"We're Not Broken" challenges a long-held mindset that people should be fixed in order to fit in the world, and instead investigates how the world could instead adapt to be more inclusive for all. This book attempts to keep diversity at top of mind by telling the stories of people from many communities and centering autistic voices. I recommend this book for anyone studying education, public policy, or disability studies.

I enjoy all books about autism written by autistic authors. So, I enjoyed this book and I think it does a good job at conveying it's point.

A good read for those that know someone on the Autism Spectrum especially those that work with them. I personally found it very eye opening.

Author Eric Garcia is on the autism spectrum and he has a message for parents, teachers, friends, coworkers, and the entire community- autistic individuals are not broken. As a neurodiverse individual, I really appreciate seeing these sorts of titles being published more frequently.
Garcia is able to advocate for autistic individuals as a journalist who has been able to maintain a career. With the same eye for research and investigation, Garcia looks at the alternating sides of autism advocacy- caregivers and the individuals themselves.
This is a great read for anyone interested in neurodiversity and autism.

We’re Not Broken deals with autism as presented through own voices. As a former teacher and a present Special Olympics coach, I found it interesting and helpful to learn more about this topic from the vantage point of those who have autism. I will recommend this book to my fellow coaches. I thank NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and gained insight and perspective from hearing directly from people with autism. I work with students with varied special needs and this book will certainly inform my teaching practice going forward. Thanks to netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

As posted at goodreads.com:

Very good primer about autism and neurodivergence and how it intersects with every aspect of life. Well written and well organized. I appreciate how Garcia integrated personal experience into analysis and interviews without making the book solely a memoir. (Not that there’s anything wrong with that! Memoir is one of my very favorite genres.)

I recommend this especially for those newly diagnosed/discovered with autism as adults, and/or their friends and families.

Thank you to #NetGalley for providing an advance copy, with my apologies for taking so long to review.

We're Not Broken is both mindfully written and heartfelt. Will every person agree with all the author's points? Unlikely. But, this keeps the conversation. It takes courage to speak up in an industry with so much misunderstanding. It's an important topic that needs to be stirred.

I loved reading this book. As a special education teacher, I work with many autistic students. Unfortunately, not all teacher prep programs are taught by people with disabilities of those with autism. This brings a very limited view while learning in college, one that if we are not careful will turn into a savior complex. The autism conversation should be led by autistic people. I was thrilled to read a book that challenged what I learned in college and will make me a better teacher/advocate for my students. I would recommend this as required reading for any future/current teacher!

When I first saw that this book was available on NetGalley, I immediately requested it. As someone who is also Neurodivergent (and follows a lot of Autistic content creators across several platforms), I have been very interested in the conversation surround Autism and Autistic people.

I am so grateful that I received the ARC, because this book was fantastic. It was educational, informative, and also gave me a lot to think about in regards to my own neurodivergency and internalized ableism.

The big takeaway I got from this book is that their is a lack of resources for Autistic people, and that lack of resources is harming not only Autistic people, but everyone. Autistic people need support just like everyone else, and the lack of that is hurting Autistic people, creating a stigma against Autism, creating stereotypes about Autistic people, and denying society of the gifts and talents that each Autistic person has to give the world.

Perfect for people who know (or don’t know and are just finding out!) that you don’t support Autism Speaks, and get weird vibes from the stereotypical “Autism Mom”.

This book was received as an ARC from Mariner Books in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

Knowing a few people in my life with autism, I have never read a book so powerful and inspirational advocating for autism awareness. I was inspired by Eric's story and how he was able to overcome great obstacles especially in the political realm and still made a name for himself despite all of the pushbacks and setbacks. Every person in America in one way or another can relate to Eric's story. Plus, as an added bonus, Eric educates you not only on autism but, in how to succeed and follow your dreams no matter what. Just because you are different, does not mean that you are broken and Eric's book was an innovative approach to communicate that message to everyone.

We will consider adding this title to our Non-Fiction collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.

This Own Voices representation of Autism is a poignant read for anyone who wants to be a proper ally to our Autistic community. This book should be read by everyone but especially by educators and politicians who want to properly advocate for the Autistic community. Full of anecdotes that make it readable and interesting, this book is also highly researched and backed by the voice of Autism.

I enjoyed and learned from this book. I would say that even though I will not be using this in my classroom as I only have two students this year and we will be focusing on other things, I would recommend this book. I would especially recommend this book to teachers to read.

For most of my teen and adult years, I’ve been aware of many folks and known many folks who are somewhere on the autism spectrum, both diagnosed and undiagnosed as such. I’ve always been aware of some of the negative, confusing, and discouraging language around the topic - and known that this “conversation” has been all wrong, harmful, and dangerous.

