 2000, so not particularly pro-neurodivergent. I do not like his hypothesis on ADHD origins but I do like his parenting advice). ADHD
18. Laziness Does Not Exist by Devon Price, PhD (super readable social psychology book about the laziness lie). AA
19. An Unkindness of Ghosts By Rivers Solomon (an autistic coded woman incites a rebellion on a generation ship modelled after the antebellum south. So good). ND
20. The Someday Birds by Sally J Pla (Juvenile fiction about an autistic boy on a cross country trip with his siblings) AA
21. Sorrowland by Rivers Solomon (beautiful book about an escapee from a medical experiment/commune. Sci-fi and fantasy and social commentary). ND
22. The Heart Principal by Helen Hoang (autistic author whose monotropic interest is romance. Autistic main character dealing with burnout falls in love with a neurotypical cancer survivor) AA
23. Under The Whispering Door by TJ Klune (original and beautiful book about a man who dies and the people who usher him through the transition to the afterlife) ADHD
24. The Young Autistic Adult's Independence Handout by Haley Moss (great practical handbook written by an autistic lawyer that goes into a lot of detail. We teach from it in class). AA
25. Divergent Mind by Jenara Nerenberg (autistic and adhd author. Manifesto on women and neurodivergence). AuDHD
26.  Driven to Distraction: Recognizing and Coping with Attention Deficit Disorder From Childhood to Adulthood by Edward M Hallowell, MD and John J Ratey, MD (pre pro-neurodiversity movement, but good and informative if not a bit out-of-date). ADHD, dyslexia
27. Songs of The Gorilla Nation: My Journey Through Autism by Dawn Prince-Hughes, PhD (autohiography of an autistic primatologist/anthropologist. Really enjoyable). AA
28. Drama Queen by Sara Gibbs (a late-diagnosed autistic woman's very funny memoir (she's a comedy writer)). AA
29. The Extraordinaries by TJ Klune (YA ADHD LGBTQ superhero delight) ADHD
30. Chouette by Claire Oshetsky (a surreal book that is a metaphor for parenting an autistic child) AA
31. Here On Earth by Madeline Ryan (such an original and beautiful book about an autistic woman's inner life as she prepares for the night). AA
32. Shouting at Leaves by Jennifer Msumba (Memoir that includes stories of ABA/institutional abuse. The author has a deep connection to her religion, and I don't agree with the eye contact advice, but I really appreciated the book and enjoy Ms. Msumba's online presence). AA
33. Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle by Emily and Amelia Nagoski (I think I need to read it again to really implement things, but really helpful and clearly written by sisters, one of whom (Amelia) is autistic). AA
34. Sincerely, Your Autistic Child edited by Emily Paige Ballou, Sharon daVanport, and Morénike Giwa Onaiwu (essays by autistic adults to NT parents. Wonderful). AA
35. Uncomfortable Labels: My Life As a Gay Autistic Trans Woman by Laura Kate Dale (The title is about the only time she uses identity first language. She has seems to have a pretty negative relationship with her autism, and it's sometimes hard to read from that perspective). AA
36. How to Be Autistic by Charlotte Amelia Poe (really great memoir by a young autistic woman). AA
37. Hoshi and the Red City Circuit by Dora Raymaker (awesome sci-fi with a metaphor of the autistic experience at its core...and Dora Raymaker is a local autistic researcher which is extra awesome). AA
38. My Brain is Different: Stories of ADHD and Other Developmental Disorders Manga illustrated by Monzusu (great perspective on how Japan views ADHD and ASD). AA and ADHD contributors
39. Unmasking Autism by Devon Price (so great, super readable. The students are reading it this year!). AA
40. Diary Of A Young Naturalist by Dara McAnulty (a lovely journal about an autistic teenager's  devotion to climate advocacy and wildlife. Beautiful). AA
41. Ten Steps To Nanette by Hannah Gadsby (memoir-ish. She is such a great writer, and it's always a pleasure to read her work). AA
42. All Systems Red by Martha Wells (the book takes place in a corporate sci-fi future with a coded autistic protagonist by an ND author). ND
43. The Many Mysteries of the Finkle Family by Sarah Kapit (middle reader fiction by an autistic author about an ND family, one of whom wants to be a detective. So charming). AA
44. Odd Girl Out by Laura James (Late diagnosed autistic woman's memoir. Really great. I borrowed it from the library and am going to buy myself a copy). AA
45. Boy At The Window by Lauren Melissa Ellzey (Engaging story about a gay teenager with a preoccupation with Neverland falling in love and navigating cultural expectations with his emotionally distant parents). AA
46. Ten Trends to Seduce Your Bestfriend by Penny Reid (another autistic woman who writes romance! The book features a protagonist who is coded autistic and diagnosed SPD). AA
47. I Overcame My Autism and All I Got Was This Lousy Anxiety Disorder by Sarah Kurchak (memoir by a late diagnosed Canadian autistic writer. I really enjoyed it). AA
48. The Reason I Jump by Naoki Higashida (very famous book by the then 13-year-old non-speaking Japanese boy who communicates using a letter board. I felt irritated by it often, and then I would remember that he was 13 when he wrote it, so of course it was a bit reductive and simpler than memoirs by adults with more life under their belts and more perspective). AA
49. I Have Been Buried Under Years of Dust by Valerie Gilpeer and Emily Grodin (An NT mom's memoir of raising her non-speaking autistic daughter with occasional interjections by the daughter (Emily), who began to communicate using facilitated typing in 2016. Some of the themes/messages were hard for me...ie. the immense burden felt by the parents and the daughter's preference for being with NT's. 
50. Letters to My Weird Sisters: On Autism and Feminism by Joanne Limburg (one of my favorite books this year. It is such a great book. An autistic writer addresses four letters to 'weird' women from history). AA
