Misfit: autistic. gay. immigrant. changemaker.

by Andreas Souvaliotis

Updated and expanded: A new edition of the inspiring memoir by one of Canada's most unusual, successful and socially conscious businesspeople.

"I am different. I have always been different. I grew up scared of being found out, scared of my natural inability to fit in, to conform, to look and sound and dress and behave 'normal.' I was always drawn to the different ones and I observed them with fascination--but the thought of being even a little bit like them mortified me. I was desperate to fit in. . . ." --From Misfit

Andreas Souvaliotis was raised at a time when being on the autism spectrum wasn't easily diagnosed or even discussed. Minds like his were simply considered odd. He also knew from an early age he was gay, and it terrified him as he was growing up with openly homophobic parents in one of Europe's least tolerant societies.

Andreas's differences made him an outsider, right through to his mid-forties. And then suddenly, everything changed. Misfit is the extraordinary memoir of a man who realized there was strength in his strangeness, that it could be used as a force for good. "It all happened in a flash. On a beautiful spring morning in 2007, sitting in my backyard and licking my wounds from a spectacular career derailment, I came up with a big idea--and I found myself contemplating the most daring and unconventional pursuit of my life." The weird kid from Greece was on his way to making his world, and everyone's world, a better place.

Andreas Souvaliotis's inspiring story shows us that everyone has what it takes to trigger positive change, and that none of us should see our differences and quirks as handicaps.

• The author is donating all of his proceeds from this book to 6 Degrees, a global charitable initiative that promotes inclusion, diversity, belonging and citizenhip. 6degreesto.com

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, LGBT

253 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 5, 2019

Reviews

[Russell Sanders · Rating 2 out of 5]

I bought Andreas Souvaliotis’s memoir Misfit: Austistic, Gay, Immigrant, Changemaker when I was on vacation in Canada. Reading the cover blurbs, I was convinced it would be an interesting and inspiring book. After all, for interest, it ticked all the boxes for me. I do like reading about the gay experience, and anyone who succeeds while being neuro-atypical (that’s what I learned from this book autistic people are called) would—or should be—inspiring. Souvalioitis tells of his childhood, college years, immigration to Canada, and his building of an empire, a supposedly green empire, green in the sense of environmentally friendly. His tales of his early life, of his parents and brother, are mildly entertaining. When he gets into the “building an empire” part, he lost me. If he did all this and amassed his wealth because he cared about the environment, that was not the primary message I got. I got that he enjoyed becoming wealthy and powerful, hobnobbing with world celebrities like the Prince of Wales and Al Gore. As for the autism, he wasn’t diagnosed until his adult years—and seemingly self-diagnosed—and his autism is such that it made him a high-achiever with intelligence abounding enough to overcome his social skills problems. Sort of like Rain Man with communication abilities beyond measure. In short, by the time I got to the last fifty or so pages of this relatively brief book, I was scanning, rather than reading. And the appendix where he shares his letters and essays that have been published before? I didn’t even read those as I found none of them interested me. The foreword to the book is written by Justin Trudeau who is a friend and admirer of the author, and the book was apparently assigned by a Canadian school district as required reading. I just felt it left me cold. I applaud his victories over adversity, but I certainly was not impressed by his accomplishments as the way he related them.

[Sasha Boersma · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was looking forward to reading a memoir of someone else who is Autistic and founded a company.

But instead the book is a series of essay reflecting on his life and very little about autism + entrepreneurship.

I think people who love the memoir genre will enjoy its structure and how it’s written.

[Yvonne · Rating 2 out of 5]

I struggled to get through this if I am honest. It was a series of essays of his life and it just didnt hit the nail for any of the sub headings of the book.

He is no doubt an impressive man but I did not come away from this book with a desire to delve further or to use it as a reference point.

[Ben Truong · Rating 3 out of 5]

Misfit: Autistic. Gay. Immigrant. Changemaker. is a collection of personal essays written by Andreas Souvaliotis. It is an anthology of essays that chronicles Souvaliotis' beginnings as an enthusiastic, slightly awkward boy in Greece and follows him through to the present.

Andreas Souvaliotis is the founder of Carrot Rewards, Canada's most popular wellness app and the world's first national health rewards program. He has been recognized globally for his achievements and thought leadership in harnessing nudge theory to promote positive behavior shifts on a mass scale. As a bestselling author and prolific speaker, he is a leading Canadian advocate for innovative approaches to address public health, climate change, diversity and citizenship.

For the most part, these personal essays are either hit or miss for me. Seventeen different essays charts Souvaliotis' life from his eagerness to escape from the magnetic charisma and staunch homophobia of his parents, the closeted Souvaliotis left behind his life in Greece for university in Brandon, Manitoba. As an immigrant desperate to fit in, he dove into the culture of his new country with single-minded determination – an intensity that, years later, would come clear in Souvaliotis' new understanding of himself as a neuro-atypical individual on the autism spectrum.

Like most anthologies, there are weaker contributions and Misfit: Autistic. Gay. Immigrant. Changemaker. is no exception. The first half of the anthology is better written than the second part, giving the overall feeling of the anthology as rather mediocre. I wished that the anthology were generally more evenly balanced with the three categories of autism, gay, immigrant, and changemaker.

All in all, Misfit: Autistic. Gay. Immigrant. Changemaker. is a mixed collection of personal essays, which gave an overall mediocre impression, about growing up autistic, gay, immigrant, and becoming a changemaker.

[Jacinthe Paille · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like to read some non-fiction as well as fiction, and I love to read memoirs. This is a very good one. The chapters are divided into themes related author’s life, and it is super interesting. Not long and well written, it is a great read for people who are in business, and those who’d like to get inside an autistic mind. Fascinating!

[Shauna Morrison · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was not what I thought it would be. I thought it would be more of a story, instead we focus way too long on an app I have never heard of and I live in Canada. We fanboy over the Trudeau's and how amazing Pierre Trudeau was for the country. We never really touch on how autism affected his ability to create a company.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great inspiring biography. It can be summed up by this quote, “i was raised believing that I needed to change in order to fit into the world, but I didn’t really grow up until I realized that the opposite was true; the world needed me to help change it a little bit. “

[Le Bennett · Rating 2 out of 5]

was a great start but overall, meh. by the end of it I didn't care and was tired of hearing who was next up on his Who's who of the worlds glitterati and how he was able overcome yada yada yada to ascend to new heights and greater glory. yawn

[Ilana · Rating 2 out of 5]

A beneficial read until about halfway through when the guy turns into a megalomaniacal name dropper who thinks he’s God’s gift to consimerism. Another man thinking he can save the world through greenwashing. Had to skip chunks to make jt through.

[Robin Mandell · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the first half of the book. The author has a unique story to tell and is an engaging storyteller.
The second half of the book, with its big business ideas, complicated deals and venture capitalists was much less interesting to me.

[Pascale · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the first half, hated everything after.

[Vanessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

An inspiring account of this man's truth. Makes me feel proud to be Canadian and to stand by our inclusiveness as a nation.

[Bobbi · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting memoir of a passionate man who refused to be shaped by expectations. Rather than conform, he reformed society by creating impactful companies for its betterment.