Reading "We’re Not Broken, Changing the Autism Conversation" by Eric Garcia brings back all those feelings, the knowledge, the concern. But in a good way. Garcia, a man who has autism, discusses the topic in relevant, real ways that help truly get the message across that autism is not brokenness.

Garcia does a brilliant job of bringing truth into focus surrounding many confusing words and much wrong “information” spread through media, social media, and face-to-face conversations.

Starting out with the false narrative that vaccines create autism as perpetuated by non-experts who were given public platforms and what it was like growing up with those beliefs as a man who has autism. And the “autistic shooter” fears raised by false narratives spread by the media after mass shootings by a few who were potentially on the spectrum (or, in some cases, suggested as such by the media with absolutely no evidence of this).

Often the intent isn’t harm, but emotional indulgences, drama, and fear brought on by events in the past have perpetuated these falsehoods.

Each chapter of the book addresses a different aspect of life, discussing the unique aspects of those parts of life and how they impact autism and vice versa. Chapters include policy, education, work, housing, health care, relationships, gender, race, and “what comes next”. The concept gives us feet to take our learning to places and provides ways that we can be advocates.

I obviously can’t tell everyone to read this book, but I definitely think as many people as possible should. Whether you’re already steeped in the autism culture, on the periphery, or aren’t aware of knowing folks on the spectrum, this book is a valuable tool in better understanding perspectives of those who are on the spectrum, family members, and friends in the autism community.

As someone who has autistic relatives, I never really thought about what it truly must be like and never thought to ask the question. It just seemed like another fact/part of them. In thinking this, I truly believe that it is easy to, for lack of a better phrase, forget about many of the difficulties that others have. This is especially true if it does not personally affect you, someone, you know, or is not presented in media regularly.

I loved the fact that Gracia decided to not simply write a memoir. Instead, the stories of many people were incorporated to showcase the range of experience for those on the spectrum. I found the book incredibly insightful just by getting a glimpse into the lives and stories relayed.

I appreciated the knowledge presented on many subjects including, healthcare, education, race, and many more. I learned so much that I didn’t know I didn’t know. I am grateful to Gracia for the way the information was presented. Not only did I find myself invested in what I was reading, but I also find that I look forward to learning more moving forward.

Voluntarily reviewed after receiving a free copy courtesy of NetGalley, the Publisher, and the author, Eric Garcia.

Thank you to NetGalley and Mariner Books for an advanced electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

In this nonfiction book, the author, who is on the autism spectrum, discusses different aspects of the ASD experience, from jobs to education and housing and relationships. The author shares that people have preconceived notions about what autism looks like, without understanding that autism isn't just one thing. This is an interesting read for anyone who wants to learn more about the ASD experience from the perspective of someone who is living it

This was well worth reading - I'd recommend it for anyone who wants to learn more about the ways people live with autism. Reading the first chapter, I felt like I was reading an intro-level primer, and almost put it aside as not saying anything I didn't already know. I'm glad I kept reading for a few chapters, because I ended up learning from the book after all. Good writing style.

We're Not Broken
Changing the Autism Conversation
by Eric Garcia
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Health, Mind & Body | Nonfiction (Adult)
Pub Date 03 Aug 2021 | Archive Date 03 Aug 2021

As a School Nurse for a population that falls on the spectrum, I look for ways to improve my interactions with the students in my care. I jumped at the opportunity to read for review We're Not Broken with hopes of becoming a stronger support person for them. Inside I found helpful information within a somewhat biased viewpoint and found myself waiting for the inclusion of others POV. It fell short in this area and at times I thought this would have been a great first draft instead of finished copy. Many thanks to Netgalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for the opportunity to read for review this ARC.

An interesting and unique take on autism, author Eric Garcia mixes personal stories, interviews, and scientific studies to demonstrate what makes people autistic and how society should be taking the stance that autistics aren't broken - society is set up for the majority instead of the minorities and their differences = which is why autistic people often need accommodations for school and work. The book explores a number of themes, such as how gender impacts treatment and diagnosis and the surprising similarities between autistics and gender identity (and how often people are both).

The book is very interesting, but at times there is a little too much of a scientific leaning versus what I anticipating being more of a fun/funny look at what makes people autistic and what we can do to support neurodiversity. That said, it's a minor issue, and for the most part the book was engaging and easy enough to read. I would recommend it to anyone who is struggling with whether they are autistic or to explore what their autism means, is there are a lot of relatable antidotes and information to help understand why autistics are the way they are, and how it doesn't make them bad, it just makes them different.

A well-written exploration of what being autistic looks like. As a teacher, I am always trying to learn more about the different populations and groups that I interact with, and this book taught me a great deal about the many different issues that autistic people deal with.
I felt that this book had an engaging, conversational tone, and I appreciated the many different studies referenced, as well as the different stories shared throughout the chapters.