51. The Secret Life of a Black Aspie by Anand Prahlad (A memoir of growing up undiagnosed autistic in the American south in the 1950's. The writing style feels like poetry). AA
52. Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times by Katherine May (A beautifully written book about slowing down and caring for one's self. I feel personally targeted.) AA
53. Fall Down 7 Times Get Up 8 by Naoki Higashida (written when he was a young adult. It's a bit less assertive about talking for all autistics, which made it much more interesting to me). AA
54. The Journal of Best Practices: A Memoir of Marriage, Asperger Syndrome, and One Man's Quest to be a Better Husband by David Finch (I read this book quite a while ago, but didn't appreciate it then. I liked it a lot more this time.) AA
55. Keep Clear: My Adventures With Aspergers by Tom Cutler (Interesting glimpse inside this man's mind, including the details he sees as relevant to a memory. I didn't like his repeated distancing of his own experience from that of higher support needs autistic folks. He chose to call himself an Asperger rather than identify as autistic. He also has some older ideas about gender that I do not share). AA
56. Normal Sucks: How to Live, Learn, and Thrive Outside the Lines by Jonathan Mooney (written by a man with dyslexia and ADHD. Part historical treatise on the concept of normal, part call to arms, part memoir. I want my students to read this. Tied with Joanne Limburg's book for my favorite of the year). ADHD, dyslexia
57. Act Your Age, Eve Brown by Talia Hibbert (romance featuring two autistic leads featuring racial and body diversity. Delightful) AA
58. Fearlessly Different: An Autistic Actor's Journey to Broadway's Biggest Stage by Mickey Rowe (a really fantastic memoir that is also a call to action). AA
59. A Thousand Ways To Pay Attention: A Memoir of Coming Home to My Divergent Mind by Rebecca Schiller (a woman struggling with anxiety/mental health received a dx of ADHD. It's one of the rare memoirs (not a book of hacks to overcome) about being an adult woman with ADHD). ADHD
60. Fingers In The Sparkle Jar: A Memoir by Chris Packham (He's a big deal in the BBC world. He's an autistic naturalist. The book is poetic and is compiled as fragmented memory vignettes. A solid companion book to Dara McAnulty's book). AA
61. Look Me In The Eye: My Life With Aspergers by John Elder Robison (a fascinating look inside his head, but I had a real problem with his 'overcoming Aspergers'  narrative...and he is really proud of his 'never turning to anti-depressants or alcohol' to avoid his problems). 
62. How To Be Human: An Autistic Man's Guide to Life by Jory Fleming (fast, interesting read. He does a great job describing his internal experience. He really views masking as necessary and vital, but acknowledges how exhausting it is. I am trying hard to read about different peoples experience's and attitudes of autism and not dismiss them when they don't immediately line up with mine. In this case, Jory talks a lot about growing up and learning to mask as a positive thing. He describes putting his autism in a 'corner,' and it is a different take than the one I've heard from the community who embraces their autistic behavior and centers their autism in their own identity. 
63. An Outsider's Guide to Humans: What Science Taught Me About What We Do and Who We Are by Camilla Pang, PhD (an AuDHDer's account of how she uses science to inform the way she navigates a neurotypical world. I really enjoyed the chapter on decision making).
64. Different, Not Less: A Neurodivergent's Guide to Embracing Your True Self and Finding Your Happily Ever After by Chloé Hayden (Such a lovely book. It seems like a great introduction to neurodivergence, esp. for newly diagnosed female-identifying people).
65. What I Want to Talk About: How Autistic Special Interests Shape a Life by Pete Wharmby (I loved this book. It gave me such great insight into some of my student's special interests).
66. The Language of Dead Flowers by Charlotte Amelia Poe (I loved their book How To Be Autistic, and this is their first novel. Really engaging and awesome and worth a read).
67. The Electricity of Every Living Thing: A Woman's Walk in the Wild to Find Her Way Home by Katherine May (I loved her book 'Wintering,' and this book was also fantastic. It chronicles her burgeoning awareness of her autism as she attempts to walk the South West Coast Path in Britain).
68. The Woman Who Thought Too Much: A Memoir of Obsession and Compulsion by Joanne Limburg (This memoir was written prior to Joanne Limburg getting formally diagnosed with autism, and very much centers on her experience with OCD. As an autism enthusiast, her memoir is just RIFE with autistic traits. I love her later book on autism (Letters to My Weird Sisters), and I wish there was a bridge book talking about her diagnosis journey. She is a beautiful writer).
69. The Autistic Alice by Joanne Limburg (a book of poetry by an author whose memoirs I love. She writes about the death of her brother and growing up diagnosed autistic).
70. I Will Die On This Hill: Autistic Adults, Autism Parents, and the Children Who Deserve a Better World by Meghan Ashburn and Jules Edwards (So. Good. So. Needed. This book should be handed out to parents when their children receive autism diagnoses).
71. Care Work: Dreaming Disability Justice by Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha (a beautiful and stirring call to work and a reminder to think bigger. Written by a disabled autistic woman of color who creates art and advocates for disability justice).
72. Our Autistic Lives: Personal Accounts from Autistic Adults Around the World, Aged 20-70+ edited by Alex Ratcliffe (I really enjoyed the variety of perspectives and insight from so many different adults, especially how age and the era one grew up in impacts their diagnoses and life perspectives).

