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Book Review: Funny, You Don't Look Autistic

Nervous Rex

High-functioning autistic
V.I.P Member
I just finished listening to the audio book version of Funny, You Don't Look Autistic by Michael McCreary, a stand up comic from Canada. It's quite a good book and I would recommend it to anyone interested.

9781773212579_cover1_rb_fullcover.jpg

In the book, Michael McCreary tells about his experiences growing up autistic. It's part biography and part advice for how NT's and ND's can better understand each other. Being written by a comedian, there are plenty of jokes. There were a lot of stories that I found relatable, and some very well phrased insights.

I am impressed by Michael's ability to take his mix of positive and negative experiences, focus on the bright side of things, and find humor in awkward situations. One repeated theme is how much progress we can make if we just make the effort to try to understand one another.

One line from the introduction: "If you've met one person with autism ... I hope it's Dan Akryod."

If you want a teaser of the type of stuff the book contains, you can check out this site, Funny, You Don't Look Autistic, and click on the audio book supplement. The supplement has some material that I would love to share here, but won't out of respect for copyright - I don't want to steal Michael's material.

Michael McCreary also has a website, AspieComic. I've poked around on it a bit but haven't spent much time on it.
 
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I just finished listened to the audio book version of Funny, You Don't Look Autistic by Michael McCreary, a stand up comic from Canada. It's quite a good book and I would recommend it to anyone interested.

View attachment 61627

In the book, Michael McCreary tells about his experiences growing up autistic. It's part biography and part advice for how NT's and ND's can better understand each other. Being written by a comedian, there are plenty of jokes. There were a lot of stories that I found relatable, and some very well phrased insights.

I am impressed by Michael's ability to take his mix of positive and negative experiences, focus on the bright side of things, and find humor in awkward situations. One repeated theme is how much progress we can make if we just make the effort to try to understand one another.

One line from the introduction: "If you've met one person with autism ... I hope it's Dan Akryod."

If you want a teaser of the type of stuff the book contains, you can check out this site, Funny, You Don't Look Autistic, and click on the audio book supplement. The supplement has some material that I would love to share here, but won't out of respect for copyright - I don't want to steal Michael's material.

Michael McCreary also has a website, AspieComic. I've poked around on it a bit but haven't spent much time on it.

Sounds like a book worth checking out.
 
One of his therapy links took me to a site where there was a virtual cat grooming parlour, I have made 8 cats look stunning... :rolleyes:
 
I am curious. What does "neurodiversity" mean to you? I won't reply, rebuke, or rebut - I'm seeking to understand.
The belief that Autism isn't a disorder and is only labeled as such because of NT's and that ASD is only a "different brain structure".

I don't like it because they tend to be antipsychiatry and because I have a deep problem with people thinking ASD is not a mental illness.
 
This is tricky because autism is a wide spectrum, but it is a brain difference and not an illness, and a psychiatrist would agree with that I think. However I totally agree that many, perhaps most people are adversely affected, though for some people it's more the attitudes of others that cause difficulties. We could all do with autism being better understood, and there's a lot of research going on, so fingers crossed.

The website for the books author is well worth a visit btw, lots of good resources there.
 
However I totally agree that many, perhaps most people are adversely affected, though for some people it's more the attitudes of others that cause difficulties.
Which is exactly it's in the DSM, same reason as depression, schizophrenia, personality disorders...
 
As I said, I think the 'medical' model agrees that autism involves brain difference rather than being an illness. But I don't mean to try to dissuade you, you have a different opinion.
 
For me, one of the most relatable parts of Michael McCreary's book was the audio book supplement which shows his conversation flowchart. I saw that and my jaw dropped because I also made a flowchart for how to have a conversation.

He also mentioned that a lot of his conversations, especially small talk ones, are scripted. Mine, too.

There were a lot of relatable stories like that.
 
As I said, I think the 'medical' model agrees that autism involves brain difference rather than being an illness. But I don't mean to try to dissuade you, you have a different opinion.
How are those things mutually exclusive though? Can't the illness by caused by brain difference? I'm pretty sure that's how Schizophrenia works.

Also sorry if I came across as aggressive. That was a mistake.
 
How are those things mutually exclusive though? Can't the illness by caused by brain difference? I'm pretty sure that's how Schizophrenia works.

Also sorry if I came across as aggressive. That was a mistake.

I call it "condition". I have taken (weak) pills for it on & off. And I don't like the agressive so-called neurodiversity. We were merely being ourselves. We didn't make excuses, we just tried to join in constructively. Merely a neutral practical acceptance of a range of manners of functioning. For example my workplace coach also catered for our colleagues (in office work) with dyslexia, dyspraxia and ADD. Colleagues generally didn't mind because the coach tried to arrange for the best to be got out of us. Also, they would steal a march such as when I colour coded my boxes and everyone copied me and their productivity went up more than mine did ;)
 

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