Autism Memoir

When Jessica's son Trey was diagnosed with autism, and she was learning to navigate new life situations, she searched for books written by people who were also living through it. The only books she could find were written by doctors. That was fine, but she was longing for a connection with someone who could relate to her family's issues. For a few years, she continued to search and was not successful at finding anything. That's when she knew that one day, she wanted to write a faith-based book about her family's experiences with severe nonverbal autism and the world of special needs.

Growing up with Autism is hard enough. Growing up with Autism when you're a little gay weirdo is almost impossible. Greatest Hits of my Childhood Trauma is the story of a boy fighting to exist in a world that would rather throw him away. From overly religious mothers to prison sentences, drug overdoses, psychiatric facilities, bizarre sexual encounters, and queer high school romance, this tale of 90s middle America is heartbreaking, hilarious, and hard to put down. Alex Dark takes us through the darkest parts of his life with a charm that will keep you coming back for more.

The slyly funny, sweetly moving memoir of an unconventional dad’s relationship with his equally offbeat son—complete with fast cars, tall tales, homemade explosives, and a whole lot of fun and trouble Misfit, truant, delinquent. John Robison was never a model child, and he wasn’t a...

Challenging the view that autism is something that needs to be ‘cured', Virginia Bovell testifies to the extraordinary care Danny has received for over 30 years and the everyday kindness and decency of the people – ‘the band of angels' – that surround him. She asks us to consider what makes a thriving individual versus an inadequate one; what it means to be ill versus what it means to not to conform; what roles society values and rewards; and how humans might flourish outside of failing political and economic systems.

Christened “charming” and “winning” by the Washington Post and “touching” by Publishers Weekly, celebrated author Monica Holloway’s deeply moving memoir shares the unforgettable story of an extraordinary little boy and the irresistible puppy who transformed his life. The day Monica...

When Jenny Lexhed and her husband have their first child Lucas, they are living the dream. They're happily married, they've just bought a house, the company they built together from the ground up is starting to blossom. But with the arrival of their son, a feeling of anxiety slips into their life. What starts as a feeling becomes a conviction.

Darkness—that’s what Bozena Gasior remembers feeling when she first heard her two-year-old son’s autism diagnosis. What followed was a cacophony of despair and cries, not knowing what to do, say, or feel. It was the day she thought that part of her son’s life had died. But one eventful day some four years later, his fingers touched the piano keys for the first time, and she felt something—a glimmer of light shining down, illuminating her home and family.

Coming into marriage with high hopes, Shawna faced a cascade of devastating events: divorce, remarriage, infidelity, and emotional neglect in a neurodiverse marriage. With few options left for healing and recovery she remained determined for more. In this authentic account of a wife who is given God's grace far beyond her own strength, the listener can follow Shawna as she loves, weeps, pleads and grieves, and ceaselessly fights for something she believes is possible.

Much of what happens in our lives is not what we planned, not what we expected, and certainly not what we would have chosen. At a young age, Jaci Velasquez’s singing career rocketed to stardom, and her marriage thrived—then both suddenly crashed. Losing her reputation, her record label, and...

Dive headfirst into the urban symphony of "Smelling the Taste of Sound", a riveting memoir of a newly diagnosed, neurodivergent trainee lawyer. Her sensory issues are compounded by the sirens that punctuate the daily grind of a tough, inner-city law firm. Amidst encounters with eccentric characters and surreal personalities, our protagonist navigates the chaos and unorthodox office dynamics with comical observations and resilience.

My Autistic Fight Song is a memoir that follows Rosie Weldon’s journey from a college drop out as she tries to achieve her dream of being a qualified accountant. With the odds stacked against her and the stakes high, she refuses to give up on her dream. Of two things Rosie was sure. First, she wanted to be an accountant. Second, she was destined to be alone. But when life threw at her an autism diagnosis and a mystery girl, she was left asking: Who would employ her and was she capable of falling in love?

When her son was diagnosed with autism at the age of three, Irma Velasquez was devastated. It was the pre-internet era of the early 1990s, and both information and experts were hard to find. Desperate for answers, she sought out therapists and educational programs designed to teach Aaron how to become successful in school and in life. But those early years ended up teaching Irma more than they taught Aaron. Irma realized her desire to "fix" her son had been a masquerade to fulfill her own needs, and she began to love him just as he was: perfect.

From the outside, Seana Smith lived an enviable life. An Oxford graduate, a successful career with the BBC and Sydney’s Channel 9, a bestselling author, happily married. But behind this perfect life she had a secret: Seana was a drinker, and alcohol was slowly taking away her life, destroying...

How I Learned to Hate Myself is a book about autism, abuse, growing up queer, navigating the mental health system, trying to find love, and desperately clinging to the parts of myself that felt real in a world that insisted that my reality was wrong.

In this first-of-its-kind compilation, autistics, influencers, parents, and siblings dare to unite and amplify their voices as one community. Their goal: to change the narrative around autism. Each author contributes an honest, raw account of a life changed by autism. Their struggles are not in vain. Their adversity is their advantage. They find healing through resilience and acceptance. They combat stigmas and face broken systems. With vulnerability, they share how love powers transformation.

"Jag Upphäver Gravitationen" är en stark utlämnande självbiografi från en ung person med en neuropsykiatrisk funktionsnedsättning. Hen föddes i Rumänien 1991, bara några få år efter att den rumänska kommunistregimen föll 1989. I nästan fyra år bodde hen på ett sunkigt barnhem i Rumänien, fram tills 1994 då hen adopterades av sina svenska adoptivföräldrar till Sverige. Alexander fungerade bra under sina första år, men när kraven ökade på honom när hen började på dagis, så visade sig symtomen på hens funktionsnedsättning allt mer tydligt och vid fem års ålder fick hen sin första neuropsykiatriska diagnos, autism.

I'm sitting on the bus to León and the lady next to me is taking one candy after another to suck on while she's talking on the phone at the same time. If there was even the slightest chance that she could understand me, I would scream out loud: FOR GOD'S SAKE, STOP THAT! Instead, I cover my ears and wait for the trip to be over.

In 1991, 21-year-old Sarah, the recently divorced mother to two-year-old Hayley, moved from the dusty small town of Farmington, New Mexico, to the bustling city of Houston, Texas, with dreams of a better life. A year later, she was swept off her feet by Greg Swindell, an established major league baseball player who had just signed a lucrative contract with the Houston Astros. Over the next several years, Sarah's Cinderella story continued.That is until 2002, when her picture-perfect life came to a gut-wrenching halt and Sarah was faced with more pain than she ever thought possible.

AUTISM UNLEASHED, GENIUS UNLEASHED celebrates the lives and achievements of 13 autistic visionaries, illuminating the profound contributions they have made in a variety of fields. These stories are not only a testament to their genius but also a beacon of hope and inspiration for anyone touched by autism.

From our family to yours, here are humorous stories from our crazy past, mixed with ideas for handling some of the issues facing a family raising kids with autism. Inside you will find ideas for stimming aids, dietary help, and even links to companies who hire adults with autism. Humor, hope, and help for families like yours traveling Through the Wormhole.