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Autism for Adults: An Approachable Guide to Living Excellently on the Spectrum
The Ultimate Handbook for Success on the Spectrum – Written by and for Autistic People!
I feel like everyone else got a handbook with all the answers, and I never got my copy. This is a common thought among autistic people, because society is built with neurotypical people in mind—but that handbook has finally arrived. Even better, it was written by an autism activist who is on the spectrum himself.
Autistic influencer Daniel M. Jones is an expert on living well on the spectrum. No matter what you’re going through as someone with autism, Dan gets it—he’s been there. He’s here to explain everything he learned, and then some, in this instruction manual and memoir about life as an autistic person. Dan’s book is packed with actionable advice that readers can immediately start putting into practice. You’ll learn how to navigate common challenges, such as dating on the spectrum, holding down a job, or performing well in school. Best of all, you’ll learn to improve your life while also empowering yourself.
Dan’s honesty, self-awareness, and sheer knowledge of autism make for a down-to-earth and relatable read that anyone will enjoy. No matter where you are on the spectrum, you’ll love this hilarious and comprehensive guide to living an excellent life as an autistic adult.
I feel like everyone else got a handbook with all the answers, and I never got my copy. This is a common thought among autistic people, because society is built with neurotypical people in mind—but that handbook has finally arrived. Even better, it was written by an autism activist who is on the spectrum himself.
Autistic influencer Daniel M. Jones is an expert on living well on the spectrum. No matter what you’re going through as someone with autism, Dan gets it—he’s been there. He’s here to explain everything he learned, and then some, in this instruction manual and memoir about life as an autistic person. Dan’s book is packed with actionable advice that readers can immediately start putting into practice. You’ll learn how to navigate common challenges, such as dating on the spectrum, holding down a job, or performing well in school. Best of all, you’ll learn to improve your life while also empowering yourself.
Dan’s honesty, self-awareness, and sheer knowledge of autism make for a down-to-earth and relatable read that anyone will enjoy. No matter where you are on the spectrum, you’ll love this hilarious and comprehensive guide to living an excellent life as an autistic adult.
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Published September 26, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews
January 3, 2024
Absolutely hate to review a book this low, but I have little choice here. I really enjoy Daniel M Jones's YouTube channel and his videos are really informative and down to earth and cover a wide range of autistic subjects, so I anticipated, justifiably, that this book would be similar. However, in complete contravention to the blurb, this book isn't actually a guidebook for how to manage autism as an adult - it is purely an autobiography under a different name, with a few bullet points of simple suggestions at the end of each chapter.
It comes across as very self-indulgent, sometimes, here and there, even a little petulant and whiny. It also is extremely presumptuous, addressing the reader as if our version of autism and how we are helped or hurt by various things is exactly the same as his. It's one of those self help style books that does a sort of... "Follow these steps and your life will be pretty perfect and successful just like mine," which I personally find alienating and incorrect. The suggestion that all problems in life have a solution we just haven't found or applied yet I just can't get behind, it just seems naiive and a little proud, optimistic to a foolish degree.
Yes, believe in yourself, value yourself, of course! I do enjoy Jones's dedication to promoting our cause and fighting our corner as autistic people and focusing on our strengths. But life is not as simple as this book would have you believe and I think if you've chosen to read this book you're probably already finding autistic life if not a struggle then a challenge, and simple steps as written here probably aren't going to help a massive amount I'm sorry to say.
I don't really understand why this book is so different to Jones's YouTube videos but I find it disappointing. He is a likeable guy and I hate that I had to review the book so low on so many points. However I do not think it's his fault but rather that of the publisher, for not guiding the book in a more practical manner and instead confusing the book between self help, advocacy and autobiography. Also - the format of this book is terrible, the worst I've ever seen. Why the huge gaps between paragraphs? It makes it more arduous to read if anything and a weird choice on the part of the publisher.
I can't recommend, unfortunately. As a woman with autism in particular I found that this book often reflected the male characteristics with no mention at all of the differences with females on the spectrum, and I've read more helpful books about autism in general. Disappointing.
It comes across as very self-indulgent, sometimes, here and there, even a little petulant and whiny. It also is extremely presumptuous, addressing the reader as if our version of autism and how we are helped or hurt by various things is exactly the same as his. It's one of those self help style books that does a sort of... "Follow these steps and your life will be pretty perfect and successful just like mine," which I personally find alienating and incorrect. The suggestion that all problems in life have a solution we just haven't found or applied yet I just can't get behind, it just seems naiive and a little proud, optimistic to a foolish degree.
Yes, believe in yourself, value yourself, of course! I do enjoy Jones's dedication to promoting our cause and fighting our corner as autistic people and focusing on our strengths. But life is not as simple as this book would have you believe and I think if you've chosen to read this book you're probably already finding autistic life if not a struggle then a challenge, and simple steps as written here probably aren't going to help a massive amount I'm sorry to say.
I don't really understand why this book is so different to Jones's YouTube videos but I find it disappointing. He is a likeable guy and I hate that I had to review the book so low on so many points. However I do not think it's his fault but rather that of the publisher, for not guiding the book in a more practical manner and instead confusing the book between self help, advocacy and autobiography. Also - the format of this book is terrible, the worst I've ever seen. Why the huge gaps between paragraphs? It makes it more arduous to read if anything and a weird choice on the part of the publisher.
I can't recommend, unfortunately. As a woman with autism in particular I found that this book often reflected the male characteristics with no mention at all of the differences with females on the spectrum, and I've read more helpful books about autism in general. Disappointing.
November 28, 2023
Picked this up from my local library as I’m always interested in reading about autism and the autistic experience. I had no previous knowledge of the author before this. Got about half way through before giving it up.
I have no idea who this is for. The title says “Autism for Adults”, but the writing level is at a teen, maybe even young teen level? The author also seems to have some weird feelings about lower-class people, as well as his peers when he was in special education.
This didn’t come up a lot, but some pages seemed to be formatted very oddly, almost as if pushing the page count out a bit further?
Honestly, pick up Devon Price instead.
I have no idea who this is for. The title says “Autism for Adults”, but the writing level is at a teen, maybe even young teen level? The author also seems to have some weird feelings about lower-class people, as well as his peers when he was in special education.
This didn’t come up a lot, but some pages seemed to be formatted very oddly, almost as if pushing the page count out a bit further?
Honestly, pick up Devon Price instead.
January 11, 2024
Woof. This one is a big pile of garbage wearing the stolen skin of a better self-help book. The author details a very narrow and limiting experience as someone with autism, goes only off their own experience, and references basically no scientific data or studies. Each chapter ends with bullet points that couldn’t be less helpful.
Also, the book is billed as “Autism for Adults” and is written like it’s trying to explain living with autism to a fucking sentient potato.
Also, the book is billed as “Autism for Adults” and is written like it’s trying to explain living with autism to a fucking sentient potato.
April 2, 2024
TLDR; Book was good if you have similar experiences to the author, but almost completely useless to every other autistic person. Not intersectional, not a guide - just an autobiography.
Honestly had high hopes, but this book has such a narrow scope and is largely autobiographical. The author gives advice pretty much entirely on their experiences. Each chapter is 85% anecdotes from their own life and the remaining bit is vague tips that they found to be helpful for themselves.
The chapter on relationships contains no true advice for relationships and only covers intimacy and sex, which if I’m honest, are often the least challenging aspects of maintaining romantic relationships as an autistic person.
The chapters on academia and work are SO narrow in scope, as they only apply to the authors experience. For example, as a graduate student in the healthcare field, absolutely none of that advice is applicable to me.
Most importantly, to me, there is absolutely no consideration of intersectionality. Yes, I get that the author is male and can thus only speak from his experiences, but you simply cannot claim this book is for all autistic adults when there is no mention of the additional challenges (and subsequent potential solutions) that autistic women face. The advice does not account for the compounding stigmas, biases, and challenges faced by queer or POC autistic individuals either.
Finally, this book is only applicable to one small section of the spectrum. If you are autistic and nonverbal, most of this will not be helpful to you! If you have any differences in ability, strengths, or weaknesses from this author, you will be hard pressed to find helpful advice in this book.
That all being said, if you are someone who has a similar set of strengths and weaknesses to the author, I am sure you will find this book incredibly helpful.
Honestly had high hopes, but this book has such a narrow scope and is largely autobiographical. The author gives advice pretty much entirely on their experiences. Each chapter is 85% anecdotes from their own life and the remaining bit is vague tips that they found to be helpful for themselves.
The chapter on relationships contains no true advice for relationships and only covers intimacy and sex, which if I’m honest, are often the least challenging aspects of maintaining romantic relationships as an autistic person.
The chapters on academia and work are SO narrow in scope, as they only apply to the authors experience. For example, as a graduate student in the healthcare field, absolutely none of that advice is applicable to me.
Most importantly, to me, there is absolutely no consideration of intersectionality. Yes, I get that the author is male and can thus only speak from his experiences, but you simply cannot claim this book is for all autistic adults when there is no mention of the additional challenges (and subsequent potential solutions) that autistic women face. The advice does not account for the compounding stigmas, biases, and challenges faced by queer or POC autistic individuals either.
Finally, this book is only applicable to one small section of the spectrum. If you are autistic and nonverbal, most of this will not be helpful to you! If you have any differences in ability, strengths, or weaknesses from this author, you will be hard pressed to find helpful advice in this book.
That all being said, if you are someone who has a similar set of strengths and weaknesses to the author, I am sure you will find this book incredibly helpful.
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March 19, 2024Nice to read a book written by an actual autistic individual and gain insight into how other autistic people make it through and even enjoy life. Did not rate this book simply because it feels wrong to rate someone’s life story and honest portrayal of struggles.
March 30, 2024
I hate leaving bad reviews about books on topics that I think need better representation, but I really didn’t get anything from this book. I’m autistic and felt that the book was extremely simplistic both in writing style and content, and fell short of providing any substantive advice. I almost didn’t finish it. What a disappointing text. Two stars instead of one because it’s an important topic that’s not talked about enough, and the book was organized well.
September 12, 2023
Daniel Jones presents Autism in an easy to read format for adults who have it, from the perspective of one. He starts each chapter sharing a pertinent experience, how he learned from it, and hacks that those on the spectrum could benefit from.
This book is presented for Adults on the spectrum, but I think it's missing out on a larger audience - teens. This book absolutely could be helpful for teens.
I also think it would be helpful for those who love someone on the spectrum.
I do think it could have benefited from an explanation on why some adults find the term Asperger's offensive. Perhaps the reality is different in the UK but here in the US, it is a bit of an issue.
I'm a fast reader and was able to get through my advanced copy quickly. The language is very straightforward and chapters are easily broken down. Great for neurodivergent readers.
I would also like to recommend this book for anyone who works with people on the spectrum. It gives you a glimpse of their world, (while sometimes uncomfortable it's a beautiful world).
This book is presented for Adults on the spectrum, but I think it's missing out on a larger audience - teens. This book absolutely could be helpful for teens.
I also think it would be helpful for those who love someone on the spectrum.
I do think it could have benefited from an explanation on why some adults find the term Asperger's offensive. Perhaps the reality is different in the UK but here in the US, it is a bit of an issue.
I'm a fast reader and was able to get through my advanced copy quickly. The language is very straightforward and chapters are easily broken down. Great for neurodivergent readers.
I would also like to recommend this book for anyone who works with people on the spectrum. It gives you a glimpse of their world, (while sometimes uncomfortable it's a beautiful world).
April 30, 2024
Jones clearly has a lot of experience and information to offer fellow autistic adults, but he really could have used a competent co-wrirer or zealous editor to make the most of it. The text feels like a rough draft: meandering, disorganized, unfocused, peppered with personal experiences treated as science, and often generalizes the autistic experience.
In the end, I muddled through the frustratingly bad writing to gleam some useful information, but it frustrates me to know how much better a guide this could have been if more polish had been put into the prose.
In the end, I muddled through the frustratingly bad writing to gleam some useful information, but it frustrates me to know how much better a guide this could have been if more polish had been put into the prose.
August 27, 2024
Less a guide and more a memoir, which is not very helpful. Also, hard to trust a guy who has a channel called The Aspie World and describes Asperger himself as merely “controversial” when he was a /literal Nazi/ and that is the reason why us Autistics don’t use Asperger’s Syndrome any more (that and it’s been absorbed into the larger Autism diagnosis). This book also BADLY needed an editor - the tone was less “approachable” and more “overly buddy-buddy,” and it was very hard to stay engaged.
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August 9, 2024This was… not particularly useful.
September 20, 2023
I received a digital advanced reader copy of this book from the author for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I have followed Dan Jones from The Aspie World for several years now and I have found his content about autism to be very helpful. When I found out he was coming out with a book, I was very eager to read it and I'm honored to have received an early advance copy.
Autism for Adults talks about Dan's experiences as an autistic person and the life hacks that have helped him throughout his life. It is a very quick read at under 200 pages and I, as an autistic person myself, found it very relatable and informative.
There were many experiences that Dan had growing up that felt very similar to my own. I found many of his life hacks helpful and learned a few that I want to integrate into my own life, such as incorporating sensory breaks each day.
I also really liked that there was both a glossary and an index at the end of the book. I think these will be very helpful for those who are unfamiliar with some of the terms used in the book and for those wanting to look up specific information quickly.
I highly recommend giving Autism for Adults a read. I think both autistic and non-autistic people will find Autism for Adults to be a very interesting read. It will help people understand one autistic person's point of view and the strengths and struggles that they have.
I have followed Dan Jones from The Aspie World for several years now and I have found his content about autism to be very helpful. When I found out he was coming out with a book, I was very eager to read it and I'm honored to have received an early advance copy.
Autism for Adults talks about Dan's experiences as an autistic person and the life hacks that have helped him throughout his life. It is a very quick read at under 200 pages and I, as an autistic person myself, found it very relatable and informative.
There were many experiences that Dan had growing up that felt very similar to my own. I found many of his life hacks helpful and learned a few that I want to integrate into my own life, such as incorporating sensory breaks each day.
I also really liked that there was both a glossary and an index at the end of the book. I think these will be very helpful for those who are unfamiliar with some of the terms used in the book and for those wanting to look up specific information quickly.
I highly recommend giving Autism for Adults a read. I think both autistic and non-autistic people will find Autism for Adults to be a very interesting read. It will help people understand one autistic person's point of view and the strengths and struggles that they have.
June 13, 2024
Helped me connect a few dots, but it was still a little more of a singular view of autism than what I was looking for. I wish I could give this an extra half star for some of the tips the author provided. A nice quick read for people who are trying to figure out if they are autistic.
March 25, 2024
Interesting, its not really a guide as such for all people, more this guy saying what hes struggled with and what tips hes found helps. I like the bullet points and how easy it is to read!
May 5, 2024
If you're on a journey of understanding autism, this is a great guiding book for that journey ✅
July 7, 2025
Short but to the point. Good advice
February 2, 2024
2024.14
March 2, 2024
The author uses "always" "100 percent" and "everyone" over and over again when referring to Autistic people, even going as far to say (multiple times!) that the Autistic people reading this book were "smiling and nodding" at his words and that we would be able to relate to his personal life experiences. Well, I didn't, Dan. Not even a little bit!
Autism is a spectrum and it's different for everyone. If I'd known he was an influencer I would have avoided this because I've found most tend to think they speak for everyone, which can be frustrating when they label their memoir with a couple of bullet points at the end of each chapter with tips a "guide". Having a hard time at work? Well, the author makes YouTube videos and that solved all of his problems!
I also feel like Dan painted himself in a very negative light during this. Beyond speaking for everyone, he constantly points out how everyone in his life is wrong, while he seems to have all the answers, mostly regarding his teachers and past co-workers, who he said were doing their job "incorrectly".
This is not a good book if you're looking for information about Autism or a "guide". As someone else in the reviews suggested, Devon Price's "Unmasking Autism" is a great read. If you want something to get started that's a bit shorter and simpler, I'd go for "The Pocket Guide to Neurodiversity" by Daniel Aherne (which also touches on a few other things).
Autism is a spectrum and it's different for everyone. If I'd known he was an influencer I would have avoided this because I've found most tend to think they speak for everyone, which can be frustrating when they label their memoir with a couple of bullet points at the end of each chapter with tips a "guide". Having a hard time at work? Well, the author makes YouTube videos and that solved all of his problems!
I also feel like Dan painted himself in a very negative light during this. Beyond speaking for everyone, he constantly points out how everyone in his life is wrong, while he seems to have all the answers, mostly regarding his teachers and past co-workers, who he said were doing their job "incorrectly".
This is not a good book if you're looking for information about Autism or a "guide". As someone else in the reviews suggested, Devon Price's "Unmasking Autism" is a great read. If you want something to get started that's a bit shorter and simpler, I'd go for "The Pocket Guide to Neurodiversity" by Daniel Aherne (which also touches on a few other things).
January 30, 2024
Not as helpful as I was hoping. I'm just starting to get into the books on autism so I don't have much to compare it to, and it's nice to read a book about autism by someone who has it; I definitely resonated with some of the experiences. But, as with an ADHD title I read previously, Jones has the benefit of being self employed, and even though he goes through his challenges of growing up before he had that freedom, so much of it doesn't feel as applicable to me. Either because it's not something my job can accommodate, it's not a topic I'm interested in, or my anxiety prevents it from being that easy. It's quite a thin book and could be read in one extended sitting if you really wanted; I think it's a good starting point if you have yet to pick up anything on autism and/or are trying to self-diagnose from a more subjective viewpoint than a clinical one. But, while it covers a range of topics from relationships to jobs to daily living, it's a little too brief on all these categories to be of substantial help.
December 10, 2025
Autism for Adults is a crude anecdotal book bereft of significant substance on the matter of understanding and better coping with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Adults.
While full of positive energy and optimism for adults with autism to live happy and healthy lives, the book never departs from a focus of highly conversational personal stories and personal advice on how to best live your life as an autistic person with only partial exploration into how autistic people experience the world and the barriers we face to operate comfortably within in. There were many moments that the positivity almost felt toxic, with the challenges autistic people face minimized in favor of overoptimistically stating "all you need to do is X, and everything is fine!"
Although I understand and believe that this book may be helpful and even inspiring to some, it was incredibly disappointing for me. Further, despite being advertised as a book for adults, the author uses a tone that feels infantilizing at best and condescending at worst.
While full of positive energy and optimism for adults with autism to live happy and healthy lives, the book never departs from a focus of highly conversational personal stories and personal advice on how to best live your life as an autistic person with only partial exploration into how autistic people experience the world and the barriers we face to operate comfortably within in. There were many moments that the positivity almost felt toxic, with the challenges autistic people face minimized in favor of overoptimistically stating "all you need to do is X, and everything is fine!"
Although I understand and believe that this book may be helpful and even inspiring to some, it was incredibly disappointing for me. Further, despite being advertised as a book for adults, the author uses a tone that feels infantilizing at best and condescending at worst.
June 24, 2025
I’m not sure how this book got made. It was in no way beneficial and I would suggest looking elsewhere.
It’s really a story of his own life with autism but he also has dyslexia and ADHD. Everyone who has autism and ADHD, experience it all completely different to one another so his tips aren’t exactly groundbreaking.
However, we did seem to start high school at the same time so I related to that. And that we loved Encarta growing up.
The only tips I thought were good was dating and numbing handouts at school but I am beyond my school years (since this is autism for ADULTS). As well as obsessive research and problem solving.
And 80’s and 90’s kids really were the lost generation when schools had no resources for ADHD and autistic kids. I agree with him on that!
His ADHD was showing throughout the book and I’m not sure how the editor didn’t pick up on this and get him to focus instead of going on a side quest!
It’s really a story of his own life with autism but he also has dyslexia and ADHD. Everyone who has autism and ADHD, experience it all completely different to one another so his tips aren’t exactly groundbreaking.
However, we did seem to start high school at the same time so I related to that. And that we loved Encarta growing up.
The only tips I thought were good was dating and numbing handouts at school but I am beyond my school years (since this is autism for ADULTS). As well as obsessive research and problem solving.
And 80’s and 90’s kids really were the lost generation when schools had no resources for ADHD and autistic kids. I agree with him on that!
His ADHD was showing throughout the book and I’m not sure how the editor didn’t pick up on this and get him to focus instead of going on a side quest!
October 21, 2023
This really isn't a book about how to "liv[e] excellently on the spectrum". There are some tips here and there, but they are largely brought up as part of what is actually a memoir. Not only that, but much of the narrative takes place in the author's school days, and the tips are therefore for children, not adults.
I wouldn't have deducted so many stars for the false advertising if the narrative weren't also extremely disjointed. I get it, it's how I tell stories too, but this is a published book. Get an editor!
The advice that comes up isn't bad, it's just somewhat obvious. Having trouble making friends? Find people who share your interests! Struggling at work? Ask for accommodations! I'm being a little reductive, but only a very little.
And then there's the random drop of 9/11 trutherism, which I was not expecting at all.
The book benefits from being very short.
I wouldn't have deducted so many stars for the false advertising if the narrative weren't also extremely disjointed. I get it, it's how I tell stories too, but this is a published book. Get an editor!
The advice that comes up isn't bad, it's just somewhat obvious. Having trouble making friends? Find people who share your interests! Struggling at work? Ask for accommodations! I'm being a little reductive, but only a very little.
And then there's the random drop of 9/11 trutherism, which I was not expecting at all.
The book benefits from being very short.
November 17, 2024
With the ease of an older brother speaking to a younger sibling, Daniel M. Jones has made an approachable audiobook about the subject of level 1 autism with clear passages and humorous digressions. However, I think that this book should have been named "Autism for Young Adults" and geared specifically for those in high school or just getting out of college. This is because some of his advice might feel extremely reductive to more mature adults who've read more books here and there, and more direct, succinct advice might be more welcome to a younger audience. In essence, when listening to the audiobook, it felt like listening to a series of videos he might have done on his YouTube channel, and that's not necessarily a bad thing.
Overall, if you want a fast-paced read about the subject, I'd recommend it, but this wouldn't be the only book you need.
Overall, if you want a fast-paced read about the subject, I'd recommend it, but this wouldn't be the only book you need.
September 12, 2024
Listen. I definitely agree that this book felt quite patronizing for something ostensibly aimed at low-support need adults. The author also kept on hinting at childhood/family issues that he was clearly still dealing with but which weren’t necessarily relevant, so that was weird. On the other hand, the fact that I got anything at all out of this book is pretty good considering I went into it so pessimistic. Did I get much? No. But there were a couple of handy tips.
Saw several typos…Daniel, I am available for work as an editor. I am seeking employment, and I have a keen eye for spelling and grammar errors. Please, Daniel.
Saw several typos…Daniel, I am available for work as an editor. I am seeking employment, and I have a keen eye for spelling and grammar errors. Please, Daniel.
February 20, 2025
I was expecting it to be strategies, similar to “Self Care for Autistic People” by Meghan Neff. And there are some of these in this book that are quite good ideas I hadn’t thought of. But that part of the book isn’t developed enough, and most of the book is more autobiographical in nature. I also felt the reading level was very low. That may very well be intentional choice, to be more accessible to the full breadth of autistic people, but the net result for me was that I felt like I was being talked down. That’s too bad because I really wanted to like this book but it just felt unpolished, like it hadn’t gone through a good editorial process.
March 7, 2025
i wish i read this when i was a teenager but alas we read at 23 with 20/20 hindsight
a great introductory read for a neurodivergent person navigating support and accommodations for autistic life. A lot of this info I had to find out through trial and error myself, but it’s a great launching point for fresh young adults. Organized in an amazing way, the points are digestible and create a great starting point for more research on your specific areas of needs. It is very clearly written from a man’s perspective, which is okay, but I would love to see a book in a similar style that touches on the struggles that late diagnosed autistic women uniquely face. Overall, an insightful read and I would recommend to gain understanding in autistic perspectives!
a great introductory read for a neurodivergent person navigating support and accommodations for autistic life. A lot of this info I had to find out through trial and error myself, but it’s a great launching point for fresh young adults. Organized in an amazing way, the points are digestible and create a great starting point for more research on your specific areas of needs. It is very clearly written from a man’s perspective, which is okay, but I would love to see a book in a similar style that touches on the struggles that late diagnosed autistic women uniquely face. Overall, an insightful read and I would recommend to gain understanding in autistic perspectives!
December 5, 2025
a good majority of this books is spent on personal experience in an effort to help the readers relate to real life autism experiences. I recognize that this can help readers feel less alone and validating. For me this was a less effective read through style as the front indicated a guide for living on the spectrum but it was more narrative in that regard instead. I appreciate the takeaways at the end of the chapters with the guide points from the narration. Short sweet and to the bullet pointed lists are more what I was hoping for from a guide. Some good ideas I will be taking with me from this book post-read and feel that it was overall an okay read for me.
February 21, 2024
I wish I could give this book a higher rating because I love Dan's YouTube channel and have found it very helpful during my journey. This book is an autobiographical rant and not a guide for "living excellently" on the spectrum. The few hints and hacks that were mentioned I do not consider to be helpful. Chapter Eight finally moves away from autobiographical experiences and does list hacks that some may find useful. Since this is autobiographical experience heavy, it doesn't address any issues that are specific to females.
April 6, 2024
I feel the need to use caution in my review as I’m not diagnosed ASD and so can’t speak to how the book may be received by the target audience. And it seems like it would be more useful for tweens/teens as a lot of the book describes the author’s experiences in school and strategies for schooling. In fact, the bulk of the books is about various events in the author’s life, with a page at the end of each chapter than includes “actionable takeaway points.” I was really hoping this would be helpful for my adult clients (I’m a therapist) but it’s unlikely I would recommend it.
May 12, 2024
Not great, but not bad either. I felt like he presented himself as overly representative of autistic people as a whole and was too confident about the extent to which the tips and advice would/should work for the reader. It doesn't go as deep as the title and blurb would lead you to expect. That said, the information that's there is useful, in my opinion. If you're someone who just found out you're autistic as an adult and haven't spent a lot of time in the autistic community to dive deep into stuff yet, you might find it a useful resource, as long as you don't stop there.
March 8, 2025
This short work had some useful tips I will recommend to my clients, such as the sandwich tool for accomplishing unpleasant tasks, but it felt padded at even 100 pages, with most of the great stuff in the one page bulleted takeaways at the end of each chapter and the rest of the chapter being his personal experience of autism. That was interesting enough but not as useful. Overall, I think this book could have been a few blog posts, but I am happy he put the work in to write and publish it anyway.
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