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Autism Feels ...: An Earthling's Guide
"Too honest. Too real. Too helpful."
– #autismmom
"Inspirational in a way that makes you grateful to be normal."
– Ableism Magazine
“Not bad for an Autistic person.”
– Passive Discrimination Weekly
If autism has touched your life and you’re feeling overwhelmed from confusion and questions, enter the visceral world of Orion Kelly to gain a better understanding and appreciation for how Autism Feels … from the perspective of an everyday Autistic guy, husband and father to an Autistic child. With his razor-sharp perception and laugh-or-you’ll-cry humour, Orion sorts the damaging myths from deep Autistic truths as he explores the signs and reasons behind Autistic meltdown, shutdown and burnout, and how to aid recovery from sensory overload. Using real examples and vastly practical tips, Autism Feels … casts welcome light on a new approach to Autistic/neurotypical communication, interactions and relationship as well as insightful methods to support your Autistic child to achieve success. Orion’s life mission to improve the opportunities and life experiences of Autistic and neurodivergent people everywhere is making huge waves as he refuses to passively accept the status quo of discrimination and misconceptions Autistic people experience in every aspect of a neurotypical, foreign world. “Read it and learn Earthlings. ”
– Orion Kelly
– #autismmom
"Inspirational in a way that makes you grateful to be normal."
– Ableism Magazine
“Not bad for an Autistic person.”
– Passive Discrimination Weekly
If autism has touched your life and you’re feeling overwhelmed from confusion and questions, enter the visceral world of Orion Kelly to gain a better understanding and appreciation for how Autism Feels … from the perspective of an everyday Autistic guy, husband and father to an Autistic child. With his razor-sharp perception and laugh-or-you’ll-cry humour, Orion sorts the damaging myths from deep Autistic truths as he explores the signs and reasons behind Autistic meltdown, shutdown and burnout, and how to aid recovery from sensory overload. Using real examples and vastly practical tips, Autism Feels … casts welcome light on a new approach to Autistic/neurotypical communication, interactions and relationship as well as insightful methods to support your Autistic child to achieve success. Orion’s life mission to improve the opportunities and life experiences of Autistic and neurodivergent people everywhere is making huge waves as he refuses to passively accept the status quo of discrimination and misconceptions Autistic people experience in every aspect of a neurotypical, foreign world. “Read it and learn Earthlings. ”
– Orion Kelly
332 pages, Paperback
Published April 4, 2023
94 people are currently reading
256 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
June 27, 2023
I wish all HR departments and management teams read this book. It is some of the lived experiences (at the point of publication of course) of an #Autistic person. His experiences demonstrate the wide variety of unique ways that #Autism can be reflected in individuals . Some things he said I see in myself, and other things I don't see in myself but see in others who are known/suspected neuroatypical (and not all Autistic -- some HSP, some ADHD -- this is a very interesting topic to finally be learning about).
I was lucky in that Anti-Racism and non-metaphorical Decolonization had become "special interests" a few years prior to being forced to confront the fact I was Autistic.
I already knew that those within dominant (sometimes overtly dominating/discriminatory/etc) demographic groups (White, Male, Abrahamic/Christian, Heterosexual, Cisgender, Neurotypical, Allistic) don’t like to be named, and believe that their way of thinking and being is the only valid/correct way.
I recently learned that the desire some Allistic individuals have to “tone police” Autistic people is about as useful as getting angry that a wheelchair user didn’t use the stairs like everyone else. I have had managers over the years try to “tone police” me even with text, which can’t possibly have a “tone”, “flavour” or “smell” to begin with.
So much of my life makes sense when I can read (and hear from – he is a broadcaster who has an amazing YouTube channel/etc) from fellow Autistic people and compare notes and learn about who I am as an individual and who we are as a demographic community.
It is also useful for understanding Allism, and why Allistic people regularly insert into communications things that were never said and often don't even exist other than in their imagination.
Whether you have an Autistic person in your life (personal or work), or you are that Autistic person, I strongly recommend reading this book and buying copies for others.
Well, not everyone…. I did successfully resist the urge to use Amazon Prime and have a copy of this book mailed to the home addresses of past managers 🤔. I’m guessing given the weird things I've observed that set Allistic people off, that this helpful gift wouldn’t go over well.
