Odd Girl Out cover art

Odd Girl Out

An Autistic Woman in a Neurotypical World

 Preview
Try Standard free
Select 1 audiobook a month from our entire collection.
Listen to your selected audiobooks as long as you're a member.
Get unlimited access to bingeable podcasts.
Auto-renews at $8.99/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Odd Girl Out

By: Laura James
Narrated by: Louiza Patikas
Try Standard free

Auto-renews at $8.99/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $13.24

Buy Now for $13.24

About this listen

What do you do when you wake up in your mid-forties and realize you've been living a lie your whole life? Do you tell? Or do you keep it to yourself?

Laura James found out that she was autistic as an adult, after she had forged a career for herself, married twice and raised four children. Odd Girl Out tracks the year of Laura's life after she receives a definitive diagnosis from her doctor, as she learns that 'different' doesn't need to mean 'less' and how there is a place for all of us, and it's never too late to find it.

Laura draws on her professional and personal experiences and reflects on her life in the light of her diagnosis, which for her explains some of her differences; why, as a child, she felt happier spinning in circles than standing still and why she has always found it difficult to work in places with a lot of ambient noise.

Although this is a personal story, the book has a wider focus too, exploring reasons for the lower rate of diagnosed autism in women and a wide range of topics including eating disorders and autism, marriage and motherhood.

The memoir, Odd Girl Out, gives a timely account from a woman negotiating the autistic spectrum, from a poignant and personal perspective.

 Children's Health Mental Health People with Disabilities Psychology Psychology & Mental Health Relationships

Critic Reviews

There are so many myths about what it means to be autistic and Laura tells her story beautifully and truthfully. You will live every moment with her, feel her pain and want to right the wrongs. Some books make a big difference, this is one of them. It should be read by everyone. (Natasha Harding, the Sun)
A moving, lucid account of feeling different and ‘other’, Odd Girl Out is an invaluable insight that allows you to see the world through autistic eyes. (Get the Gloss)
Laura James has dug deep into her 'differentness' and emerged with a book of breathtaking honesty, humour and insight. Odd Girl Out is a brilliant antidote to all the cliches and misinformation surrounding autism (Stephen Sackur, journalist and presenter of BBC HARDtalk)
An important, touching and incredibly honest book with a wry sense of humour, which challenges the preconceived ideas people have about autistic life. (Rachael Lucas, author of Sealed With a Kiss and The State of Grace)
All stars
Most relevant
Honest, insightful and educational. Beautifully read too. I didn't want it to finish so now I'm following Laura on social media.

A must read for anyone interested in autism.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
The author is sincere and honest throughout about exactly how her autism and other conditions effect her physically, mentally and emotionally. It’s absolutely fascinating.

The honesty ans sincerity are breathtaking

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
related so much
recommended +++
there's so much to process
I'm grateful
love this book

very important read

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Absolutely loved this book, it resonated with me so much, my daughter is autistic and I also question myself. A beautiful story, that was also beautifully read

Love!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.