Don't Look Away: My Life With Autism

“The author’s brilliantly expressive memoir is important: It not only opens readers’ eyes to how an individual with autism feels, but also articulates the burden of skewed societal expectations … Bold and illuminating writing about autism.” – Kirkus Reviews (starred review)“I’m tired of watching people pretend everything is perfect. I’m tired of having to glue a mask of so-called normalcy onto my face every morning, only to have it ripped away at the slightest provocation, taking the skin with it.“Ilana was diagnosed with Autism spectrum disorder at the age of three; not that she remembers, of course. What she does remember is the shiny red of the wrapping paper at her friend’s birthday party, the license plates of the cars belonging to everyone she knows, and the piercing pain she would feel every time the sound of a distant airplane passed over her head. Having reached the cusp of adulthood, Ilana describes the good, the bad, and the ugly of growing up with autism, along with the hurdles of panic attacks and obsessive-compulsive disorder that had followed her into adolescence. Take her hand as she relives the mosaic of emotions and messy complexity that come with growing up as the girl who was different.Publisher: The book Don't Look Away: My Life With Autism is the personal recount of a girl who, due to her autism spectrum disorder, has dealt with numerous obstacles placed in her cradle. Often misunderstood and the recipient of judging looks, she battles with obsessive-compulsive disorder, emotional outbursts, sensory processing disorder, anxiety, and panic attacks. Take this book as a personal invitation into her inner world, her emotions, thoughts, and interpretation of her surroundings, and find out just how foreign the world can seem through the eyes of a very special girl. Read more