In my "over half a century" on this planet (I was born in 1968), I've observed Allistic's not only don't like people who speak "truth to power", but people who speak truth at all. Allistics spend so much energy on social lying that it doesn't occur to them that someone else might not be doing the same thing.
I was lucky in that Anti-Racism and non-metaphorical Decolonization had become "special interests" a few years prior to being forced to confront the fact I was Autistic.
I already knew that those within dominant (sometimes overtly dominating/discriminatory/etc) demographic groups (White, Male, Abrahamic/Christian, Heterosexual, Cisgender, Neurotypical, Allistic) don’t like to be named, and believe that their way of thinking and being is the only valid/correct way.
I recently learned that the desire some Allistic individuals have to “tone police” Autistic people is about as useful as getting angry that a wheelchair user didn’t use the stairs like everyone else. I have had managers over the years try to “tone police” me even with text, which can’t possibly have a “tone”, “flavour” or “smell” to begin with.
So much of my life makes sense when I can read (and hear from – he is a broadcaster who has an amazing YouTube channel/etc) from fellow Autistic people and compare notes and learn about who I am as an individual and who we are as a demographic community.
It is also useful for understanding Allism, and why Allistic people regularly insert into communications things that were never said and often don't even exist other than in their imagination.
Whether you have an Autistic person in your life (personal or work), or you are that Autistic person, I strongly recommend reading this book and buying copies for others.
Well, not everyone…. I did successfully resist the urge to use Amazon Prime and have a copy of this book mailed to the home addresses of past managers 🤔. I’m guessing given the weird things I've observed that set Allistic people off, that this helpful gift wouldn’t go over well.
In my "over half a century" on this planet (I was born in 1968), I've observed Allistic's not only don't like people who speak "truth to power", but people who speak truth at all. Allistics spend so much energy on social lying that it doesn't occur to them that someone else might not be doing the same thing.
April 28, 2024
This book provided some much needed insight and opened up many discussions in our home. What a wealth of knowledge! So many realizations sparked while reading this, and it was wonderful to not only learn more about Autism, but also the myths. And what a gift to read a book written by an Autistic author - I enjoyed the opportunity to learn more about how his brain works and some of the areas he struggles with. While not every Autistic person operates in the same way or shows the same traits, it was incredibly helpful to gain a deeper understanding in a broader sense.
August 19, 2023
Great book. As a late diagnosed autistic person, this was definitely one of the most related books I have read during my completely predictable recent special interest in autism.
March 30, 2025
"Autism Feels... An Earthling's Guide" by Orion Kelly is an insightful and deeply personal exploration of autism that truly resonated with me. Kelly’s honest and engaging writing style makes complex experiences feel accessible, and his humour adds a refreshing touch.
As someone who has felt misunderstood at times, I found his perspective both validating and enlightening. The book is not only informative but also an emotional journey that captures the reality of autistic experiences with authenticity. I highly recommend it to anyone seeking a deeper understanding of autism, whether they are autistic themselves or looking to support someone who is.
As someone who has felt misunderstood at times, I found his perspective both validating and enlightening. The book is not only informative but also an emotional journey that captures the reality of autistic experiences with authenticity. I highly recommend it to anyone seeking a deeper understanding of autism, whether they are autistic themselves or looking to support someone who is.
April 17, 2025
Orion Kelly, that Autistic guy. Perhaps you know him from his informational content on YouTube about autism. Well, now he's funneled that content into his debut book. At some point, we all cross paths with someone who is Autistic. I know I've crossed paths with a few myself and I'm still learning every day. Just when I think I have someone who is Autistic figured out, I don't. Those who are Autistic are not all the same, which is a point that is stressed in this book. He is after all an Autistic father to an Autistic son. One thing about this informational book that brings awareness is, I think it lacked personal examples. Don't get me wrong, there were some, but to help others truly get into a non-neurotypical mindset, in a day to day life, more could have been incorporated. At times, it felt more like a lector book that repeated the same information, like his way of coping was a trigger to his son and his son's social interactions with strangers was a trigger to him.
