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Twirling Naked in the Streets and No One Noticed: Growing Up With Undiagnosed Autism
Jeannie grew up with autism, but no one around her knew it. Twirling Naked in the Streets will take you on a journey into the mind of a child on the autism spectrum; a child who grows into an adolescent, an adult, and becomes a wife, mother, student, and writer with autism.
This is a gripping memoir of a quirky, weird, but gifted child who grows up never quite finding her niche. It took 38 years to discover that all the issues, problems, and weirdness she experienced were because she had Asperger's Syndrome (AS), a form of high-functioning autism.
The tale begins at age three and takes us all the way through her diagnosis. Along the way she explains autism in a way that will have fellow "Aspies" crying tears of joy at being understood, and "neuro-typical" people really starting to grasp the challenges that autistic people face every moment of every day.
This is a gripping memoir of a quirky, weird, but gifted child who grows up never quite finding her niche. It took 38 years to discover that all the issues, problems, and weirdness she experienced were because she had Asperger's Syndrome (AS), a form of high-functioning autism.
The tale begins at age three and takes us all the way through her diagnosis. Along the way she explains autism in a way that will have fellow "Aspies" crying tears of joy at being understood, and "neuro-typical" people really starting to grasp the challenges that autistic people face every moment of every day.
204 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 10, 2013
227 people are currently reading
3841 people want to read
About the author
Jeannie Davide-Rivera
22 books67 followersThis author is also published under Jeannie Rivera.
Jeannie is the award-winning author, of Twirling Naked in the Streets and No One Noticed, and the middle-grade novel, Frederick Moody and the Secrets of Six Summit Lake. With an MFA from Seton Hill University in Popular Fiction, she excels at editing, and coaching authors in order to transform their work into the fantastic story they want to tell.
She has a special place in her heart for middle-grade novels, but historical romances, especially the Regency era are a very close second.
Jeannie is the award-winning author, of Twirling Naked in the Streets and No One Noticed, and the middle-grade novel, Frederick Moody and the Secrets of Six Summit Lake. With an MFA from Seton Hill University in Popular Fiction, she excels at editing, and coaching authors in order to transform their work into the fantastic story they want to tell.
She has a special place in her heart for middle-grade novels, but historical romances, especially the Regency era are a very close second.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 124 reviews
June 28, 2016
Words cannot express how much this book means to me. I wish I read it a lot sooner.
4 and a half years ago - 24 years old, single mother to a not even one-year-old - I was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome. I'd gone through my whole life wondering what was wrong with me, I knew I was different. I didn't do a lot of research, or seek out any other Aspies, as I was still getting over a relationship break-up and learning to be a mother and I couldn't cope with a lot. I really wish I had've. Lately, I've been going through a hard time, even with a diagnosis, to understand and accept myself, and for others around me to do the same. I finally read this book and for the first time in my life, I feel like someone - Jeannie Davide-Rivera - could actually understand what it's like to be me. I've never had that before.
Jeannie Davide-Rivera also grew up without a diagnosis. She was a lot older than I was when she got it. As I started reading this book, I was glued. Here was someone who also learnt to read before school like me, who walked on her tippy-toes, like me, who loves typing and can speed type like me. There is just so many similarities between Jeannie and I, although having different lives, and done different things. And there were things that weren't similar, like Jeannie had imaginary friends, while I didn't.
I want to buy this book, to add it to my collection. This is a book I'm definitely going to read more than once.
I recommend this to anyone with, who knows someone with, or is just plain curious about Aspergers/Autism. I recommend it to everyone, I can't recommend it enough. I wish there was a 6 star rating.
4 and a half years ago - 24 years old, single mother to a not even one-year-old - I was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome. I'd gone through my whole life wondering what was wrong with me, I knew I was different. I didn't do a lot of research, or seek out any other Aspies, as I was still getting over a relationship break-up and learning to be a mother and I couldn't cope with a lot. I really wish I had've. Lately, I've been going through a hard time, even with a diagnosis, to understand and accept myself, and for others around me to do the same. I finally read this book and for the first time in my life, I feel like someone - Jeannie Davide-Rivera - could actually understand what it's like to be me. I've never had that before.
Jeannie Davide-Rivera also grew up without a diagnosis. She was a lot older than I was when she got it. As I started reading this book, I was glued. Here was someone who also learnt to read before school like me, who walked on her tippy-toes, like me, who loves typing and can speed type like me. There is just so many similarities between Jeannie and I, although having different lives, and done different things. And there were things that weren't similar, like Jeannie had imaginary friends, while I didn't.
I want to buy this book, to add it to my collection. This is a book I'm definitely going to read more than once.
I recommend this to anyone with, who knows someone with, or is just plain curious about Aspergers/Autism. I recommend it to everyone, I can't recommend it enough. I wish there was a 6 star rating.
April 23, 2013
This is a compelling memoir by Jeannie Davide-Rivera telling her story about growing up with undiagnosed Aspergers, which is a form of high functioning autism. As an adult, she finally got a diagnosis that pretty much explained her entire life in a nutshell. When my son was diagnosed at age three and I started learning all I could about autism, I was astounded-not at his diagnosis, but at the realization that I had it, too. I have never been diagnosed, but don't feel I need it at this point. Jeannie and I could've been identical counterparts in parallel universes. The stories she tells are mine. Her feelings are mine. Her experiences are mine.
I think that usually when other people, even experts, encounter autistic people, figuring them out is like staring backwards through the peephole of a locked door. But here we have an actual autistic person telling what it's like from the inside. That kind of empathy and understanding is the best gift the parent of a child with autism can give that child.
This book was very well and logically done by a woman who is intelligent and articulate. I'm recommending this book to everyone I know who might be I involved, even peripherally, with autism.
I think that usually when other people, even experts, encounter autistic people, figuring them out is like staring backwards through the peephole of a locked door. But here we have an actual autistic person telling what it's like from the inside. That kind of empathy and understanding is the best gift the parent of a child with autism can give that child.
This book was very well and logically done by a woman who is intelligent and articulate. I'm recommending this book to everyone I know who might be I involved, even peripherally, with autism.
May 24, 2013
I was born in 1979, before the idea of Autism being a disorder with a spectrum. I always knew I was different than everyone around me, but never could pinpoint why. My son was diagnosed 3 years ago with PDD-NOS and I became an Inclusion Kindergarten teacher and thus began my introduction to the world of Autism. Through my son and my students I began to see myself. I knew something else was going on above being AD/HD and having anxiety. So I got tested too...At 34, I just learned I have Asperger's!! Now my whole life to this point makes sense! Reading Twirling Naked was like finding a new best friend. I could relate to all of her experiences and feelings because I'd been there, done that, and had the t-shirt! It's nice to know you're not totally insane and even nicer to know you're really not alone, you're just a citizen of a different country than you first though you belonged to! Thanks and Kudos to Jeannie for having the strength to keep on going and the courage to write her story down to inspire the rest of us Aspies! A must read for anyone on the spectrum or for those who know someone who is!
July 19, 2016
5 Stars (There's not enough stars in the world for this book).
The many ways this book have touched me are probably impossible to describe. I will try though because there might be others like me, others who have gotten this diagnosis which explained a lot, but who still feel like they are grasping in air to find some way to make sense of this chaotic world.
This book got me started on a journey for acceptance. Probably for the first time I feel my weaknesses can be a strength too. I have begun to accept that I need to plan my days, that my world need to be orderly. That I can’t just move to new places, that I need time with my interests as much as I need breathing, that I will probably never feel like I have enough energy to the social demands of the world. For the first time it’s okay (almost). Friends who care will stay even if they don’t see me as often as they would like. I’m coming to a place where I can put that bad conscience to rest. I put on my earplugs when I need it without shame and let the sounds of coughing, scratching chairs, breathing, eating and everything else fade when it’s needed.
If I knew all this earlier I would let people know that the demands of school were too much, to lay aside all pressure to give me freedom to succeed. I would tell my parents how my teacher started the school year in the middle of our teaching book and how it ruined the course. Maybe we could have found better ways for me to learn. I would tell psychologists to help me find the energystealing component instead of treating the symptoms. I would maybe be able to accept that changing cercumstances would throw me in a loop for awhile. I would know it would fade eventually as I got used to the new.
There’s a lot I would have done, but it’s never too late to begin. This review is too honest for my comfort, but if it can help someone to pick up this book, maybe relate to someone truly for the first time. Then it is worth it. Everyone deserves to feel like they have a place in this world, a feeling of belonging. That is what this book has given me, I hope it can give it to you too.
The many ways this book have touched me are probably impossible to describe. I will try though because there might be others like me, others who have gotten this diagnosis which explained a lot, but who still feel like they are grasping in air to find some way to make sense of this chaotic world.
This book got me started on a journey for acceptance. Probably for the first time I feel my weaknesses can be a strength too. I have begun to accept that I need to plan my days, that my world need to be orderly. That I can’t just move to new places, that I need time with my interests as much as I need breathing, that I will probably never feel like I have enough energy to the social demands of the world. For the first time it’s okay (almost). Friends who care will stay even if they don’t see me as often as they would like. I’m coming to a place where I can put that bad conscience to rest. I put on my earplugs when I need it without shame and let the sounds of coughing, scratching chairs, breathing, eating and everything else fade when it’s needed.
If I knew all this earlier I would let people know that the demands of school were too much, to lay aside all pressure to give me freedom to succeed. I would tell my parents how my teacher started the school year in the middle of our teaching book and how it ruined the course. Maybe we could have found better ways for me to learn. I would tell psychologists to help me find the energystealing component instead of treating the symptoms. I would maybe be able to accept that changing cercumstances would throw me in a loop for awhile. I would know it would fade eventually as I got used to the new.
There’s a lot I would have done, but it’s never too late to begin. This review is too honest for my comfort, but if it can help someone to pick up this book, maybe relate to someone truly for the first time. Then it is worth it. Everyone deserves to feel like they have a place in this world, a feeling of belonging. That is what this book has given me, I hope it can give it to you too.
August 18, 2014
**"We thought we had a little genius on our hands," my mother said, "but you were just a little bitch." That is the way my mother described me.**
Jeannie's memoir of growing up completely misunderstood is told with irresistible humor, wit and honesty that will cut you to the core and open your heart. Wonderful and moving book. Also a tremendously informative piece on Asperger's Syndrome. Recommended for all!
Jeannie's memoir of growing up completely misunderstood is told with irresistible humor, wit and honesty that will cut you to the core and open your heart. Wonderful and moving book. Also a tremendously informative piece on Asperger's Syndrome. Recommended for all!
November 16, 2014
Twirling Naked in the Streets is an autobiography about growing up as a girl with undiagnosed autism.
The story unfolds in a straightforward manner that makes it easy to follow along and relate to the ways the young girl's quirks, hypersensitivities and presumed princess manners cause social friction, bewilderment and hostility in her near surroundings.
It is a lonely story, a path of misunderstandings and mysterious dysfunctions into an ever more complicated adult world where the alienation seems to grow with every anticipated and missed milestone, up till the ‘moment of truth’ where Jeannie's diagnosis, emerging self insight and discovery of online communities of fellow aspies gives her the explanation she was looking for.
Despite the gloomy plot, the story isn’t a heavy read - it is vivid, humorous and entertaining to read, and the simple, matter-of-fact like observations of Jeannie’s fellow characters make them easy to imagine and relate to.
What I liked most about the book is how it shows ways autism symptoms can present in girls and women who may otherwise not come across as stereotypically autistic. Jeannie is a girl who talks well (and a lot). Who has friends at least some of the time. Who goes out (drowning the sensory overload with alcohol), studies (albeit interrupted), lands jobs, and initially comes across as socially capable at job interviews (although she can’t hold onto the jobs). She also gets married and have kids.
In other words, from an outsider’s perspective her life may seem fairly normal, but in reality her autism pervades all spheres of her life, draining her energy and limiting her capacity to meet the standards of a so called normal life / womanhood.
Great book!
April 12, 2013
This book is poignant and honest. The writer has a writing voice that puts you in the room with her, and makes you feel like you are actually there.
The release of this book, right during Autism Awareness Month, is right on time.
This isn't a book of someone whining or waving their hand saying look at me...it's a someone saying "Hey! You could be missing the signs! Does this sound familiar? Maybe you should look harder!"
It's an honest statement that holds out hope to people who may be on the Autism spectrum without ever having known it, and it's a window so that those who don't have ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder), can have a clear glimpse into what someone who is on the specturm may be going through everyday.
It's an easy, funny read. Definately worth the time it would take to devour it.
The release of this book, right during Autism Awareness Month, is right on time.
This isn't a book of someone whining or waving their hand saying look at me...it's a someone saying "Hey! You could be missing the signs! Does this sound familiar? Maybe you should look harder!"
It's an honest statement that holds out hope to people who may be on the Autism spectrum without ever having known it, and it's a window so that those who don't have ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder), can have a clear glimpse into what someone who is on the specturm may be going through everyday.
It's an easy, funny read. Definately worth the time it would take to devour it.
August 13, 2016
I'm so grateful to have a read a book that I can relate to on such a deep, emotional level.
~~~~all quotes~~~~~
"I loved my books; all my friends lived within their pages. My friends often lived inside my books, and the television set."
"I felt like an earthling walking in the midst of a sea of Martians. Today, I feel like I am from another planet."
"I didn't understand the odd stares, or know to feel left out when children didn't play with me. I was simply happy playing in my own world without anyone intruding or trying to change the way the game was played."
"Don't fret over the lonely child with only one friend; I was not lonely."
"Efforts to fix me, or demand I conform to the normal world around me only resulted in my retreat. I retreated into my own world--further into the depths of my foggy existence."
"I didn't receive the manual. You know, the manual where these social rules were written--but it appeared that everyone else around me had."
"Inside the gaping divide between what others perceive and what my brain processed was a dangerous place. This danger was greatest at a time when I was most vulnerable, at a time when I was developing my sense of self."
"Being mind-blind makes you extremely susceptible to deception. ...There can be many consequences of missing social cues, but none may be more devastating, dangerous, and harmful than not seeing the signs with your own relationships."
"I was never more myself than when I was six years old... She was carefree--free to be herself."
"If I could not make friends, I could create them upon the blank pages of my computer screen, on my legal pads, in the stories I had bottled inside."
"Due to the inability to express our emotions or communicate feelings of disturbance, anxiety or distress verbally, depression is often missed until it is so severe that it hinders our ability to function."
"I suppose I may be just too tired to pretend to be normal; too tired to consciously stop each instance of stimming, or every impending meltdown."
"In my virtual world, I have a voice. I can "talk" without worrying about how I sound, if I spoke out of turn, or unwittingly offended someone. I can put my words to the page in a logical order, say what I mean, and mean what I say. In my fake world I am real, I am alive, and I have something worthwhile to say. In the real world, I am fake, voiceless; a mannequin posing, pretending to fit in."
~~~~all quotes~~~~~
"I loved my books; all my friends lived within their pages. My friends often lived inside my books, and the television set."
"I felt like an earthling walking in the midst of a sea of Martians. Today, I feel like I am from another planet."
"I didn't understand the odd stares, or know to feel left out when children didn't play with me. I was simply happy playing in my own world without anyone intruding or trying to change the way the game was played."
"Don't fret over the lonely child with only one friend; I was not lonely."
"Efforts to fix me, or demand I conform to the normal world around me only resulted in my retreat. I retreated into my own world--further into the depths of my foggy existence."
"I didn't receive the manual. You know, the manual where these social rules were written--but it appeared that everyone else around me had."
"Inside the gaping divide between what others perceive and what my brain processed was a dangerous place. This danger was greatest at a time when I was most vulnerable, at a time when I was developing my sense of self."
"Being mind-blind makes you extremely susceptible to deception. ...There can be many consequences of missing social cues, but none may be more devastating, dangerous, and harmful than not seeing the signs with your own relationships."
"I was never more myself than when I was six years old... She was carefree--free to be herself."
"If I could not make friends, I could create them upon the blank pages of my computer screen, on my legal pads, in the stories I had bottled inside."
"Due to the inability to express our emotions or communicate feelings of disturbance, anxiety or distress verbally, depression is often missed until it is so severe that it hinders our ability to function."
"I suppose I may be just too tired to pretend to be normal; too tired to consciously stop each instance of stimming, or every impending meltdown."
"In my virtual world, I have a voice. I can "talk" without worrying about how I sound, if I spoke out of turn, or unwittingly offended someone. I can put my words to the page in a logical order, say what I mean, and mean what I say. In my fake world I am real, I am alive, and I have something worthwhile to say. In the real world, I am fake, voiceless; a mannequin posing, pretending to fit in."
August 6, 2016
I found this autobiography to be extremely compelling, easy to relate to, and informative for a non-Aspie reader. Jeannie tells the story of her childhood, adolescence, and adulthood and her struggles with sensory overload, managing energy, and the many other symptoms of her undiagnosed autism. She is straightforward and honest, and makes you feel like you're right there with her. My heart breaks for all of the misunderstandings and misdiagnoses throughout her life, but she doesn't linger on the understandable grief of missed opportunities. In fact, the book is poignantly funny in places and isn't a heavy read at all. I learned a lot about the many ways that autism affects every aspect of life and I enjoyed her commentary on the evolution of autism spectrum disorder as a part of the DSM (the diagnostic handbook in the field of psychology). There are quite a few editing mistakes, which usually bothers me in a book, but her story is so powerful that it doesn't matter at all.
November 11, 2013
I found this book fascinating. It was written by a lady who grew up without being diagnosed with autism until she had her own children. Some of the ways she described things and the reason these things happen really struck a chord with watching my own daughter struggle.
January 14, 2019
I give this short book three stars, if only because it suffers from an utter lack of copy editing and poorly thought out structure.
I am a woman diagnosed late in life (54). Some of the episodes she recounts are laugh-out-loud funny. Others are poignant and sad. Still others call up outrage in her behalf over the way she was treated by a highly dysfunctional Brooklyn family, teachers and coworkers.
She leaves open portals for the discussion of substance abuse and sexuality among adults diagnosed with spectrum conditions in adulthood and beyond. Punctuation errors aside, the writing is competent enough, but again does not always cohere. I would have also seen more scientific explanation for some autistic traits.
As a woman in this spectrum, I have a couple of so called superpowers, namely stratospheric language scores on all of the standardized tests I have taken. My ability, known as hyperlexia as well as non language related learning disorder, makes me ideally suited to copy edit a book as short as this one, and I would gladly do this free of charge, if only to assist in bringing it to wider, more traditional publishing opportunities and adding to the body of literature on autism spectrum conditiins.
I am a woman diagnosed late in life (54). Some of the episodes she recounts are laugh-out-loud funny. Others are poignant and sad. Still others call up outrage in her behalf over the way she was treated by a highly dysfunctional Brooklyn family, teachers and coworkers.
She leaves open portals for the discussion of substance abuse and sexuality among adults diagnosed with spectrum conditions in adulthood and beyond. Punctuation errors aside, the writing is competent enough, but again does not always cohere. I would have also seen more scientific explanation for some autistic traits.
As a woman in this spectrum, I have a couple of so called superpowers, namely stratospheric language scores on all of the standardized tests I have taken. My ability, known as hyperlexia as well as non language related learning disorder, makes me ideally suited to copy edit a book as short as this one, and I would gladly do this free of charge, if only to assist in bringing it to wider, more traditional publishing opportunities and adding to the body of literature on autism spectrum conditiins.
June 10, 2013
Jeannie couldn't understand why her kindergarten teacher bothered teaching the class to read when they all knew how to read. Why are they teaching multiplication when the class already know this stuff? Why did she get an "F" on a math test simply because she didn't show her work - the answer was right, after all. Her parents (and most adults in her life) thought she was an extremely difficult child. Jeannie didn't realize there was a reason she was different. At 38 years of age, she received her answer - Jeannie has Asperger's.
Having a son on the autism spectrum, this book helped me see into the life of a woman who struggled to find her place, or to be accepted in the place she was in. I had many, "Ah ha!" moments as I read. I laughed. I cried. I was touched in so many ways. Jeannie is also a super-mom to three sons with autism and a college student (who happens to be in one of my classes). This is one of those books that makes you a better person by reading.
A must-read for anyone whose life it touched by autism!
Having a son on the autism spectrum, this book helped me see into the life of a woman who struggled to find her place, or to be accepted in the place she was in. I had many, "Ah ha!" moments as I read. I laughed. I cried. I was touched in so many ways. Jeannie is also a super-mom to three sons with autism and a college student (who happens to be in one of my classes). This is one of those books that makes you a better person by reading.
A must-read for anyone whose life it touched by autism!
November 25, 2020
The candid and heartfelt memoir of a woman who struggled with undiagnosed ASD, autism spectrum disorder, for almost 40 years. I think this will strike a chord with most autism parents and family members, and maybe even some caregivers and educators. How many of us have recognized ourselves, a sibling or even a parent/grandparent in the diagnostic criteria and finally gained insight into behaviors and sensory issues that had been an unexplained source of frustration? I'm very grateful to Jeannie for sharing her story.
August 1, 2014
This book is an autobiography of a girl growing up with undiagnosed Asperger Syndrome in the 1980s. Her style of writing makes you feel like you are right there with her. This book made me laugh and cry. Her description helped me to get a better understanding of my own son with AS. If you care about someone with AS this is a must read.
May 7, 2013
I loved this book. Its a wonderful inside look at aspergers, autism. Very informative, your inside her life from childhood to adult. Her trials and tribulations. Awesome read!
April 23, 2020
This is a book by a woman whose autism was undiagnosed as a child.
