We all know I’m a big reader by now, so it’s no surprise that the moment I thought I might be autistic, I turned to books for the answer. And I found plenty of answers. Though I feel like I’ve barely cracked the surface in reading about autism — especially with more new books coming out about it every day — I do have a few favorite reads so far.

NeuroTribes by Steve Silberman

This is a bit on the longer side, but it is an excellent read if you want to learn more about the history of autism, including those doctors who first recognized and diagnosed it, and why everyone thinks only boys can be autistic. Silberman also does a wonderful job examining the autism “epidemic” and explaining what’s really happening, as well as showcasing autism-friendly experiences. Many of those in the neurodivergent community considered Silberman to be a friend to neurodivergence before he passed away.

Thinking in Pictures by Temple Grandin

Temple Grandin is one of the most well-known autistic people and has been speaking and writing about autism for years. This book was a fascinating look into her experience with autism, and it’s her first book about it. The one trigger warning I’ll give here is that she often refers to neurotypical people as “normal,” so there were times I felt uneasy reading it. But this was also written before we used “neurodivergent/neurotypical” language, and she was definitely using the vernacular of that time.

Look Me in the Eye by John Elder Robison

If you want to read a book about someone whose career has been all over the place – including building trick guitars for the rock band Kiss, this is the read for you. Robison was not diagnosed until much later in life, so this is also a fantastic read for other late-diagnosed folks, like myself. Most importantly, as the saying goes, “If you’ve met one autistic person, you’ve met one autistic person.” Reading books by different autistic folks can give you a much more complete and diverse picture of the many ways autism can look.

Unmasking Autism by Devon Price, Ph.D.

This absolutely my hands-down favorite book about autism that I recommend to everyone. I read this after I’d received my official diagnosis, and it was just so incredibly helpful to me in identifying how autism has shown up for me. It also does a wonderful job of explaining and discussing the idea of autistic masking, as well as how it can look and feel to unmask (and why it’s important to do so). As a late-diagnosed autistic person, anything that can help me better understand how masking shows up in my own life is vital to allowing me to regain energy and show up as my whole self.

Honorable mention: Ten Steps to Nanette by Hannah Gadsby

Though this book is not about autism per se, it is written by an autistic person, and so it gives another peek into what it’s like to be autistic. For me, this book was a must-read mainly because the first time I started thinking I was autistic was after hearing Gadsby talk about her own experience on a podcast. Plus, she’s a very funny comic, which means the book has lots of entertaining anecdotes and is a great read.