Something that resignation with me was masking. Autistic individuals go through daily life in the real world masking due to expectations, but is's true for everyone and some don't even realize it. It's stressful to try to act a certain way to fit in. Children go through it in school, but so do adults. Doesn't matter if you are Autistic or not Autistic. The same goes for therapy. In the book it was mentioned there isn't much support for adults who get diagnosised later in life, but for children there's a ton of support however, it's a way to teach them how to suppress their autism. Again, it leads to masking. Professional help should not be how to act not Autistic, it should help one embrace that Autistic part of themselves and how to find coping techniques that supports that unique individual.
If you truly want to learn how not to misunderstand individuals in your life who are Autistic, this is a good book to start with. Who better to teach neurotypical individuals about the Autistic community than one who is Autistic himself?
Something that resignation with me was masking. Autistic individuals go through daily life in the real world masking due to expectations, but is's true for everyone and some don't even realize it. It's stressful to try to act a certain way to fit in. Children go through it in school, but so do adults. Doesn't matter if you are Autistic or not Autistic. The same goes for therapy. In the book it was mentioned there isn't much support for adults who get diagnosised later in life, but for children there's a ton of support however, it's a way to teach them how to suppress their autism. Again, it leads to masking. Professional help should not be how to act not Autistic, it should help one embrace that Autistic part of themselves and how to find coping techniques that supports that unique individual.
If you truly want to learn how not to misunderstand individuals in your life who are Autistic, this is a good book to start with. Who better to teach neurotypical individuals about the Autistic community than one who is Autistic himself?
July 28, 2025
I knew Orion Kelly from his YouTube videos (a few of which were video versions of his podcasts), and I liked the way he communicated, even if his experience didn't often match up with my own (as a late discovered autistic person). But as they like to say, "If you've met one autistic person, you've met one autistic person," so I can accept that we have different things that we get caught up on. These differences are most noticeable in some pet peeves that he shares at the ends of chapters, which are generally not things that bother me, but I can understand why they bother him. Those don't make up the majority of the book, though, which instead focuses on his lived experience of autism, both his own autism, and as a father to his autistic son. That component, I think, does a lot to disarm people who do not want to hear from well-spoken autistic adults because of their impaired autistic children, because he speaks from that place as well. The book keeps Orion's voice and cadence, and that keeps it accessible. He is from Australia, so his social examples do focus on how it is in Australia, which makes sense, because that is his experience. I knew his work before reading this, so I knew to expect that. The social experience as an American is not terribly different, though the political references are a bit different (though they do not make up a lot of the content of the book). The book covers a lot of experiences and to a useful extent, and I enjoyed reading it, and apart from those pet peeve parts, I saw myself in a lot of the descriptions in one way or another. One of the strengths of this book is that it doesn't assume much about you as a reader, and relates to you whether you are autistic or not, and whether you are trying to understand yourself, a partner, a friend, or a child. As someone who has only recently discovered that I am autistic, I learned a good bit from this book, and it was far more helpful than some of the other books that I have read.
April 13, 2025
Books like these are read when I have time to sit, focus, and annotate.
Why do I annotate? Because I hope that one day someone I know with pick this up and read my notes, learn more about themself, and appreciate the fact that I do my best to acknowledge, understand, and accept who they are.
This book is very insightful and not at all preachy. Mr. Kelly does a tremendous job at stating his claim as an autistic with an autistic child. He is down to earth with his experiences growing up and advocating for those on the spectrum.
His guide is well written and I never felt that he didn’t know what he was talking about.
This book gave me so many ideas and generated an abundance of thoughts about where I work (being a teacher) and how the system is extremely lacking when it comes to resources available to students on the spectrum.
I am now watching his YouTube videos and have found them to also be insightful and inspiring.
Awesome book!
Why do I annotate? Because I hope that one day someone I know with pick this up and read my notes, learn more about themself, and appreciate the fact that I do my best to acknowledge, understand, and accept who they are.
This book is very insightful and not at all preachy. Mr. Kelly does a tremendous job at stating his claim as an autistic with an autistic child. He is down to earth with his experiences growing up and advocating for those on the spectrum.
His guide is well written and I never felt that he didn’t know what he was talking about.