It provides us with many details of her symptoms/life as a child, teenager and now as an adult. It is very readable, and having Asperger’s myself, I recognize many of her symptoms; also, the book shines light on many of the symptoms which I didn’t previously realize had anything to do with autism; for example, the need to finish one activity before proceeding to another; I still have this problem.
When I was five, we had to spend one day in another. bigger school where my Dad taught; the teacher asked me to fill a page in cursive with the sentence “A stitch in time saves nine”. I was so happy to do this, but before I had completed the page she took it from me because she wanted me to do something else. This was most disturbing for me because I wasn’t finished! I hadn’t been allowed to do it properly.
The author, Jeannie, is given one diagnosis after the other, none of which has anything to do with autism. At one point, she has to take anti-depressants, anti-anxiety medications, muscle relaxers and pain killers three times a day, which means that she can hardly keep her eyes open; thus she is given medication to wake up in the morning and some to help her sleep because of it. She is “a walking pharmacy”.
From an early age she consumed books. She had hypolexia (a new word for me); this is an ability to read above what is expected for the child’s age, “accompanied by a below average ability to comprehend spoken language”. (I had the first, but not the second, to my knowledge.)
Autistic persons are extra sensitive. Thanks to this book I now understand why I found woollen clothing so scratchy as a child and couldn’t wear it. I once hid a woollen undervest in the bathroom behind what was called the “boiler” so my mother couldn’t find it and force me to wear it. She couldn’t understand what had happened to it. It is probably still there unless the old house has by now been demolished, which is very possible.
To get back to Jeannie, luckily she had a Grandma who understood her sensitivities and bought her clothing she could wear, so “there would be no itching, no scratching, no tearing it off my body, and no tags!”
Jeannie could not tolerate mistakes. Everything had to be perfect. The problem was she could not distinguish between her way to do things and the right way. She thought that her way was always the right way.
Arranging things, bringing order out of chaos was the most important part of playing and brought Jeannie the most joy.
She can’t eat food that is wet or on a wet plate, or anything slimy, which causes her to vomit.
She eats the same things at the same time, day in and day out.
When she was four years old she was totally obsessed with baseball. She knew everything about it and all the players.
She was verbal, too verbal. She was smart, “too smart for her own good”. (This is thus the opposite of what formerly was acknowledged as the main symptom of autism – an inability to speak.)
She smells things no-one else can, even a faint remnant of odour in the air. Growing up, she had to smell all her food before eating it. The more anxious she was, the more things she sniffed.
Homework took time, because her writing had to be perfect. She walked back and forth while doing her homework in order to concentrate.
She tells us “My autistic brain is stubborn, unyielding and immovable”.
She could not tolerate more than one friend at a time – ever. She found groups overwhelming – tell me about it!
She writes: “I am an all-the-way, all-the-time friend, or nothing at all.”
She couldn’t grasp peer pressure – “doing things you knew were wrong just to fit in, or things you didn’t want to do to keep your friends”. (Ha, ha, me neither.)
Social niceties were unacceptable behaviour. “Lying just to make someone feel good was not acceptable to me.”
I can’t lie either, in fact, at the age of three I had a traumatic experience when I realized that there were such things as lies. Why would everybody not always tell the truth? It was terrible that someone thought I was lying when I couldn’t even comprehend the fact that lies/lying existed.
Some so-called experts think that autistic persons do not empathize. That is rubbish. “We care: we feel, we hurt, but sometimes we cannot show it no matter how much we want to”.
Jeanne explains the meaning of mind-blind. The mind-blind person does not pick up on social cues, vocal intonations or facial expressions”. ”Whatever pops into the brain usually flies out of the mouth, making the autistic person extremely blunt, sometimes appearing rude”.
This is a useful book for other autistic persons and for those wishing to understand autism, though the author’s symptoms and experiences will not necessarily resemble those of everyone with autism.
I found the book extremely interesting and would have given it five stars had it not been for the many grammatical mistakes, typos and the like. These were irritating and I find it strange that these should occur in a book by a perfectionist such as the author describes herself to be. But otherwise it is well worth reading.
It provides us with many details of her symptoms/life as a child, teenager and now as an adult. It is very readable, and having Asperger’s myself, I recognize many of her symptoms; also, the book shines light on many of the symptoms which I didn’t previously realize had anything to do with autism; for example, the need to finish one activity before proceeding to another; I still have this problem.
When I was five, we had to spend one day in another. bigger school where my Dad taught; the teacher asked me to fill a page in cursive with the sentence “A stitch in time saves nine”. I was so happy to do this, but before I had completed the page she took it from me because she wanted me to do something else. This was most disturbing for me because I wasn’t finished! I hadn’t been allowed to do it properly.
The author, Jeannie, is given one diagnosis after the other, none of which has anything to do with autism. At one point, she has to take anti-depressants, anti-anxiety medications, muscle relaxers and pain killers three times a day, which means that she can hardly keep her eyes open; thus she is given medication to wake up in the morning and some to help her sleep because of it. She is “a walking pharmacy”.
From an early age she consumed books. She had hypolexia (a new word for me); this is an ability to read above what is expected for the child’s age, “accompanied by a below average ability to comprehend spoken language”. (I had the first, but not the second, to my knowledge.)
Autistic persons are extra sensitive. Thanks to this book I now understand why I found woollen clothing so scratchy as a child and couldn’t wear it. I once hid a woollen undervest in the bathroom behind what was called the “boiler” so my mother couldn’t find it and force me to wear it. She couldn’t understand what had happened to it. It is probably still there unless the old house has by now been demolished, which is very possible.
To get back to Jeannie, luckily she had a Grandma who understood her sensitivities and bought her clothing she could wear, so “there would be no itching, no scratching, no tearing it off my body, and no tags!”
Jeannie could not tolerate mistakes. Everything had to be perfect. The problem was she could not distinguish between her way to do things and the right way. She thought that her way was always the right way.
Arranging things, bringing order out of chaos was the most important part of playing and brought Jeannie the most joy.
She can’t eat food that is wet or on a wet plate, or anything slimy, which causes her to vomit.
She eats the same things at the same time, day in and day out.
When she was four years old she was totally obsessed with baseball. She knew everything about it and all the players.
She was verbal, too verbal. She was smart, “too smart for her own good”. (This is thus the opposite of what formerly was acknowledged as the main symptom of autism – an inability to speak.)
She smells things no-one else can, even a faint remnant of odour in the air. Growing up, she had to smell all her food before eating it. The more anxious she was, the more things she sniffed.
Homework took time, because her writing had to be perfect. She walked back and forth while doing her homework in order to concentrate.
She tells us “My autistic brain is stubborn, unyielding and immovable”.
She could not tolerate more than one friend at a time – ever. She found groups overwhelming – tell me about it!
She writes: “I am an all-the-way, all-the-time friend, or nothing at all.”
She couldn’t grasp peer pressure – “doing things you knew were wrong just to fit in, or things you didn’t want to do to keep your friends”. (Ha, ha, me neither.)
Social niceties were unacceptable behaviour. “Lying just to make someone feel good was not acceptable to me.”
I can’t lie either, in fact, at the age of three I had a traumatic experience when I realized that there were such things as lies. Why would everybody not always tell the truth? It was terrible that someone thought I was lying when I couldn’t even comprehend the fact that lies/lying existed.
Some so-called experts think that autistic persons do not empathize. That is rubbish. “We care: we feel, we hurt, but sometimes we cannot show it no matter how much we want to”.
Jeanne explains the meaning of mind-blind. The mind-blind person does not pick up on social cues, vocal intonations or facial expressions”. ”Whatever pops into the brain usually flies out of the mouth, making the autistic person extremely blunt, sometimes appearing rude”.
This is a useful book for other autistic persons and for those wishing to understand autism, though the author’s symptoms and experiences will not necessarily resemble those of everyone with autism.
I found the book extremely interesting and would have given it five stars had it not been for the many grammatical mistakes, typos and the like. These were irritating and I find it strange that these should occur in a book by a perfectionist such as the author describes herself to be. But otherwise it is well worth reading.
August 6, 2022
Again I See Me
As with other books written by women that are Autistic I’ve cried and laughed out loud. Cried because someone else is like me, sad,lonely, always late, miss understood and grieving the “normal” I will never attain or understand. I laughed, literally out loud, especially reading this book, because I’m a klutz and have experienced some of the exact mishaps she writes about. Thank you Jeannie for letting yourself be seen and for seeing me.
As with other books written by women that are Autistic I’ve cried and laughed out loud. Cried because someone else is like me, sad,lonely, always late, miss understood and grieving the “normal” I will never attain or understand. I laughed, literally out loud, especially reading this book, because I’m a klutz and have experienced some of the exact mishaps she writes about. Thank you Jeannie for letting yourself be seen and for seeing me.
March 23, 2020
Thank you!
I have a son on the spectrum. This book helped me understand what he may be experiencing. Thank you! You opened my etes
I have a son on the spectrum. This book helped me understand what he may be experiencing. Thank you! You opened my etes
December 23, 2025
‘Rules without logic were the ones I was incapable of following.’
‘Academics came easily. The rest of life, not so much.’
‘Academics came easily. The rest of life, not so much.’
did-not-finish
November 2, 2021I wanted to like and possibly learn from this book, but it felt under-edited and that made it difficult for me to push past the 1/4 mark. Did not finish.
February 26, 2025
Poorly edited, contained errors and many repetitions. Author likely has AuDHD and neglected to accept and explain why the term "aspergers" is no longer used.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 20, 2014
I'm not 100% sure what I think of this book. It was compulsively readable and I breezed right through it. I wanted to read it because I was intrigued by the idea of an adult with autism discussing her experiences growing up, particularly since she was undiagnosed. I've wondered several times myself- if I were a modern child, would I have been diagnosed with Asberger's as well? I found that I do have a lot of things in common with this author, such as learning to read early, advanced vocabulary, not relating to children my own age, etc. I live in NJ, which is the autism capital of the world (1 in 33 here). When I was growing up, I moved 23 times by the time I was 18 and went to 8 different schools and never met an autistic person. While it is possible that maybe someone with asperger's could have slipped through, that doesn't explain the "real" autistic kids...so I have to disagree with the author about autism being more common in the past. Wherever I go today, I see autistic children- supermarket, beach, anywhere.. and that simply wasn't true in the past.
This book is told in simple prose...just the author relating her life experiences. Some of it didn't seem that weird to me...she expresses over and over that her thoughts, feelings, actions and reactions weren't normal, but I didn't always get that.. her sensitivity to smells and food was weird to me, but a lot of the rest of what she had to say actually seemed like normal stuff to me, even more so when you consider the fact that she was raised in what sounds like a lousy home environment. (drugs, alcohol, partying). Most people aren't "normal". Sometimes it seems like the author really wants to be different, or at least to have an excuse for being so. It also says on the back cover that she has three autistic children of her own...what are the odds of that? She mentioned that her firstborn son screamed constantly after he was born....so did mine...everyone said he was the most difficult baby they had ever encountered. My son had vaccine induced screaming syndrome from the hep b shot... we were lucky, because most children who have this do end up autistic.
I think if the subject of autism interests you, this is a worthwhile read. Because it's a spectrum disorder, no two people's experiences are exactly alike. Perhaps this book will help others who are wondering if they might be autistic. Overall, it is worth your time.
This book is told in simple prose...just the author relating her life experiences. Some of it didn't seem that weird to me...she expresses over and over that her thoughts, feelings, actions and reactions weren't normal, but I didn't always get that.. her sensitivity to smells and food was weird to me, but a lot of the rest of what she had to say actually seemed like normal stuff to me, even more so when you consider the fact that she was raised in what sounds like a lousy home environment. (drugs, alcohol, partying). Most people aren't "normal". Sometimes it seems like the author really wants to be different, or at least to have an excuse for being so. It also says on the back cover that she has three autistic children of her own...what are the odds of that? She mentioned that her firstborn son screamed constantly after he was born....so did mine...everyone said he was the most difficult baby they had ever encountered. My son had vaccine induced screaming syndrome from the hep b shot... we were lucky, because most children who have this do end up autistic.
I think if the subject of autism interests you, this is a worthwhile read. Because it's a spectrum disorder, no two people's experiences are exactly alike. Perhaps this book will help others who are wondering if they might be autistic. Overall, it is worth your time.
June 25, 2013
TWIRLING NAKED IN THE STREETS was an eye-opening read for me. From Jeannie’s earliest memories of childhood as a somewhat happy, free-to-be-me (yet definitely quirky and particular) preschooler to her journey as an adult who finally understood the years of depression, years of job-hopping, the years of trying to be like everyone else (and miserably failing), I learned something about Asperger’s on every page.
And I thought of all the people out there–the ones with Asperger’s, or Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, or addictive behaviors or any number of mental health challenges–who struggle daily to fit in a neuro-typical world. Maybe it’s the middle-aged cashier you speak to at the grocery store, or the young mom sitting next to you at the park, or the teenage boy in your neighborhood who works as a dog-sitter. Lord knows, life is hard. But perhaps it’s just a little bit harder when your brain doesn’t work quite like other people’s brains.
After I wrote about blogging a book (and had a giveaway for HOW TO BLOG A BOOK), Jeannie became a regular visitor at my blog, started her book, and most importantly, finished her book. Then she graciously sent me a copy. So glad she did!
And I thought of all the people out there–the ones with Asperger’s, or Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, or addictive behaviors or any number of mental health challenges–who struggle daily to fit in a neuro-typical world. Maybe it’s the middle-aged cashier you speak to at the grocery store, or the young mom sitting next to you at the park, or the teenage boy in your neighborhood who works as a dog-sitter. Lord knows, life is hard. But perhaps it’s just a little bit harder when your brain doesn’t work quite like other people’s brains.
After I wrote about blogging a book (and had a giveaway for HOW TO BLOG A BOOK), Jeannie became a regular visitor at my blog, started her book, and most importantly, finished her book. Then she graciously sent me a copy. So glad she did!
September 13, 2013
This book was an excellent read and would be particularly helpful to any adult who thinks they may be autistic or considering undergoing a diagnosis. The author relates her own experiences of growing up with undiagnosed autism against the diagnostic criteria for ASD. She describes with clarity the difficulties she experienced and the barriers she overcame. The complex language of the diagnostic criteria is explained in accessible terms & supported by clear examples. There is a paucity of research relating to women & girls with autism. It has for years been viewed as a condition which primarily affects males. Women have often been missed or have gone under the radar. It is therefore heartening to read a story which highlights the difficulties that not receiving/having a misdiagnosis can present. As for myself it was like looking in a mirror. Many of the difficulties that the author describes I have also experienced. I have often been viewed as that slightly odd girl with obsessive interests, direct, blunt and often rude approach. Cronically anxious and resistant to change but with an amazing attention to detail. Personally transformative so thank you Jeannie. Highly recommended.
September 5, 2013
Since my SS has Asperger's and my sorority's philanthropy is Autism Speaks, I thought it would be interesting to read a book by a woman that wasn't diagnosed until 38. I could relate somewhat since my SS wasn't diagnosed until 17. I thought the book was well written, although it seemed to ramble at times. I thought the author did a great job of explaining some of the aspects of the disorder and looking back, I can see a lot of these things in my SS even today.
I was surprised when reading the book to discover that her husband never left her. With her actions and his reactions it is something I would have expected (or at least how they were portrayed in the book). While the cause of autism isn't known (genetic or otherwise), I wasn't too surprised that her children are all on the spectrum and I wonder if her Grandmother might have been as well.
I was surprised to learn that Autism has been more known in Europe (for 20 years before it really started being diagnosed here in the US) and it makes you wonder how many more people have gone through life undiagnosed like the author.
I was surprised when reading the book to discover that her husband never left her. With her actions and his reactions it is something I would have expected (or at least how they were portrayed in the book). While the cause of autism isn't known (genetic or otherwise), I wasn't too surprised that her children are all on the spectrum and I wonder if her Grandmother might have been as well.
I was surprised to learn that Autism has been more known in Europe (for 20 years before it really started being diagnosed here in the US) and it makes you wonder how many more people have gone through life undiagnosed like the author.
January 31, 2016
1.5 stars with the half star added for the last third of the book. I was hoping for an engaging, narrative memoir. Instead, the format of this book was more: here is a symptom of Asperger's->here is a disconnected example of how I manifested that symptom in childhood/early adulthood->here's how I felt about it. That formula repeated every chapter.