73. The Future is Disabled: Prophecies, Love Notes and Mourning Songs by Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha (I listened to this book on Libby, but loved it so much that I bought a hard copy. It's a remarkable book).

74. Autistic Me by Amanda Hochfelder-Santi (I really really disliked this book. Written by a 15 year old in 2012 who wasn't told by her parents that she was autistic until she was 13. The book is full of "tips and tricks" on how to mask and suppress her autistic traits. Also her mom is listed as a 'collaborator' with a Psy.D but is now online as having a LMCH. Something doesn't feel right).

75. Your Brain's Not Broken: Strategies for Navigating Your Emotions and Life by Tamara Rosier, PhD (There were some very unexpected moments of God talk, and she cites Revelations, but the vast majority of the book was really interesting and had some helpful strategies).

76. Your Child is Not Broken by Heidi Mavir (A short, affirming read by a late dx AuDHD parent of an Autistic kid. She is very British in a sweary kind of way. I liked it and will be recommending it to parents).

77. Obsessive Intrusive Magical Thinking by Marianne Eloise (an autistic British woman with OCD. She's written a lovely memoir (and she's still under 30), and I relate to so much of it).

78. How To Keep House While Drowning: A Gentle Approach to Cleaning and Organizing by KC Davis (a really lovely and kind book on how to manage your mess while prioritizing your own well-being and staying kind to yourself).

79. The Adult Autism Assessment Handbook: A Neurodiversity Affirmative Approach by Davina Hartman, Tara O'Donnell-Killen, Jessica K. Doyle, Dr. Maeve Kavangh, Dr. Anna Day, & Dr. Juliana Azevedo (I would like to make this handbook required reading for all clinicians involved in the diagnostic process, both for kids and adults).

80. Dyscalculia by Camonghne Felix (a beautiful book of poetry/essays which traces the life and death of a relationship. It's written by a woman with dyscalculia).

90. ADHD 2.0: New Science and Essential Strategies for Thriving with Distraction- From Childhood through Adulthood by Edward Hallowell, M.D., and John Ratey, M.D. (I didn't love their ABA/social skills stuff, but otherwise it was really interesting. I really appreciate that the authors also have ADHD).

91. The Book Eaters by Sunyi Dean (a delightful Gothic-esque fairytale that is charming and consumable, but an autistic author).
92. Workplace Neurodiversity Rising by Lyric Rivera (a detailed guide on creating neurodiversity-affirming workplaces. I wish all companies would read this book).

93. Plums for Months by Zaji Cox (Short essays/poems about growing up mixed race and neurodivergent (autistic) on the outskirts of Portland. It is beautifully written).

94. Autistic Masking: Understanding Identity Management and the Role of Stigma by Kieran Rose and Amy Pearson (I basically highlighted and flagged the entire book. I pre-ordered this months ago, and it was worth the wait. Such important consolidation of research, and so thorough).

95. How To Handle Neurotypicals: A Field Survival Guide for the Neurodivergent by Abel Abelson AA (I did not like this book. There were moments that weren't painful, but had a weird aspie supremacy vibe that made me uncomfortable. Also he’s wrong about stuff).

