What I Mean When I Say I'm Autistic: Unpuzzling a Life on the Autism Spectrum

by Annie Kotowicz

Overview

In this intimate and insightful mix of memoir and manifesto, Annie Kotowicz invites you inside the mind of an autistic woman, sharing the trials and triumphs of a life before and after diagnosis.

How might it feel to be autistic? Why are autistic and non-autistic people so puzzling to one another? How does neuroscience explain the spectrum of autistic traits? And what could you discover about your own mind-neurotypical or neurodivergent-through learning about another?

Drawing on popular stories from her blog Neurobeautiful-along with memories never shared before-Annie Kotowicz has created a nuanced analysis of her autistic thinking, an engaging guide to autistic thriving, and a beautiful celebration of autistic brains.

What I Mean When I Say I'm Autistic will inspire autistic people and those who love them, offering help and hope to anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the autism spectrum.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9798986482712
Publisher:	Neurobeautiful
Publication date:	10/23/2022
Pages:	120
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.28(d)

Editorial Reviews

2023-05-17
An autistic woman explains how her condition shapes her world in Kotowicz’s nonfiction debut.

The author blends autobiography and health reporting as she describes her own experience with autism and offers a perspective on how neurotypical people can best interact with, support, and love the autistic people in their lives. Kotowicz, who received her diagnosis as an adult, explains how she came to understand that she experienced sensations, processed thoughts, and managed her physical and emotional needs differently from the nonautistic people around her. The book addresses theories of autism, common misunderstandings of autistic behavior, and strategies for both autistic and neurotypical people to use to improve their interactions. The concluding chapter is optimistic, focusing on the ways in which the author has embraced her neurological differences, framing them as core aspects of her identity rather than problems to be fixed. Although the chapter subtitles (“How I Take It All In,” “How I Reach a Tipping Point,” “How My Heart Is Healing”) make it clear that Kotowicz’s individual experience forms this well-told and compelling narrative’s core, she describes situations and experiences that are common among people with autism. The book’s dual nature, functioning as both personal history and informational guide, works well, universalizing an individual story while also focusing on the unique details. The author does an excellent job of discussing autism without pathologizing it. Kotowicz is particularly skilled at breaking down her experiences into their fundamental elements and discussing underlying causes, as when she explains that she was able to manage a sensitivity to rain by understanding that, although raindrops caused her no harm, the pain they produced was a valid feeling that she could only process once she acknowledged its existence. The book makes a solid case for developing a global sense of empathy: “Be mindful that someone’s internal state may be different than you expect, and different than you’d feel if you were acting like them.”

An authentic, engaging, and informative look at an autistic woman’s inner world.

Kirkus Reviews