What to read… if you’re a sneaky autist…

Realising you're autistic in adulthood can be intense, as you begin to unpack a life of feeling different and reviewing all of your past experiences through a new lens. Having access to good information about autism and autistic people is crucial – being able to put a name to your experiences can be liberating. 

However, these realisations can also create a sense of grief, loss, and identity crisis, which can be compounded by the often dehumanising descriptions of autistic people. Many people have turned to the internet or media to find out more, discovering that first-hand, lived experience accounts of autistic life resonate more than descriptions of autistic people in classical psychological literature.

As a late identified autistic researcher who is not quite ready to dive into the world of TikTok, I found books to be a great way to learn more about myself, and the broader autistic experience. So here is a list of books (including my own) that should scratch that itch for anyone else who wants to learn more.

Neuroqueer Heresies

This is a collection of essays by autistic scholar Nick Walker on the concept of neurodivergence, and neuroqueering, or the radical act of subverting neuronormative (and cisheteronormative) norms in order to live our lives more authentically. Walker's work provides an emancipatory and empowering account of difference that encourages us all to explore who we can be.

Letters to My Weird Sisters

In this exploration of neurodivergence and weirdness through the lens of four letters to historical 'weird' women, poet Joanne Limburg intermingles her own experiences of growing up undiagnosed and her journey through womanhood and motherhood with an exploration of disability rights, otherness, and feminism. I found this book really moving, and a beautiful exploration of shared experiences that span centuries.

Stim: An Autistic Anthology

Edited by Lizzie Huxley-Jones, this delicious collection of essays and stories from a selection of autistic writers gives the reader an insight into a variety of aspects of autistic experience, including our intense passions ('This love' by Nell Brown'), experiences of intimacy ('Handling the Bones' by Ashleigh J. Mills) and sensory joy ('Bluebells' by Helen Carmichael). My own personal favourite 'Hungry' by Grace Au explores grief, family and culture. A must-read.

A Mismatch of Salience

Dr Damian Milton is perhaps most known for his 'Double Empathy Theory'; a bi-directional account of the communication difficulties between autistic and non-autistic people. A Mismatch of Salience is a collection of essays and papers that Damian has written about the autistic experience and a crucial insight into the importance of integrating the autistic perspective into our understanding of autistic people.

Autistic masking: understanding identity management and the role of stigma

Cheekily, I have included my own book, written with my collaborator and friend Kieran Rose. Our book explores the phenomena known as autistic masking, integrating both academic research and community accounts. This book is for anyone who wants to develop a deeper understanding of why autistic people can find it impossible to be their authentic selves, and what we can do to create a better society for neurodivergent and neurotypical people alike.  

This is a tiny fraction of many wonderful books available – my collaborator Kieran keeps an up-to-date list (helpfully broken down by 'genre').