Title: Strong Female Character
Author: Fern Brady
Pages: 288 Pages
Publisher: Octopus Publishing
The Blurb
A summary of my book:
1. I’m diagnosed with autism 20 years after telling a doctor I had it.
2. My terrible Catholic childhood: I hate my parents etc.
3. My friendship with an elderly man who runs the corner shop and is definitely not trying to groom me. I get groomed.
4. Homelessness.
5. Stripping.
6. More stripping but with more nervous breakdowns.
7. I hate everyone at uni and live with a psycho etc.
8. REDACTED as too spicy.
9. After everyone tells me I don’t look autistic, I try to cure my autism and get addicted to Xanax.
10. REDACTED as too embarrassing.
The Review
Even today, Autisms is so misunderstood. Fern Brady’s autobiography doesn’t set out to correct that because it would be an impossible task but it does give the readers an insight into what Autism is like for her. While she displays a few of the “standard” autistic characteristics she by no means says that her experience is universal.
What Fern Brady does do is give a realistic presentation of her struggles and how Autism has affected her life on a daily basis and how she copes with her neurodivergence – some of the ways she copes are easier for someone without knowledge of neurodiversity to understand (i.e. exercise) and others they may find uncomfortable or shocking (i.e. meltdowns) however it is with knowledge of both of these that a person can try to understand autism more and accommodate for when a person with autism is struggling.
By Fern Brady, a well known comedian to give a voice to autism – in particular for those diagnosed later on in life – a door is opened for those without any substantial knowledge to be able to gather information and hopefully be a bit more understanding.
Strong Female Character by Fern Brady is available now.
For more information regarding Fern Brady (@FernBrady) please visit her Twitter page.
For more information regarding Octopus Publishing (@Octopus_Books) please visit www.octopusbooks.co.uk.