For a more engaging book about late diagnosis Asperger's, I would recommend "Look Me in the Eye" by John Elder Robison. I had hoped that this book would be told in a similar fashion from the female perspective. I also wish that the author had talked much more about how Asperger's impacted her as a wife and mother. Aspergirls are later and less likely to be diagnosed, but we need their voices in the literature. This is a step in the right director and with a good editor I think that this author could ultimately find her storytelling voice. In the meantime, The Journal of Best Practices by David Finch is a good book about marriage and parenting with Asperger's, albeit again from a male voice.
For a more engaging book about late diagnosis Asperger's, I would recommend "Look Me in the Eye" by John Elder Robison. I had hoped that this book would be told in a similar fashion from the female perspective. I also wish that the author had talked much more about how Asperger's impacted her as a wife and mother. Aspergirls are later and less likely to be diagnosed, but we need their voices in the literature. This is a step in the right director and with a good editor I think that this author could ultimately find her storytelling voice. In the meantime, The Journal of Best Practices by David Finch is a good book about marriage and parenting with Asperger's, albeit again from a male voice.
May 31, 2013
I enjoyed every word of this book. I highlighted, I read aloud to people, and I checked her blog. She writes well and clearly, and I found no spelling errors, typos, or words out of place.
It is a description of her early life; undiagnosed, confused and unable to come to terms with the world. She writes clearly, and helped me to view my own life, and that of my children and grandchildren with greater clarity.
One of the more difficult points, for me, was the reaction of her medical team, all of whom should have known better. The lists of inaccurate diagnoses, and dangerous treatments, principally because the doctors did not take the time to listen and observe, make me wonder what goes in in the medical world today.
Even if you think autism doesn't affect you directly, this book is easy to read and will probably assist you at some time in your life.
I am now a big fan of this author.
It is a description of her early life; undiagnosed, confused and unable to come to terms with the world. She writes clearly, and helped me to view my own life, and that of my children and grandchildren with greater clarity.
One of the more difficult points, for me, was the reaction of her medical team, all of whom should have known better. The lists of inaccurate diagnoses, and dangerous treatments, principally because the doctors did not take the time to listen and observe, make me wonder what goes in in the medical world today.
Even if you think autism doesn't affect you directly, this book is easy to read and will probably assist you at some time in your life.
I am now a big fan of this author.
August 28, 2013
*Good Reads Winner*
I am so excited to receive a copy of Twirling Naked in the Streets and No One Noticed: Growing Up With Undiagnosed Autism! I can't wait for it to arrive!
Twirling Naked in the Streets was a delightful read. Autism runs in my family and so whenever I get a chance to read about the subject in any way, I can't pass it up. As I read further into the book, page by page, I was able to understand and relate where Jeannie was coming from. My child has Asperger's himself along with Sensory Processing Disorder and he has days where things are just so hard for him to deal with. Now, if I did not have the knowledge to help my child, I think things would have been a lot harder for him. It must have been a difficult struggle living day by day not understanding why things bother you or why you do the things you do and not having the support of your parents. I found the book to be very well-written and thought out. Thanks for allowing me to read your story.
I am so excited to receive a copy of Twirling Naked in the Streets and No One Noticed: Growing Up With Undiagnosed Autism! I can't wait for it to arrive!
Twirling Naked in the Streets was a delightful read. Autism runs in my family and so whenever I get a chance to read about the subject in any way, I can't pass it up. As I read further into the book, page by page, I was able to understand and relate where Jeannie was coming from. My child has Asperger's himself along with Sensory Processing Disorder and he has days where things are just so hard for him to deal with. Now, if I did not have the knowledge to help my child, I think things would have been a lot harder for him. It must have been a difficult struggle living day by day not understanding why things bother you or why you do the things you do and not having the support of your parents. I found the book to be very well-written and thought out. Thanks for allowing me to read your story.
August 3, 2016
I really enjoyed this book, to be able to read some of the early signs of autism and asperger's syndrome was very informative and eye opening. My heart broke for her as she was telling the story and how people didn't "get" her even her parents. I do have some family and friends who have children and grandchildren who have autism and now when I am with them I will be able to hopefully understand and communicate with them better.
I would recommend this book as an easy to read primer on this subject. Jeannie Davide-Rivera is very poignant and honest in her telling of her life. I admire her greatly and applaud her and wish her continued success.
Thank you for your story and your strength in telling it
I would recommend this book as an easy to read primer on this subject. Jeannie Davide-Rivera is very poignant and honest in her telling of her life. I admire her greatly and applaud her and wish her continued success.
Thank you for your story and your strength in telling it
July 18, 2016
I picked this book up on a whim, and I'm glad I did.
The subject and author's personal perspective intrigued me and when I was done reading it, I couldn't help but feel a great deal of empathy toward her.
Her story is that of struggle and wishing for more people to understand her, and in that she did amazing things with this book.
It took me a while to read because, admittedly, I'd often have to put it down as I was overwhelmed with sympathy for her. I ached inside as I'd read her struggles and often felt anger as I read how her parents treated her growing up.
It's a great read, well written. To say it was heartfelt would be an understatement.
The subject and author's personal perspective intrigued me and when I was done reading it, I couldn't help but feel a great deal of empathy toward her.
Her story is that of struggle and wishing for more people to understand her, and in that she did amazing things with this book.
It took me a while to read because, admittedly, I'd often have to put it down as I was overwhelmed with sympathy for her. I ached inside as I'd read her struggles and often felt anger as I read how her parents treated her growing up.
It's a great read, well written. To say it was heartfelt would be an understatement.
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