Week 12 Prompt
Title: Unmasking Autism: Discovering the New Faces of Neurodiversity
1. Where is the book on the narrative continuum?
A mix (combines highly narrative moments with periods of fact-based prose)
2. What is the subject of the book?
Autistic people ; Autism Spectrum Disorder ; Neurodivergent people ; Self-acceptance
3. What type of book is it?
Social science research blended with personal profiles of Autistic people
4. Articulate appeal:
What is the pacing of the book?
Not too fast, not too slow. Short sections and moments for self-reflection are incorporated throughout the book to keep readers moving forward.
Describe the characters of the book.
The author and other Autistic people describe their experiences with getting a diagnosis, masking, unmasking, etc.
How does the story feel?
The story feels reflective and authentic.
What is the intent of the author?
The author's intent is to educate neurodiverse people about Autism and masking and provide them with exercises and strategies for unmasking and living more authentically.
What is the focus of the story?
The story focuses on the history of Autism, how Autism and other neurodivergence has been framed and treated by society, what masking is and how it can be harmful to Autistic people, strategies for unmasking, and the personal experiences of the Autistic people who are profiled throughout the book.
Does the language matter?
Yes, the language is accessible and not full of jargon.
Is the setting important and well described?
There is no setting.
Are there details and, if so, of what?
Yes, there is a lot of factual information about Autism and there are details about several Autistic peoples' experiences with masking and living with neurodivergence in a neurotypical world.
Are there sufficient charts and other graphic materials? Are they useful and clear?
There is one chart that shows the number of children diagnosed with Autism from 1985 to 2020 and there are several tables with self-reflection exercises.
Does the book stress moments of learning, understanding, or experience?
Yes, the whole book is meant to inform readers about Autism and masking through facts and personal experiences and provide them with tools to practice self-reflection and unmasking.
5. Why would a reader enjoy this book (rank appeal)?
Accessible, thought-provoking, honest
Hi Morgan! I love that you point out the language is accessible and that moments of self-reflection are included throughout the book. I think people often think of nonfiction as dense and scholarly, but that's not always the case, especially with books like this one and the demographic it's hoping to serve!
ReplyDeleteI really love that you mentioned this book balances the factual content with personal experiences with autism. I find that I enjoy nonfiction more when it has those personal moments that help ground the big concepts and statistics in real life.
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