Book Review ~You Are Not Alone

A collection of Malaysian stories of neurodivergence

Everyone has a story. What more when dealing with the unknown. How many of us took an interest in the terms – neurodivergence, neurodiversity, autism, ADHD, dyslexia and more before being touched by it ourselves in some way?

You Are Not Alone: Our Stories of Overcoming the Challenges of Autism, Dyslexia, and ADHD (2nd Edition) is a collection of 12 stories by individuals in Malaysia whose lives are affected by neurodivergence. These stories are written by self-advocates and parents, each sharing their joys and pains along their journey. While each story shares similar traits there is much diversity and richness in how each story is told.

There are stories of receiving a late diagnosis as adults and finally understanding challenges faced in childhood and adolescence. Mothers share with a heavy hearts how their children endured bullying and abuse in a system and world that fails to support our children with special needs, unconditionally. Fathers share their pain of the unknown yet loving their children with every fiber of their being.

The editors, Prof Dr Ratnawati Mohd Asraf and Sofiya Wan Mohd poured their passion of story telling into this self-published second edition of You Are Not Alone. While both are academicians, at heart, they see the power of retelling stories of lived experiences from around Malaysia. The heartfelt foreword was written by Nori Abdullah Badawi, a passionate parent advocate who is a founding member of Kita Family podcast which discusses inclusion and diversity in raising families in Malaysia.

This books is definitely worth reading if you are parents, family members, teacher, or have an interest in real stories from those who experience it themselves. The book is available for sale online at RM35 per book (excluding postage). Click here to purchase the book.