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livsliterarynook 's review for:
How to Be Autistic
by Charlotte Amelia Poe
"I know rallying autistic people is like herding cats, we're all so unique, but that's what makes us amazing, we have an entire spectrum to draw from and each of us had a different voice."
This memoir was beautiful. Charlotte Amelia Poe managed to make me laugh, cry, and taught me so much more about what it means to be an autistic person. They have clearly had great difficulties in their life because they were never diagnosed at a young age or understood; the trauma and pain of school that they described made me angry and made my heart ache. Having said that Poe was clear to state that there have been moments of joy and hope which balanced out the heavy parts of this memoir.
I really liked the structure of this book as the chapters were split into short chapters that covered specific time periods and events in Poe's life. I always enjoy short chapters as it feels easier to dip in and out of a book. These chapters were intersected with short poems and short stories that further expressed Poe's feelings on various subjects which I really liked.
Not only does Poe talk about being autistic, but they also talk about their own gender and sexuality. They talk about the misconceptions that surround autistic people and sexuality, and how they are often infantalized through shows such as the Undateables. They talk about the difficulties of mental health, the failings of the support systems and healthcare for those with mental health needs.
This is a multifaceted memoir that gave me a lot to think about and made me question my own preconceptions about autism and my own biases as a neurotypical woman. I really enjoyed reading this memoir and would recommend it to everyone.