A wonderful read!
Highly recommend!
Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

Unmasking Autism was a thoughtful, validating read that gave me a lot to reflect on. Devon Price does an incredible job of unpacking what it means to "mask" as an autistic person—basically, all the ways people hide or downplay traits to fit into neurotypical expectations. What really stood out to me was how he connects masking to trauma and burnout. The chapter on how masking starts in childhood, often as a survival strategy, hit especially hard. It made me think about behaviors I’ve normalized without realizing how exhausting they are.

I also appreciated that Price includes the voices of other autistic people throughout the book. It gives the whole thing a more communal, well-rounded feel, rather than just being a solo memoir or academic analysis. That said, some of the later chapters felt a little repetitive, like certain ideas were rehashed instead of expanded. Still, the overall message is empowering: you’re not broken for struggling in systems that weren’t built for you.

It’s part personal, part research-based, and very readable. If you're autistic, questioning, or just want to understand masking better, this book is absolutely worth your time. It gave me language for things I didn’t even know I was feeling.

I have nothing but love and admiration for this writer, but especially this book. As an Autistic person, it speaks to my struggles, where I’m trying to find a balance in how I express myself. I know that my brain is different and can’t be expected to work the same way as a Neurotypical brain does, but at the same time, I unfortunately have to navigate this world that was not designed for me and seems at times actively hostile. Hopefully with help from stuff like this book, I can find a way.

Thanks so much to Dr. Devon Price, Rodale/Random House Publishing, and NetGalley for access to an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Price’s Unmasking Autism was a revelation and a book I have recommended far and wide. So I was beyond excited to dig into this new resource. Unmasking for Life is a practical guide adults early in their unmasking journey will find invaluable. I love the spirit of the book, with sample scripts to help open lines of communication. Like most resources of its kind, readers may find themselves taking what works and leaving what doesn’t. This is also a really powerful and valuable resource to help normalize the diversity inherent in the neurodiverse community. As Price mentions, the rates of Autistics who align with other marginalized identities or have niche proclivities is quite high. Sometimes it just helps to be reminded that it’s okay to do things differently if that’s what works best for you. You don’t have to live your life by neurotypical-society’s rules! What a reinforcing and life affirming message. You’re not playing the game wrong, you’re playing a rigged game, and you *can* just stop playing. My only criticism is that so many of Price’s recommendations revolve around socialization. And, while there were one or two mentions of pacing oneself and saving spoons, I almost felt like I was replacing my Neurotypical To Do list with a Neurodiversity To Do list. But maybe that’s a me issue? Overall, a great resource that I highly recommend.

This is the first book I've read where Autism and Autistic were written with capital As. Since Autism is a medical term for a diagnostic condition and therefore a proper noun, I will also capitalize it.

Filled with a ton of excellent practical advice and helpful information, I did a lot of highlighting of the digital ARC and I look forward to rereading and annotating my own pre-ordered physical copy.

I learned that many countries ban Autistic immigrants; I learned why I have a compulsion to talk to people; and many of my deepest insecurities were partially healed by having them discussed in this book.

This is not just a book about unmasking but really a manifesto/handbook for Autistic living. It is a phenomenal read and I would give it more than 5 stars!

Another great resource for Autistic adults from Devon Price. I love this author and can't wait to see what they come up with next. I just wish he would do some more research on modern ABA practices, it's not the forcing of neurotypical masking that it once was. We're moving toward an assent based therapy model and focusing on client safety, rather than how to mask and "fit in".

4 Stars

I read Devon Price's other book, Unmasking Autism and found it very helpful, especially so soon after being late diagnosed as a mid 30s woman. This one was helpful for the most part, as well. I did skim some of the sections on parenting and love/sex as they weren't relevant to me. I wish the section on love was more pertinent to someone in a long-term committed relationship instead of just dating and whatnot. I found the section on Work especially helpful, as that is what I struggle with the most. It's nice to know that I'm not alone, but a shame so many employers just don't understand or aren't willing to accommodate us.

Recommended for ASD folks who are struggling with masking, just want to learn more about themselves/their options, or those who love or work with someone on the spectrum and want to understand them better.

Thank you NetGalley & Rodale Inc for the ARC

Unmasking for Life is another great resource from Devon Price! Clear, informative, and well-written; this is a must read for any neurodivergent person who is trying to live their life with more joy and less shame.

Full review coming soon! Full review coming soon! Full review coming soon! Full review coming soon! Full review coming soon! Full review coming soon!

4.5 stars

I really enjoyed this book! I definitely recommend it if you are either Autistic or are neurotypical and just looking to better understand Autism and how you can help make this a more inclusive world. It is absolutely filled with a ton of information and very useful and practical tips and exercises and will leave you with a lot of things to think about.

I received a copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

A great resource for those who are looking to learn how to unmask and live a more authentic kind of lifestyle. I didn't ever know that I was masking, but learning more about it has helped me to mask less and less.