This book gave me so many ideas and generated an abundance of thoughts about where I work (being a teacher) and how the system is extremely lacking when it comes to resources available to students on the spectrum.
I am now watching his YouTube videos and have found them to also be insightful and inspiring.
Awesome book!
July 23, 2023
In "Autism Feels…," Orion Kelly shares his experiences as an autistic adult with children, offering a unique perspective on how autistics view and understand the world. Having a neurodiverse partner has helped in understanding and appreciating the autism spectrum. The book encourages empathy, acceptance, and inclusivity, making it a valuable read for fostering a more understanding society. Orion's insights and personal anecdotes shed light on the challenges and strengths of being autistic, allowing us to gain a deeper appreciation for the diverse ways in which individuals experience the world.
January 23, 2024
For me, this was quite an important book, one that I will be thinking about for quite a while after. The message was something I needed to hear, and throughout the book I could really her Mr. Kelly's voice leading and explaining and commiserating with me throughout the entirety of the read. Now, there are some typographical choices that I found an annoyance as I went through this...I really don't like the indiscriminate use of bold letters, especially in the middle of words...but aside from this, I appreciated this book and everything it brought up. Thank you Mr. Kelly.
February 1, 2025
This book took me forever to read because it was so true and real I had to take breaks a lot. Those breaks extended into months of time. I really appreciate all the study and work Orion has put into educating people. He does a really great job describing and explaining what he has experienced. He is great at communicating and sharing what it’s like to have a brain that functions differently. I highly recommend this book to adults who may be autistic or care for someone who is. His podcast and YouTube feeds are excellent as well.
March 8, 2025
I find the structure sometimes a struggle, but as they say, the medium is the message. I also wish there were loads more concrete examples and stories for those of us that are dense and just need more examples of how it actually manifested. That being said: good book, second half is very helpful, and I'm really glad he put the effort into writing it. Worth a read and can be probably treated more as a reference type book, reading the chapter that is most pertinent at the moment.
January 4, 2024
Compulsory reading
An insightful book and a great read. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to understand more about how Autism can affect a person and their family. The author is very open and honest in explaining the daily struggles he encounters as an Autistic adult with an Autistic son.
An insightful book and a great read. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to understand more about how Autism can affect a person and their family. The author is very open and honest in explaining the daily struggles he encounters as an Autistic adult with an Autistic son.
June 7, 2025
mm hHe just like me fr
It'd be cool if people actually started giving a shit about neurodivergent people. I mean that would require us as a whole revaluating our entire system. Why would it cost me more money than I've possessed at once just so someone can say for certain I have the thing I already knew I had? Maybe one day it won't feel so isolating to be different. Maybe it won't feel impossible or soul draining to maintain a normal life with a job and everything. It would be cool if the neurodivergent cunts that hoard all the wealth in the world used it to help people feel more comfortable and welcomed in the world but that would require billionaires to have the human emotion of empathy.
I personally cannot fucking stand driving. I am not bad at driving; I passed my drivers test without doing a single thing wrong. I got that Baby Driver, Drive (2011) autism. The problem I have is I can't stand driving with other people. In my beautiful shit hole of a state called Colorado, everyone drives like their smooth, inbred brain is discovering a car for the first time. The amount of anxiety I get from it is insane. I'm relying on these braindead cunts to not kill me and never will I be comfortable with that because I almost die every god damn day I drive. A while ago, I got to go to New York City for a week and it was the lowest my anxiety has ever been in my life. I spent almost a whole week not driving or even sitting in a car. It was one of the greatest weeks of my life and it ruined driving even more for me because we could have trains everywhere. America dropped 2 nukes on Japan and they still made bullet trains before we could even fathom it. Sure for some autistic people public transit sounds terrifying, but not all of us share a hive mind and have the same fucking issues, I probably don't have to explain that if you read this book. Driving is literal torture for me, all it does is overwhelm/overstimulate me, make my anxiety skyrocket, and bring me to the brink of a meltdown. THANK GOD IN AMERICA ITS THE ONLY VIABLE FORM OF TRANSPORTATION GOD BLESS THIS SHIT STAIN OF A NATION 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
If autistic and neurodivergent people want to feel comfortable in this world it will not be until we take the wealth away from melty face jizz candles like Musk, Fuckerberg, john amazon or whatever the fuck his name is, you get my point.
FREE LUIGI!!!
It'd be cool if people actually started giving a shit about neurodivergent people. I mean that would require us as a whole revaluating our entire system. Why would it cost me more money than I've possessed at once just so someone can say for certain I have the thing I already knew I had? Maybe one day it won't feel so isolating to be different. Maybe it won't feel impossible or soul draining to maintain a normal life with a job and everything. It would be cool if the neurodivergent cunts that hoard all the wealth in the world used it to help people feel more comfortable and welcomed in the world but that would require billionaires to have the human emotion of empathy.
I personally cannot fucking stand driving. I am not bad at driving; I passed my drivers test without doing a single thing wrong. I got that Baby Driver, Drive (2011) autism. The problem I have is I can't stand driving with other people. In my beautiful shit hole of a state called Colorado, everyone drives like their smooth, inbred brain is discovering a car for the first time. The amount of anxiety I get from it is insane. I'm relying on these braindead cunts to not kill me and never will I be comfortable with that because I almost die every god damn day I drive. A while ago, I got to go to New York City for a week and it was the lowest my anxiety has ever been in my life. I spent almost a whole week not driving or even sitting in a car. It was one of the greatest weeks of my life and it ruined driving even more for me because we could have trains everywhere. America dropped 2 nukes on Japan and they still made bullet trains before we could even fathom it. Sure for some autistic people public transit sounds terrifying, but not all of us share a hive mind and have the same fucking issues, I probably don't have to explain that if you read this book. Driving is literal torture for me, all it does is overwhelm/overstimulate me, make my anxiety skyrocket, and bring me to the brink of a meltdown. THANK GOD IN AMERICA ITS THE ONLY VIABLE FORM OF TRANSPORTATION GOD BLESS THIS SHIT STAIN OF A NATION 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
If autistic and neurodivergent people want to feel comfortable in this world it will not be until we take the wealth away from melty face jizz candles like Musk, Fuckerberg, john amazon or whatever the fuck his name is, you get my point.
FREE LUIGI!!!
February 18, 2024
I enjoyed this book quite a bit. It was one of the first books on Autism I read and it was great for that.
Orion Kelly is on a mission to spread the word and educate folks on Autism. His information is super approachable and is a great gateway into your Autistic journey.
Orion Kelly is on a mission to spread the word and educate folks on Autism. His information is super approachable and is a great gateway into your Autistic journey.
July 28, 2025
Found out a lot about myself
Interesting read. I've suspected that I could be autistic and this book pretty much confirmed it. I related to about 90% of this book. Helpful read. I do recommend reading it if you're interested.
Interesting read. I've suspected that I could be autistic and this book pretty much confirmed it. I related to about 90% of this book. Helpful read. I do recommend reading it if you're interested.
August 8, 2025
Very insightful and brutally honest. Funny from time to time but mostly very helpful since it comes from a self-advocating doubly experienced diagnosed Autistic person and parent living in a colourful neurodiverse relationship.
December 29, 2023
I love Orion's style of writing. This is a fantastic book and a great book for anyone who wants to learn more about how it feels to be autistic.
March 17, 2024
Funny, bitter sweet.
April 21, 2024
Another incredible Autism read. My mind and sense of humor are so similar to Orion's. I enjoyed this one from cover to cover!
October 24, 2025
Great read! Definitely recommend!
July 1, 2024
This was a very quick and easy read. I think someone could pick this up without knowing anything about autism and not have any problems, but there is also information for people that know more about the subject. I have seen some of the author's videos, and his voice translated well into this different format.
The reason this gets four stars instead of five is that I feel like it spreads itself a bit too thin trying to appeal equally to every possible audience. It's equally for autistic people, people that know an autistic person, and people with no personal connection to autism. I never felt like the book wasn't written for me as an autistic adult, but I do think that different sections of the book might appeal to different people.
The reason this gets four stars instead of five is that I feel like it spreads itself a bit too thin trying to appeal equally to every possible audience. It's equally for autistic people, people that know an autistic person, and people with no personal connection to autism. I never felt like the book wasn't written for me as an autistic adult, but I do think that different sections of the book might appeal to different people.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews