Feral Minds Provides the Following Warning:
Side effects may include self-recognition, validation, and an uncontrollable urge to recommend these books to everyone you know.
Is This Autism by Donna Henderson
Is This Autism?: A Guide for Clinicians and Everyone Else by Donna Henderson, Sarah Wayland, and Jamell Whiteis a practical and insightful guide designed to help clinicians, educators, and families recognize autism—especially in people who are often missed or misunderstood.
The book emphasizes that autism can present in subtle, diverse, and non-stereotypical ways, particularly among girls, women, and high-masking individuals. It explores how many autistic people learn to camouflage their differences, leading to late or missed diagnoses. The authors combine clinical expertise with compassion, offering tools to distinguish autism from other conditions such as ADHD, anxiety, or trauma.
Quote from the book:
“If these individuals can blend in and present themselves as non-autistic, then they aren’t really autistic, are they? What’s the problem? … This question takes the point of view that autism merely consists of the behaviours that others can see” (Henderson et al.).
Commentary:
This quote addresses a common misconception: that if someone doesn’t visibly “look autistic” (flapping, poor eye contact, obvious differences) then they must not be autistic. Henderson and her co-authors challenge this by pointing out that many autistic persons do mask, camouflage, or learn social scripts, making their traits less obvious externally. However — the internal experience remains taxing, and the fact they “blend in” doesn’t negate the underlying difference. This quote invites readers (clinicians, educators, families) to shift away from a stereotype-only lens and to value internal lived experience, not just external manifestation.
Why Can’t I Just Enjoy Things? by Pierre Novellie
Comedian Pierre Novellie discovered he was autistic at 31 after an audience member suggested the possibility, setting off a journey of reflection and self-discovery. In this candid and witty memoir, he weaves together humor, personal stories, and clear explanations to explore how neurodivergence—especially autism—has influenced his life, from early quirks to adult challenges and moments of understanding.
Quotes from the book:
“I feel as though my brain is a room that I have decorated and furnished in preparation for a very specific event, and the change of plans is like someone breezing in and declaring that 'actually it's not a Halloween party, it's a baby shower', and leaving me to readjust everything on my own.” - Pierre Novellie
“Often when people react to new information about autism they end up accidentally correctly pointing out evidence of autism as opposed to evidence of its absence. They end up like someone throwing up their arms in frustration and saying, ‘Oh! So I suppose this means everyone at the Trainspotters’ Guild could be autistic? Next, you’ll be telling me that all my shy friends in the university maths department are autistic too!’ My friend, the odds are good.” - Pierre Novellie
Unmasking Autism by Devon Price, PhD
This book explores how autistic individuals often learn to “mask” their true selves to fit neurotypical expectations—and the emotional toll that masking takes. Drawing from research, personal experience, and stories from diverse autistic people, Price reframes autism as a natural variation in human thinking rather than a deficit. The book offers insight, reflection exercises, and practical guidance for “unmasking”—living more authentically while advocating for social acceptance and systemic change.
Quotes from the book:
“Though masking is incredibly taxing and causes us a lot of existential turmoil, it’s rewarded and facilitated by neurotypical people. … Being a well-behaved Autistic person puts us in a real double bind and forces many of us to keep masking for far longer (and far more pervasively) than we want to.” - Devon Price, PhD
“Most of us are haunted by the sense there’s something ‘wrong’ or ‘missing’ in our lives — that we’re sacrificing far more of ourselves than other people in order to get by and receiving far less in return.” - Devon Price, PhD
NeuroTribes by Steve Silberman
NeuroTribes: The Legacy of Autism and the Future of Neurodiversity by Steve Silberman is a groundbreaking exploration of the history, science, and culture of autism. Silberman traces how autism has been misunderstood and misrepresented over the decades—from early misdiagnoses to modern understandings shaped by the neurodiversity movement. Blending meticulous research with human stories, he challenges stereotypes and celebrates autistic people’s contributions to society. The book ultimately argues for acceptance, inclusion, and appreciation of different ways of thinking.
Quotes from the book:
“The question is not whether we can change autistic people, but whether we can change our attitudes toward them.” - Steve Silberman
“Different does not mean defective.” - Steve Silberman
“By autistic standards, the ‘normal’ brain is easily distracted by social information and spends too much time thinking about things that don’t matter.”
“What we call neurodiversity is the idea that conditions like autism, dyslexia, and ADHD are not errors in the code but natural variations in the human genome.” - Steve Silberman
“If you’ve met one person with autism, you’ve met one person with autism.” - Steve Silberman
The Autistic Brain by Temple Grandin and Richard Panek
The Autistic Brain by Temple Grandin offers a look at how people with autism think, feel, and experience the world. Combining her personal insights as an autistic individual with cutting-edge neuroscience, Grandin explores the unique ways autistic brains process information. Co-written with Richard Panek, the book blends science, storytelling, and advocacy—challenging stereotypes and highlighting the strengths that often accompany autism, such as attention to detail and creative problem-solving.
Quotes from the book:
“Different kinds of minds contribute different kinds of thinking. It’s diversity of thought that moves civilization forward.” - Temple Grandin
“There’s a tendency to think of autism as a single thing—a single set of traits—but it’s really a collection of different ways of being.” - Temple Grandin
“People on the autism spectrum are not failed versions of normal; they are different kinds of normal.” - Temple Grandin
“Understanding how the autistic brain works helps us understand what makes us human.” - Temple Grandin
“To understand me, you’ve got to get inside my head and see the world through my eyes.” - Temple Grandin