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Untypical

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What to expect

It’s time to remake the world – the ground-breaking book on what steps we should all be taking for the autistic people in our lives.

The modern world is built for neurotypicals: needless noise, bright flashing lights, small talk, phone calls, unspoken assumptions and unwritten rules – it can be a nightmarish dystopia for the autistic population. In Untypical, Pete Wharmby lays bare the experience of being ‘different’, explaining with wit and warmth just how exhausting it is to fit in to a world not designed for you.

But this book is more than an explanation. After a late diagnosis and a lifetime of ‘masking’, Pete is the perfect interlocutor to explain how our two worlds can meet, and what we can do for the many autistic people in our schools, workplaces and lives. The result: a practical handbook for all of us to make the world a simpler, better place for autistic people to navigate, and a call to arms for anyone who believes in an inclusive society and wants to be part of the solution.

Critics Review

'A wonderful, compassionate, important book, exploring the many faces of neurodivergence, and offering ways for everyone to make life kinder for those who are wired differently.' - Joanne Harris

'Pete eloquently and passionately explains the the challenges of having to navigate our round-hole world as a square peg and therefore is a comforting and validating read for anyone who is Untypical. Rectangle, parallelogram, rhombus, whichever neuro-shape you are, this book can help us all to create a more inclusive society.' - Dr Meg Arroll

'A wonderful book about achieving better awareness and a more inclusive society for people on the autism spectrum.' - Roger Clark

'This brilliant, funny, important book shows how we can all make the world a bit better for everyone but especially our neurodiverse friends, loved ones and possibly ourselves.' Sarah Hart

User Reviews

Book 5.0
Narration 5.0
5.0
5.0
Very interesting book. It gives great inside on what it means to be autistic and how to help adapt the world for everyone
magnier59 10/02/2025
5.0
5.0
Wow! Absolutely loved this, it was so very well read which added to the impact. It was so refreshing. Not only was it regarding the Author's experience of being an Autistic Person, but they also gave advice as to what may make life easier for Autistic Persons living life, with or without a diagnosis. I found so much of the book relatable; putting into words what many struggle to portray or explain themselves. Thank you! My only hope is that those who are in a position to make life easier, for everyone, will read, or listen, to this and do so sooner rather than later.
Cobra33 15/10/2024
5.0
5.0
invictusroots 19/08/2024
5.0
5.0
marthalambertt 09/06/2024
5.0
5.0
'Progress currently makes glaciers look hasty and reckless.'

Much of what we're shown about autism is outdated, misguided, and, simply put, written by neurotypicals. The world we live in today wasn't built for autistic people, yet so many of the changes we need to make are breathtakingly simple. The first?

Listen to autistic people.

If you're an employer, an employee, an educator, a friend, a family member, or just a passerby, Pete Wharmby's 'Untypical' is a passionate guide to seeing the world through the eyes of an autistic person. Understanding this book is a step towards building a kinder world.
ajames 18/02/2024
5.0
5.0
I have gained a lot of personal insight into autism and ADHD through this book. Thank you Pete Wharmby for sharing your experiences in such a personal and easy-to-listen to manner. The lens of autism is the best explanatory lens that I've yet discovered for my life - this book has formed a huge part of focusing that lens.
anonymously 29/08/2023

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