Title: We're Not Broken
By: Eric Garcia
Genre: Non-Fiction
Pages: 309
Release Date: August 3rd, 2021
Publisher: Mariner Books
Rating: ★★★★★
Summary from Goodreads:
With a reporter’s eye and an insider’s perspective, Eric Garcia shows what it’s like to be autistic across America.
Garcia began writing about autism because he was frustrated by the media’s coverage of it; the myths that the disorder is caused by vaccines, the narrow portrayals of autistic people as white men working in Silicon Valley. His own life as an autistic person didn’t look anything like that. He is Latino, a graduate of the University of North Carolina, and works as a journalist covering politics in Washington D.C. Garcia realized he needed to put into writing what so many autistic people have been saying for years; autism is a part of their identity, they don’t need to be fixed.
In We’re Not Broken, Garcia uses his own life as a springboard to discuss the social and policy gaps that exist in supporting those on the spectrum. From education to healthcare, he explores how autistic people wrestle with systems that were not built with them in mind. At the same time, he shares the experiences of all types of autistic people, from those with higher support needs, to autistic people of color, to those in the LGBTQ community. In doing so, Garcia gives his community a platform to articulate their own needs, rather than having others speak for them, which has been the standard for far too long.
Review:
I have read many books about autism, but this one takes the cake.
It is one thing to sit outside the autistic world, trying desperately to guide your child, but it is another to live that life and also help others. Eric Garcia has a wonderful writing voice and he is doing just that.
There is so much information about autism in this book, but also wonderful stories from the authors own life. They weave into the sometimes mundane facts, giving this book so much more than just autism, but a wonderful story as well.
I loved reading through Garcia's life and his thoughts on neurodivergent and would recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn more about this side of life. I have already shared this book with much of my family.
No comments:
Post a Comment