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  • Odd Girl Out

  • Written by: Laura James
  • Narrated by: Lucinda Clare
  • Length: 8 hrs and 43 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (37 ratings)

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Odd Girl Out cover art

Odd Girl Out

Written by: Laura James
Narrated by: Lucinda Clare
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Publisher's Summary

A sensory portrait of an autistic mind

From childhood, Laura James knew she was different. She struggled to cope in a world that often made no sense to her, as though her brain had its own operating system. It wasn't until she reached her forties that she found out why: Suddenly and surprisingly, she was diagnosed with autism.

With a touching and searing honesty, Laura challenges everything we think we know about what it means to be autistic. Married with four children and a successful journalist, Laura examines the ways in which autism has shaped her career, her approach to motherhood, and her closest relationships. Laura's upbeat, witty writing offers new insight into the day-to-day struggles of living with autism, as her extreme attention to sensory detail - a common aspect of her autism - is fascinating to observe through her eyes. As Laura grapples with defining her own identity, she also looks at the unique benefits neurodiversity can bring.

Lyrical and lush, Odd Girl Out shows how being different doesn't mean being less, and proves that it is never too late for any of us to find our rightful place in the world.

©2018 Laura James (P)2018 Hachette Audio

What the critics say

"Too often a woman's success is pegged to the 'posse' with whom she surrounds herself. Laura James, relying on her independent spirit and the differences that set her apart, becomes an accomplished writer and starts a communications agency while raising four children. Odd Girl Out offers a choice of freedom over conformity through the understanding and embracing of one's disabilities." (Eileen Cronin, author of Mermaid: A Memoir of Resilience)

"James's story, told in an affecting, honest way, is at once intensely personal and extremely relatable... [it] reminds us to have compassion for those who defy our definition of normal, whether or not they have a label." (New York Journal of Books)

"There are so many myths about what it means to be autistic and Laura tells her story beautifully and truthfully. You will live every moment with her, feel her pain and want to right the wrongs. Some books make a big difference, this is one of them. It should be read by everyone." (Natasha Harding, The Sun)

"Honest and revealing...James demonstrates the complexity of autism, with its strengths as well as weaknesses." (Library Journal)

What listeners say about Odd Girl Out

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Feeling Seen

I love this book, it makes me feel seen as someone who was misdiagnosed with ADHD instead of ASD. Thank you for writing such an vulnerable book about your experiences. I am feeling gentle and grateful.

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fantastic book!

I love how the author winds together threads of personal experience and broader facts in such a literary way! the emphasis on sensory descriptions is such a creative way to incorporate that part of an Autistic experience through every part of the book.

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Finally someone who gets it.

This book resonated with me so well.
Definitely a must read for any woman on the spectrum.

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thank you

I really identify with the author and some of her words ring so true in my own life. My only complaint was that I had a hard time keeping straight the timelines as she skipped back and forth through time a bit. Probably would be easier to sus in print, I will consider purchasing a hard copy as well.

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