Odd Girl Out: My Extraordinary Autistic Life, by Laura James. Seal Press, 2018

After wondering all her life why she seemed different from other people, in her mid-forties Laura James was diagnosed with both Ehlers-Danlos and Asperger’s (and I suspect she may have synesthesia, too, although she doesn’t say so). Over the course of a year, she learns all she can about these disorders, and things start making sense to her- and to her husband. It’s not that she’s been a failure- she was highly successful, with four children and a career as a journalist. But there had always been situations that caused extreme discomfort, sometimes even leading to a meltdown.  Crowds, uncomfortable clothing, sensory overload- even some colors- are all things she tries to avoid.

Highly intelligent, she and her second husband created a life that allowed her to succeed and still be protected from things that stressed her. Getting her diagnosis explained so much about her, but she’d already gone a long way towards accommodating her problem. The diagnosis meant she could find out how other people dealt with having autism and allowed her to be in contact with people who faced the same problems.

The book follows her over a little over a year’s time, with sections of current time alternating with her past. It’s a really interesting read, but I could never quite get invested in her story. There is a dryness to her prose that seemed somehow stand-offish, even though she talks about some really painful events. Perhaps part of being autistic, perhaps part of being a journalist, used to presenting facts. A four star read; I recommend it to anyone with a person with autism in their circle, because it might really help them to understand that person. 

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Fall Down 7 Times Get Up 8: A Young Man’s Voice From the Silence of Autism, by Naoki Higashida. Translated by KA Yoshida & David Mitchell. Random House, 2017

Higashida is on the spectrum; he was nonverbal for a long time and even today he struggles with expressing himself verbally; he has what he calls restricted speech. He finds it easier many times to use his computer or a spelling board to communicate. When he was thirteen he wrote his first book, ‘The Reason I Jump’ to try and explain some of his actions to neurotypical folks. His new book, written as a 24 year old, takes that further, telling us what it’s like to live in his world. It includes some of his ‘aha’ moments, when he figured out things that most of us take for granted. His is a life of anxiety and distractions coming from his own brain. He absolutely doesn’t feel sorry for himself, though; while he’s unhappy with parts of his life- like his inability to properly express to his mother how grateful he is to her- he is in general upbeat. I found it very interesting that he has obsessions that have to be dealt with to stay calm- as one with OCD myself, I could certainly those, as well as his sensory overload.

The book is written in short chapters; some only a couple of pages long. Many are posts from his blog, so this gives a bit of a disjointed feeling reading the book.  The translators have a child on the spectrum themselves, and I suspect this gave them a special attachment to this project. I recommend this book to anyone with a family member or friend on the spectrum, especially if that person has trouble communicating. Five stars. 

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Iris Grace: How Thula the Cat Saved a Little Girl and Her Family, by Arabella Carter-Johnson. Skyhorse Publishing, 2016

 Despite the title, the book is really not about Thula the cat. She is in the book, of course, and is an incredible companion and support for Iris, but she occupies only a small part of the narrative. The book is about Iris Grace, the author’s lovely daughter who is on the autistic spectrum, and all that was done to reach her and bring her into the loud, bright, fast moving world.

The book starts with Arabella and her husband and their life together before having Iris. Arabella at one point worked with training horses using a method that creates deep communication with the animals; they can be told what is wanted of them with small body movements when it’s done right. This may seem like an odd inclusion, but it’s important; Arabella’s ability to read body language turns out to be critical to the success of communicating with Iris.

After Iris is born and they realize she is not neurotypical, their lives are totally centered on her. Fortunately, both parents are able to work mainly from home, so Iris always has a parent with her, watching to find clues to what will allow them to communicate with her, and trying to interact. They spend a lot of time seeking information on Iris’s condition and trying various therapies. Their house is rearranged to give Iris maximum opportunities for exploration and expression. They must have spent a truckload of money on art supplies, therapists, and books. And it turned out to be worth it; Iris eventually started talking, and became able to tolerate crowds and go out into the world so she could enjoy music (very important to her) performances. And she discovered painting; she’d always loved working with art, but painting turned out to be her passion and forte. Her paintings remind me of the work of Impressionists, especially Monet. Many original paintings and prints have been sold.

And Thula? She’s proved to be a stabilizing force for Iris. When Iris is upset, she goes to her and maintains body contact, a firm reassurance. Before Thula arrived, Iris was terrified of taking a bath. Thula climbed right into the tub with Iris, and suddenly being immersed in water was acceptable, even enjoyable. Iris is her person, and she stays with her almost constantly, even at night- going to bed and to sleep is no longer a problem now that Thula is there to share her bed. She’s a natural service animal; no training was done and she was adopted as a young kitten.

It’s an amazing story, illustrated with line drawings, photographs (Arabella is a professional photographer), and Iris’s paintings. 

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Neither of these things influenced my review.  

The Peculiar Miracles of Antoinette Martin, by Stephanie Knipper. Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill, 2016

I love magical realism, and this book had the bonus of being set on a flower farm, so I jumped at it. Sisters Rose and Lily were very close as girls and teens, but when Rose’s unexpected pregnancy while in college led to the birth of a daughter on the autistic spectrum, Lily couldn’t deal with it. Having OCD with some aspects of autism herself, Antoinette was all her fears in human form: unable to speak, difficulty with movements, repetitive behaviors. It all reminds Lily of her own problems that made her constantly bullied at school, and in her mind threatens the ‘normal’ life that she’s built in the city where no one knows her. Lily and Rose haven’t spoken in years. But that has to change now: Rose has end stage heart failure, a complication of her pregnancy with Antoinette. She needs someone who will take care of Antoinette and her only option is Lily. Complicating their reunion is the ‘boy’ next door, Seth. He and Lily used to be an item, until he broke it off to go to seminary, breaking her heart. He dropped out and bought into the flower farm. Then there is Lily’s next door neighbor in the city who flirts constantly…. Also, Antoinette has this ability to restore wilted flowers and temporarily heal anything from birds to broken human hands.

I enjoyed the story, in large part because of the setting (at the nursery/flower farm) and the growing relationship between Lily and Antoinette. Lily is able to help Antoinette with some of her problems, having faced similar herself. The physical setting is described beautifully- the gardens, the lavender fields, the farmer’s market – although I do wonder how two people keep that many acres weeded and harvested alone. Where are the workers? But the story is like some fairy tale, where no one has any flaws (other than physical health problems). Seriously, everyone in this story is honest, giving, hardworking, pleasant natured, and just plain good people. I find it hard to believe in a town where *everyone* is this great! The ending is rushed; in fact, the whole story is in a way. A lot happens in a very short time. The ending also lacks an explanation; we are left guessing as to how Antoinette works her miracles and why one character makes the choice he does. I’d give the story four stars out of five. 

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Neither of these things influenced my review.