After finding Unmasking Autism one of the best books out their in understanding how Autism is often actively hidden by many autistics who often also go through much of their life undiagnosed, I was thrilled to learn Price was working in a follow up book. Unmaking for Life is exactly the next step I needed. Price gives a clear and freeing perspective on self acceptance within the context of work, family, friendships, romance and life goals, stressing how lives outside the social norms of our capitalistic and performance driven worlds can be rich, fulfilling and authentic.

Price stresses that while autistic people often mask as a defense mechanism to protect against rejection it comes with a high price that results in anxiety, isolation, depression and self harm. The lie is that these things are necessary to access relationship, financial security and purpose. Each chapter takes the reader through a series of questions and perspective setting that provides a blueprint for navigating social structures as an autistic person without apology

I’d highly recommend this book for anyone struggling to understand how to live more authentically in a world that is set up to exclude their participation and value, as well as anyone who has an autistic person I their life who wants to understand their loved one’s experiences better and learn how they can be part of the change in how society sees difference and disability. .

Dr. Devon Price does it again with an amazing book that I felt was written just for me. I already own 2 copies of Unmasking Autism, one for myself and one to loan out, and this one is gonna be the same. I'm so happy to have gotten an ARC and will be recommending it to anyone and everyone I can.

"Unmasking for life" is the perfect guide after reading "unmasking autism." This book is laid out SO well, with loads of examples and details that make applying the "workbook" type end of chapter questions to your life really easy. I was grateful to see such a huge range in topics that often aren't included in a lot of autism books. Hello sex, I'm looking at you! Would highly recommend this to any neurodiverse person who is looking for ways to unmask in each area of their life. The care and safety that Devon makes sure to cover in each of these areas, knowing it isn't always safe for people to unmask, is also just such a beautiful thing. I am so grateful for this ARC! Will definitely be buying a copy to reference back to in the future. You could spend years digging in a little more and coming back to the chapter check-in/questions over and over as you grow in the unmasking journey.

A great follow-up to Unmasking Autism: Discovering the New Faces of Neurodiversity that I would also recommend more broadly to anyone living outside of heteronormative and neurotypical norms. This has a good mix of reflection questions, exercises, and personal anecdotes. Since the author is a social psychologist/professor and autistic, it also has the right balance of being well-researched but not coming across like a condescending self-help book because it's the author's personal experience too. I can tell that a lot of thought went into the questions/exercises and structure of the book. Everyone's experiences are so different that not everything will apply to every reader, but I think anyone could find something helpful to think through in here.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

As a long-time masked autistic and someone who, ironically, read Devon Price’s previous book thinking of autistic friends rather than myself, I was enthusiastic to read this one with the knowledge I have now. I am someone who's spent years seemingly perfecting the art of acting “neurotypical” & let me tell you, this book gave me a lot to think about.

I had to keep pausing during this book because there was so much to take in and reflect. It seems the author already thought of this & I loved the inclusion of reflections and exercises throughout.

This book is like a workbook for unlearning neurotypical societal conditioning—except way more validating and significantly less condescending than most self-help books. I would recommend this book to anyone, regardless of their neurotype!

A fantastic build-upon to Unmasking Autism, Unmasking for Life is filled with tools resources and strategies that help Autistic folks live our best lives. (Plus the needlepointing shoutout was fun!). Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy.

Thank you to NetGalley and Rodale Inc. for a digital ARC of this book.

Unmasking For Life is Devon Price’s follow-up to his fantastic 2022 book, Unmasking Autism. I had high hopes and Price did not disappoint.

To call the book “self-help” or “how-to” undercuts its layers, I think, so I’ll call it a guide. Once an autistic person is diagnosed or self-realized, many things in their past might begin to make sense…but what about the future? Price outlines how autistic (and otherwise disabled or neurodivergent people) can live their lives to the fullest, focused on their own wants and needs rather than constantly bending to societal norms.

In addition to the writing itself, appreciate the care that Price put into the structure of the book. He lays out information in digestible sections, complete with tables and short questionnaires, making the book easy to pick up and put down.

As per usual, Price leads with compassion while nailing down hard truths. I look forward to purchasing this book for my shelf so I may refer to it in future.

Unmasking for Life by Dr. Devon Price is a must read for anyone who loves/is a late diagnosed autistic. I wish I would have had this when I received my adult diagnosis years ago. This would have made me feel so much more comfortable and unashamed about my diagnosis. I will read anything by Dr. Price!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read this book !

As a late diagnosed autistic adult, Dr. Price's book Unmasking Autism was a massive eye opener for me. It made me feel validated and no longer alone in my struggles. When I saw he wrote another book about Autism, I knew this one had also come at a great time for me.

This book is filled with so many helpful guides on how to live a successful life without sacrificing your own well-being. I would highly recommend this to someone who has been diagnosed recently or self realized. I truly think this will massively change my life for the better going forward, and when the book officially releases, I can't wait to get a physical copy for my bookshelf to reference when I need it.

Thank you to Netgalley as always for the ARC!