Opening Boxes

Opening Boxes: How to Navigate Life When You Have Autism is a practical, compassionate guide for autistic adults who want clearer communication, stronger relationships, and better outcomes with neurotypicals. Written and narrated with honesty and insight, Jay Rothman shares what he learned after receiving his autism diagnosis at forty-six – and the tools he used to navigate work, dating, friendships, and everyday challenges.

Drawing from lived experience, Rothman explores essential topics such as building social confidence, understanding workplace expectations, avoiding common employment pitfalls, and creating meaningful, lasting connections. He also addresses rarely discussed themes in autism self-help: turning setbacks into growth, using goals to build momentum, and finding fulfillment on your own terms.

Whether you’re autistic yourself or want to better understand someone who is, Opening Boxes offers clear guidance, practical strategies, and a refreshingly direct voice that makes the audiobook both informative and deeply relatable.

Jay Rothman, an award-winning writer, editor, and photographer, is a contributor to Dr. Temple Grandin’s Different… Not Less, Volume 2. He lives in Phoenix, Arizona, and advocates for greater autism awareness and understanding.