96. Is That Clear: Autism-Inspired Tips for Allistic (non-autistic) people by Zannr Gaynor, Kathryn Alevizos, and  (AA)Joe Butler (it wasn’t comprehensive enough for my tastes, and it didn’t give enough WHY...but it says 'tips' on the cover so I might have expected too much.

97. We’re All Neurodiverse by AA Sonny Jane Wise (broadens the conversation around neurodivergence and shares great insight and resources. Idealistic, for sure, but lovely).

98. Crip Kinship: The Disability Justice & Art Activism of Sins Invalid by Shayda Kafai (rousing and beautifully written. I think the author identifies as ND, but am very comfortable recommending this book regardless).

99. Autistically Speaking by Chelby Morgan (a young autistic woman’s autobiography/advice/musings. I don't think that I would recommend it...there's a lot of internalized ableism, and I think we probably have pretty different political/social views. It was interesting to get to know her through her writing).

100. The Autism Partner Handbook: How To Love an Autistic Person by Joe Biel, Faith Harper, and Elly Blue (a straightforward and very readable book about interabled relationships. I really enjoyed this, and have recommended it widely).

101. Neuroqueer Heresies: Notes on the Neurodiversity Paradigm, Autistic Empowerment, and Postnormal Possibilities by Nick Walker (I was really overdue in reading this...pretty seminal text. It was everything I hoped it would be)!

102. Extra Focus: The Quick Start Guide to Adult ADHD by Jesse J Anderson (late dx'd ADHDer. Quick and easy read with good insight and strategies).

103. How to ADHD: An Insider's Guide to Working With Your Brain by Jessica McCabe (the YouTube channel in book form! I loved it).

104. Empire of Normality: Neurodiversity and Capitalism by Robert Chapman (some overlap with Normal Sucks, but this is a really compelling Marxist perspective. I enjoyed it).

105. The Pocket Guide to Neurodiversity by Daniel Aherne (a good basic introduction for people new to the topic and community).

106. Autism, Bullying, and Me: The Really Useful Stuff You Need to Know About Coping With Bullying by Emily Lovegrove (I'm glad I read it, but it didn't really feel like it was for adolescents...geared a bit younger I think).

107. Learning From Autistic Teachers: How To Be A Neurodiversity Affirming School, edited by Dr. Rebecca Wood (they were preaching to the choir with me as a reader, but I really wish more school administrators would read it).

108. Enchantment: Awakening Wonder in an Anxious Age by Katherine May (her books are poetry and relatable and so wonderful. She is a late dx'd autistic author from the UK).

109. Fifty-Four things Wrong with Gwendolyn Rogers by Caela Carter (a middle grade reader about a kid with ADHD and SPD written by a neurodivergent author. OBOB 2024 book).

110. Self-Care For Autistic People by Dr. Megan Anna Neff (The Neurodivergent Clinician wrote a book! I love her stuff, and really enjoyed the book).

111. Unlearning Shame by Devon Price, PhD (A great addition to the Dr. Price collection. I love the writing and the perspective).

112. The Autism Spectrum Guide to Sexuality and Relationships: Understand Yourself and Make Choices that Are Right For You by Dr. Emma Goodall (really excellent, straightforward book. I have a million page flags in it).

113. The Neurodiversity Reader: Exploring Concepts, Lived Experience, and Implications for Practice Lead Editor: Dr. Damian Milton (Really fantastic collection of essays and articles from scholars and autistic stakeholders).

114. I'll Just Be Five More Minutes by Emily Farris (eerily relatable book about a 40-something ADHDer...born the same year, both went to NYC for college, both have two kids...I have passages written down in my planner to reread).

115. Disability Intimacy edited by Alice Wong, includes neurodivergent authors (beautifully written collection of essays)

116. Mad  World: The Politics of Mental Health by Micha Frazer-Carroll (Honestly, not entirely sure if the author identifies as neurodivergent, but this book is so powerful and important. Everyone should read it. 

117. Talk To Me: What Educators (and others) Can Learn About De-Escalation from Hostage Negotiators by Emma Van Der Klift (I heard this author speak at an event a few years ago, and I've had the book since then. I'm SO glad I finally read it.

DISABILITY Studies (But not exclusively ND authors)

Disfigured: On Fairy Tales, Disability, and Making Space by Amanda Leduc (a lovely examination of fairy tales through a disability justice lens by a writer with CP)

Against Technoableism: Rethinking Who Needs Improvement by Ashley Shew (awesome manifesto on how tech is not a solution to everything. I learned some cool things and enjoyed the writing. 

Looking for more? Not An Autism Mom has booklists for all ages about autism.