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Am I Normal?: Understanding Your Place in a Complex World
Not yet published
Expected 5 May 26'The world can feel a hard place at times, who hasn't asked themselves 'Is it me?' How wonderfully reassuring to have Dr Alex ask those same questions with his trademark warmth and honesty. A must read for everyone trying their best at life.' DR JULIE SMITH
'This is the story of all of the ways in which I didn't fit in and of all the things I would rather change about the world, than myself.'
How many of us have at some time wondered 'Am I Normal?' And yet, our society is set up in such a way that there is very little room for difference or quirks or for us to question what normal really is.
In this powerful, honest, and ultimately comforting book, mental fitness advocate and former A&E doctor Dr Alex George explores what it means to be "normal" in a society that often fails to embrace any kind of straying from the accepted path laid out by the expectations of others.
After years spent trying to fit the mould of what others expected of him, Alex's ADHD diagnosis became a turning point - not just in understanding himself, or helping him navigate the highs and lows he had experienced in childhood, whilst working in A&E and after the devastating loss of his brother, but in challenging the systems and society that marginalise so many.
This is a book that will give hope to anyone who has ever felt different and help you realise that your version of your normal is enough.
'This is the story of all of the ways in which I didn't fit in and of all the things I would rather change about the world, than myself.'
How many of us have at some time wondered 'Am I Normal?' And yet, our society is set up in such a way that there is very little room for difference or quirks or for us to question what normal really is.
In this powerful, honest, and ultimately comforting book, mental fitness advocate and former A&E doctor Dr Alex George explores what it means to be "normal" in a society that often fails to embrace any kind of straying from the accepted path laid out by the expectations of others.
After years spent trying to fit the mould of what others expected of him, Alex's ADHD diagnosis became a turning point - not just in understanding himself, or helping him navigate the highs and lows he had experienced in childhood, whilst working in A&E and after the devastating loss of his brother, but in challenging the systems and society that marginalise so many.
This is a book that will give hope to anyone who has ever felt different and help you realise that your version of your normal is enough.
304 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication May 5, 2026
About the author
Alex George
27 books20 followersThere is more than one author with this name
Dr. Alex George
Dr. Alex George
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
Review of advance copy
Am I Normal? No!
For those of us who have brains that are wired differently, this is a brutally honest account of the behaviours that can help & hinder us & things to consider to help navigate the modern world.
Dr Alex George shows his vulnerability by sharing about his grief, and battles with food & alcoholism. Living with an incurable disease I found it particularly interesting in how he challenged the stoic English views on death. I also found the knowledge of mindfulness affirmation of my own approach to coping with living in the moment & appreciating what is around us.
I have already verbally recommended this book & hope this reviews finds others that will benefit from reading it.
For those of us who have brains that are wired differently, this is a brutally honest account of the behaviours that can help & hinder us & things to consider to help navigate the modern world.
Dr Alex George shows his vulnerability by sharing about his grief, and battles with food & alcoholism. Living with an incurable disease I found it particularly interesting in how he challenged the stoic English views on death. I also found the knowledge of mindfulness affirmation of my own approach to coping with living in the moment & appreciating what is around us.
I have already verbally recommended this book & hope this reviews finds others that will benefit from reading it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 9, 2026
This was a nice warm read. The subject matter was somewhat surface level but maybe im biased because I work in this world. Interesting read given that we both went to the same school, shoutout tregib xxxx
January 30, 2026
This book is a warm, reassuring deep dive into the questions most of us are quietly asking but rarely say out loud. Alex George does a great job breaking down mental health topics in a way that feels accessible, compassionate, and non-judgmental. I especially appreciated how he normalises everyday anxieties and emotional struggles without minimising how hard they can feel.
The strength of the book is its tone, it feels like a supportive conversation rather than a lecture.
Overall, it’s a comforting, validating book that would be especially helpful for anyone feeling alone in their thoughts or just starting to explore their mental health. A thoughtful and kind read. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The strength of the book is its tone, it feels like a supportive conversation rather than a lecture.
Overall, it’s a comforting, validating book that would be especially helpful for anyone feeling alone in their thoughts or just starting to explore their mental health. A thoughtful and kind read. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Review of advance copy
I came into "Am I Normal?: Understanding Your Place in a Complex World" hoping for something that would genuinely unpack how different people experience “normality,” especially from a neurodivergent perspective. Instead, a lot of it reads like a polished personal narrative wrapped in general advice.
Alex George leans quite heavily on his own life story: his struggles when he was younger, how he worked through them, and where he ended up. That in itself isn’t a problem, but the framing makes it feel more universal than it actually is. His trajectory: becoming a doctor, gaining public visibility, building a platform, isn’t exactly typical, and at times it feels like the book assumes that what worked for him can be broadly applied. If you don’t see yourself anywhere in that path, the message starts to feel distant rather than helpful.
From a neurodivergent point of view, that gap is even more noticeable. The book talks about variation in behaviour and thinking, but often in a way that smooths over the reality of living with something like ADHD. There’s a tendency to group very different experiences under the same umbrella and then resolve them with fairly neat conclusions. That might work for readability, but it doesn’t reflect how uneven or persistent those challenges can be.
Some of the personal stories and examples also feel overly shaped: like they’ve been tidied up to land a specific point. It’s hard to prove, but a few of them come across as a bit too convenient or stretched, which makes them less convincing rather than more. Instead of grounding the argument, they sometimes pull you out of it.
It’s not that the book has nothing to offer: it’s clearly written to be accessible, and there are moments where it raises valid questions about how we measure ourselves against others. But the combination of a highly specific personal journey, broad generalisations, and occasionally overworked anecdotes makes it difficult to fully buy into. It ends up feeling more like a curated story with a message than a genuinely wide-ranging exploration of what “normal” means.
Alex George leans quite heavily on his own life story: his struggles when he was younger, how he worked through them, and where he ended up. That in itself isn’t a problem, but the framing makes it feel more universal than it actually is. His trajectory: becoming a doctor, gaining public visibility, building a platform, isn’t exactly typical, and at times it feels like the book assumes that what worked for him can be broadly applied. If you don’t see yourself anywhere in that path, the message starts to feel distant rather than helpful.
From a neurodivergent point of view, that gap is even more noticeable. The book talks about variation in behaviour and thinking, but often in a way that smooths over the reality of living with something like ADHD. There’s a tendency to group very different experiences under the same umbrella and then resolve them with fairly neat conclusions. That might work for readability, but it doesn’t reflect how uneven or persistent those challenges can be.
Some of the personal stories and examples also feel overly shaped: like they’ve been tidied up to land a specific point. It’s hard to prove, but a few of them come across as a bit too convenient or stretched, which makes them less convincing rather than more. Instead of grounding the argument, they sometimes pull you out of it.
It’s not that the book has nothing to offer: it’s clearly written to be accessible, and there are moments where it raises valid questions about how we measure ourselves against others. But the combination of a highly specific personal journey, broad generalisations, and occasionally overworked anecdotes makes it difficult to fully buy into. It ends up feeling more like a curated story with a message than a genuinely wide-ranging exploration of what “normal” means.
January 25, 2026
An amazing book, Dr Alex George is a fantastic author, he takes you down a road where you cannot distinguish whether it's you who's reading it or are you the main character of the book. This book is a must read to dive deeper/ know more about our mind.
I got to know about Dr Alex through the podcast - Stompcast and have now completed two of his books - 1. Mind Manual, 2. Am I Normal?
It makes you want to dig deeper and know more about your mental health and your well being, thank you Dr Alex, keep up the good work.
I got to know about Dr Alex through the podcast - Stompcast and have now completed two of his books - 1. Mind Manual, 2. Am I Normal?
It makes you want to dig deeper and know more about your mental health and your well being, thank you Dr Alex, keep up the good work.
Review of advance copy
I am very grateful that I was utterly clueless as to who you are Alex. I live in a world locked away from news and celebrity. My lack of knowledge on this subject steered me to your direction.
A truly eye opening book, and as a parent of an Autistic adult, a great font of knowledge.
Thank you Dr Alex for your raw, unabridged account of your life and what it is like to be neuro diverse.
A truly eye opening book, and as a parent of an Autistic adult, a great font of knowledge.
Thank you Dr Alex for your raw, unabridged account of your life and what it is like to be neuro diverse.
Review of advance copy
Listened to Audible version read by author and found it a bit dull. It wasn’t what I was expecting or hoping for. Don’t know why Goodreads says it hasn’t been published yet because it became available on Amazon UK on 15.1.26.
February 2, 2026
Really enjoyed the book and got me thinking about the norms in today’s society and how people do not talk about grief/death etc. Also interesting to hear Alex’s story about his ADHD diagnosis. Really recommend
Review of advance copy
As someone who feels like they have undiagnosed ADHD, this was a very reassuring book which made me feel, as the title suggests… normal. It’s a comforting, validating read that would be especially helpful for someone unsure of their thoughts and looking to understand their mental health.
January 25, 2026
If you’ve recently been diagnosed with ADHD or another neurodiversity, this is an easy listen that will help you feel less alone and like your the only one who feels the way you do.
February 23, 2026
Listened to this as an audiobook and it was great. Really relatable, sensitively written and interesting. Spoiler: I am not normal…
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews