A thorough and reflective account of the origins of The Neurodiversity Movement and the Movements that came before it. Intersectionality of identities is described in depth, with first hand accounts to illustrate these. I appreciated the first hand accounts and found them powerful.

The final chapter provides a list of suggestions for accommodations in different areas including memory, hyperactivity and emotions.

Inspiring, practical and thoughtful. I have just taken off a star because the concepts and material are not new to me, and so it may be more suitable for those not familiar with the subject.

As someone with ADHD, I was immediately intrigued by the title of the book We’re All a Bit Neurodiverse—especially given the controversy it has stirred within neurodiversity circles. Curious about how it might challenge or expand my perspective, I read it to see what it offered.

One thing the author, Wise, did effectively was emphasize that having a neurodiverse brain doesn’t mean someone is wrong or faulty. This point resonated with me, as it’s a message that is often at the heart of neurodiversity advocacy, and it was refreshing to see it reinforced in the book. Wise made this argument well enough, and I appreciated the validation.

However, as I continued reading, I found the book lacking in depth. There wasn’t enough supporting evidence for the arguments, and it didn’t meaningfully push existing conversations around neurodiversity forward. I expected more nuance, especially given the controversy surrounding the title, but it felt like the book only scratched the surface of what could have been a much richer dialogue.

In the end, I felt slightly disappointed, as though something important had been overlooked or left unaddressed. While the book had potential, it ultimately fell flat for me, and I wished for a deeper exploration of the topics it introduced.

Thank you to Negalley and the publishers for this advanced copy

I read We Are All Neurodiverse by Sonny Jane Wise in September 2023, and I still don't know how to fully describe the impact its had on me. The TL;DR version is that I think *everyone* would benefit from reading this. So much to think about, especially with regards to expanding our understanding of what it means to be neurodivergent.

We're All Neurodiverse by Sonny Jane Wise sounds very much like a book for neurodiverse people celebrating how they are not alone and how they can cope with their lives while being neurodiverse. Sadly, the majority of this book is not like that at all. This book is somewhat an opinion piece which covers a range of topics, including the history of neurodiversity, pathology's way of looking at neurodiversity, intersections with neurodiversity, a different way of looking at neurodiversity and some solutions to the problems presented.

First of all, I liked the start of this book, which included a list of key definitions, which was really helpful and good to see. It was also good to see footnotes at the bottom of the page rather than at the end of the chapter or the book, which makes things easier for the reader. This is also a holistic book, potentially looking at more areas than was necessary, which does not add value to such a book. In addition, the book sounds like it was written for neurodiverse people, but Wise seems to have confused herself throughout the book on whether she is writing for a neurodivergent or neurotypical reader. Wise does also make some really good suggestions in terms of solutions to the problems presented, which, although good, are presented in a single chapter at the end of the book. One of the points which Wise makes is:

If we continue to frame writing essays and passing written tests as the only way of knowing something, we are missing out on all the other ways of knowing from oral storytelling, singing, dancing, art and movement. At the end of the day, there are visual learners, auditory learners, verbal learners, physical learners, social learners and solitary learners. It isn't the individual who learns differently that's the problem, it's the fact that our education system and classrooms are set up in such a rigid way that they only support individuals who learn in a particular way.
This is a good point that Wise makes, and I would say I agree, but like many of the suggestions made, they are made with no regard to the practicalities of these accommodations. Schools are under tight budgets as they are, and surely, if we were to accommodate each different style of learning, that would most likely require much more time and money. More often than not, it is just not practical to accommodate each and every individual. I absolutely do not deny that more needs to be done, but we must be realistic about what can be done.

I really didn't like this book, as although there were some good points, there were also some really bad points. What's more is that this book did not seem very unique, and whilst reading, I couldn't help but think that it was almost an exact copy of another book I recently read, Unmasking Autism by Devon Price. This was particularly frustrating as a book should present different ideas and reflect the author's opinions and/or knowledge, which should be backed up with evidence. Wise's opinions are presented throughout but are extremely poor and lack evidence. Wise further makes the point that "As a white person, I obviously cannot speak on this particular intersection" regarding race and neurodiversity. Maybe this was a sign that it just wasn't relevant for this book!

I could continue to make a number of points about this book, but I will limit myself to just two more. Firstly, very early on in the book, Wise writes:

Autistic individuals are against curing Autism because we believe that if you remove the Autism, you would get a completely different person because Autism is such a fundamental part of us and who we are.

I am actually outraged that Wise thought it was acceptable to voice one of her own opinions and make it sound like it is an opinion shared by the entire Autistic community without any evidence whatsoever to suggest that the Autism community do, in fact, feel this way. This presumption is exactly the kind of thing which Wise goes on to criticise neurotypical people for and, in a way, feels completely disrespectful to those members of the autistic community who fundamentally disagree with her.

Finally, Wise further suggests that "I do believe a needs-based system where we don't require a diagnosis or a disorder in order to qualify for support or accommodations is where it's at". This was a point Wise referred to throughout the book, and I couldn't disagree more. We have accommodations to enable a level playing field where we can perform and finish at a similar point to a neurotypical person, essentially having our needs met so we are not disadvantaged by things other people do not experience. By not requiring a diagnosis, we are allowing more people to access these accommodations where there may not actually be a legitimate need, meaning that those who are diagnosed with disorders are no better off and are actually further disadvantaged. The suggestion of having accommodations available, particularly for formal public examinations, without formal evidence is absolutely absurd and the suggestion is a complete insult to the neurodiverse community.

Altogether I can only rate this book 1 star as it is full of one-sided opinions with minimal evidence to back up claims; it is almost a plagiarised copy of other books on the market and makes some shocking suggestions and claims. There is little value to this book, and other than the solutions presented at the back, which should have made up the majority of this book as there is a gap on the market for solutions to the problems presented, I am unable to recommend this book. Regardless, I extend the warmest thank you to both NetGalley and Jessica Kingsley Publishers for providing me with an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book in return for an honest book review.

Neurodiverse is something we all all. Neurodivergent is something only some of us are. By understanding the difference and the importance of both, we can not only learn more about ourselves but be a part of a more well-rounded society. Wise explores how and why we need to fundamentally shift our thinking on neurodivergent folks, to better understand the big conditions like autism and ADHD, but also to understand the full picture of what falls on that spectrum in order to best support those individuals and use their strengths to help society as a whole. She challenges the pathology paradigm and offers nine principles to facilitate change.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I didn’t necessarily learn a lot more about my condition, but that’s not the aim of this book. It made me think about my neurodivergence in a larger context, better understand those who are on this spectrum but have different conditions than I do, and encouraged me to start thinking about the future of neurodiversity and neurodivergent people.

One quote that stuck out to me was, “Medication helps me meet the expectations of the environment.” Before I started medication, life was a lot harder, and even though I still have trouble fitting in and keeping up in a world designed for neurotypical people, my medication definitely takes the edge off of the overwhelm, and it helped me to think about it as a tool to function better in these environments that aren’t designed for me.

Definitely recommend this one.

A good new addition to the slim landscape discussing neurodiversity. This hands-on guide proves society is better when we choose to change our long-held beliefs.

As someone who works with and trains in mental health this book intrigued me as I am always wanting to expand my knowledge and diversity of reading to support me in relating to others.

This book was useful and a great celebration of neurodiversity, but I feel this book is aimed more at novices in this area, so would definitely recommend as a good read, but issue the caveat that this is just another view and not everyones.

This book is an absolute joy. It is so well written, easy to understand, accessible. Neurodivergence is a nuanced and intricate topic, and Wise makes it a safe, inclusive spot to understand and process.

I would struggle to be able to review this book due to issues with the file/download. The issues stopped the flow of the book. The issues are:
- Missing words in the middle of sentences
- Stop/start sentences on different lines
- No clear definition of chapters.

I’m not sure if it was a file/download issue but there were lots of gaps and stops/starts which ruined the flow. I would love the chance to read a better version as the description of the book appeals to me. I've given a rating due to the book description and cover.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

This book's title caught my eye as someone who is interested in mental health and currently studying to work in healthcare in the future. The concept of neurodiversity is fairly new to the mainstream, and the average person who isn't already interested in the topic for one reason or another probably hasn't heard of it. While this book raises several good points, I can’t help but feel like a lot of them might be fueled by the very unique experience of accessing mental healthcare in the United States, that isn’t at all reflective of the experience in other countries and as such I do not feel like it’s in any way universal. Nevertheless, as I said, I agree with several of the points raised by the author, and while several of the things they bring up are purely anecdotal, they also raise the very important point of how several aspects of neurodiversity are under researched and thus can’t truly be anything but.


I do not share some of the points brought up, but I do credit this book with the effort of opening a conversation and bringing up several points to reflect upon. I think my main “gripe” with this book is the way it’s written: Wise tends to overuse anaphoras and repeat the same exact concept several times over, just worded slightly differently. It makes for a reading experience that’s a far cry from the streamlined argument it should be: it would have benefited from a few rounds of editing for ease of reading and accessibility. Ironically (for a book about neurodiversity) as someone whose brain doesn’t always cooperate when it comes to concentration, nothing is worse than reading something that repeats itself over and over before getting to the actual point.

I requested this book as someone who has been a foster carer for young people with autism and ADHD for almost 2 decades, and a manager with neurodivergent members of my team. I was hoping for a balanced exploration of neurodivergence / neurodiversity in society, how it manifests, and how we can ensure accommodations and inclusions for all.

What I got instead was one long opinion piece lacking nuance, balance or tolerance for other viewpoints. The overall feeling I came away with was that the book was “shouty”, with key term definitions not explained. This could alienate the very people the author is trying to reach. It’s prime fodder for those who want to pick it apart. In addition, the author tried to relate too many of society’s ills to the treatment of neurodivergent individuals and therefore not devoting enough time to any.

Unlike some other reviewers however, I rather enjoyed the many social media post references. It was a brilliant way to include other marginalised groups with different experiences of intersectionality, and a great reminder that social media is the place that activism happens today - where we can hear the voices of people who have been silenced for too long. I also enjoyed the analogy of intersectionality being like literally standing in the middle of an intersection.

The idea of this read was very exciting to me as a professional working with neurodiverse individuals. Unfortunately , I am sorry to say it did not live up to my expectations and it proved to be a difficult read. A lot of the concepts explored could have more value if delivered differently, but the arguments felt too biased and unilateral to find them compelling. I struggled to get to the end of this read.
Regardless, I am grateful to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to explore this text that has so much potential in exchange for this honest review.

We're All Neurodiverse was such a welcoming read! It's nice to read a book that spreads positivity about being neurodiverse rather than just how to "fix" it or "be different", it's a celebration of who we are and the many ways that we can positively utilize the way our brains work.

We’re All Neurodiverse is a powerful guide that seeks to revolutionise society’s perception of neurodiversity. Building on the work of Dr. Nick Walker and the community who developed the fundamental principles of the Neurodiversity Paradigm, Wise challenges neuronormativity, white supremacy, and capitalism. Readers are provided with foundational knowledge about neurodiversity, suggestions on how society can improve, and practices to ponder for the future.

This is not an academic text, nor is it written to be. The majority of work on neurodiversity has come from within the community; from non-academic collaborations and advocacy. As such, much of the book is based on non-academic sources and the author’s own advocacy and experiences. This is not a weakness, particularly for such a young movement and when so many voices are excluded from traditional research, including many of those who have been influential in the development of the Neurodiversity Movement.

I have highlighted several aspects of the book below, which particularly stood out to me.

Wise explores key aspects of noteworthy movements that were precursors to the Neurodiversity Movement, acknowledging the influential people involved in each of these. This provides much needed context to the social conditions and histories that led to its formation, and therefore a better understanding of the current state of the Movement.

You may have seen the popular infographic of the neurodivergent umbrella which is commonly shared online, and frequently sparks debates about which differences are considered neurodivergent. Wise was the creator of the original graphic. The book provides a helpful discussion of what this encapsulates, why neurodivergence is a social identity, and the importance of inclusivity (with a heavy nod to Kassiane Asasumasu who coined the term ‘neurodivergent’). The significance of this is highlighted with quotes from a diverse range of people, discussing what being neurodivergent means to them.

Three neurodivergent people of colour (Dr. Mari Cerda, Mia Patterson, and Derrick Quevedo) wrote substantial contributions to the chapter on intersectionality, discussing their experiences of race and neurodivergence. It was welcoming to see space provided for these voices. There are also discussions of the author’s personal experiences with other intersectionalities, as well as quotes from neurodivergent people with multiple intersectional identities. As with the neurodivergent umbrella chapter, these additional experiences provide more depth than the views of one author alone.

Feeling broken is an all-too-common experience for many neurodivergent people and exacerbated by a society that eschews those who appear to deviate from the current accepted norms. When neurodivergent people are constantly bombarded with this message, it can be hard to unlearn. In perhaps the most common — and important — theme throughout the book, Wise reminds us that neurodivergent people are not broken and there are less harmful, more affirming ways to view neurodivergencies.

The concept of brokenness links to a discussion that neurodivergent people are not disordered and there are alternatives to this language (such as disabled or neurodivergent). In many spaces, the use of disorder is a polarising topic of contention. It takes time to shift our thinking from the only frameworks we have known (the Pathology Paradigm, for many) and this can be a protracted and confronting process. Wise emphasises that it’s also okay to have differing opinions or if the ideas presented are not suitable for each person. However, if you would like to begin shifting your approach, there are suggestions for starting the process.

Many readers will be left digesting what they have read for a long time afterwards. While most of the concepts in the book were not new to me personally, I found it enlightening; it is a book I will come back to again. If we embrace just some of the concepts suggested in We’re All Neurodiverse, we will see that neurodivergent people are not broken and we can work towards a neurodiverse society that recognises the inherent value in all people.

Thank you to Jessica Kingsley Publishers and NetGalley for the digital review copy of We’re All Neurodiverse. All opinions in this review are my own and have not been solicited from the author or publisher.

"We're All Neurodiverse" by Sonny Jane Wise is an audacious journey into the depths of the understudied, underrepresented world of neurodivergence. The author handles the intersectionality of gender, sexuality, race, and neurodivergence with dexterity, providing eloquent, compelling perspectives on a topic that often stokes controversy.

Emboldened by the belief that neurodivergence should not be perceived as deviation or error, Wise crafts a convincing argument against the standardized metrics for 'normality.' The open, educational discourse shines a spotlight on the infamous pathologization of certain divergences throughout history - an enlightening act, unearthing neglected narratives.

The book’s entry-level accessibility is commendable. By demystifying neurodiversity-related jargon and concepts, Wise invites novices to partake in the ongoing dialogue. However, as a 'Latine neurodivergent' reader, I found certain aspects falling short of my lived experiences, causing a disconnection at some point.

Regardless of its flaws, "We’re All Neurodiverse" raises critical questions, challenges common misconceptions, and broadens horizons - an undeniably valuable contribution to the neurodiversity discourse. It paints an intriguing portrait, albeit selective, of our diverse human mindscape.

Very grateful to Netgalley and Jessica Kingsley Publishers for the advanced reader copy.

I was intrigued by this book’s title, something on the face of it can sometimes be a bit controversial in neurodiversity circles. So many of us hear ‘but we’re all a bit neurodiverse’ which I’ve personally found, as someone who is autistic, a troublesome argument. I’m keen though to read other view points and challenge my own opinions and wondered if there was something further behind the title I might be missing. Therefore wondering what perspective this book might take I decided it was worth a read to see if it would broaden my own ideas.

What worked well about this book is Wise’s argument that there is no ‘normal’ as such and having a neurodiverse brain doesn’t make you wrong or faulty. I understood the point they were making and in some aspects of this completely agree. However for me overall the book felt quite flat.

Reading through it I felt a little bit as if I was reading an introduction to an opinion piece or a student’s university essay abstract. While there was a lot of opinions and thoughts I found there wasn’t too much to back it up which would have made the argument a lot stronger. I also felt the argument and its development never really happened and the book never really moved off the starting blocks. Wise did not introduce anything new to existing arguments or develop them fully which left me feeling quite disappointed and wondering if I was missing something key.

As someone who identifies as neurodivergent, I was genuinely eager to delve into this book and grateful to have the opportunity to do so. Certain sections of the book, particularly those featuring personal stories and contributions from individuals with various neurodivergent backgrounds, stood out as highly valuable and enlightening. However, I couldn't help but wish for a more substantial emphasis on these aspects, as they added a profound depth to the book. My experience with some of the book's chapters left me perplexed, they read like a google search - this didn't align with my expectations for a truly neuro-friendly exploration of the subject matter.

Thank you NetGalley and Jessica Kingsley Publishers for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Phooh.... Where do I begin..? I say this with the best of intentions. As a fellow neurodivergent person, I can see the message that the writer is trying to convey, but I find the method they adopted to convey that message simply terrifying. It appears that the writer could not decide whether to make this book a memoir of their own journey with mental health struggles, or to present a collective voice of the neurodivergent community, or simply an angry rant about a wide variety of concepts/societal constructs, including (somehow) capitalism??

Reading the angry, ranting parts about the DSM and the medical system reminds me of how it feels like to walk past people in the city who are shouting some political/religious/cultic propaganda while trying to stuff a flyer in your hands; it's that unpleasant. The DSM and the medical system definitely have their faults, And yes, history of psychiatry looks quite a bit like a horror story - lobotomy, pathologisation of non-heterosexual people, electroshock therapy, just to name a few. And I do agree that improving acceptance of differences as a society is important. I'm not sure if the writer has attempted to research more deeply into the DSM beyond googling its history. If they did, they should know that there have been academics and researchers who have been making proper scientific arguments about taking the DSM down for decades. The reason why we still needed something like that is because without any tools to make accurate diagnoses, we can never begin to contemplate what the best practice/evidence-based treatments are. And without being able to do that, how are we ever going to have any hope of getting the right support? So, it's all well and good to make this argument, but what does the writer propose as an alternative solution? Acceptance is important, but if we couldn't even get the supports we needed in a timely fashion, what practical use could getting rid of the word "disorder' or even all mental health diagnoses do us?

This brings us to the other elephant in the room here, which is that majority of the book was about the author's (very strong) opinions and beliefs. The number of times the word "I" appeared throughout the book probably makes this clear enough. In the writer's words, "We cannot have the Neurodiversity Paradigm replicating the Pathology Paradigm, which is why we cannot do what the Pathology Paradigm does – defining and labelling people’s experiences for them". The writer then acknowledged that they used to impose their views on others neurodivergent people who sincerely view their own conditions as disorders. Sounds great. But soon after, the author concluded the chapter with, "When we call ourselves neurodivergent, we are rejecting the concept of disorders." Even if I were to treat this whole book as one loooong opinion piece, the opinion seems to be all over the place.

I absolutely agree that our lived experience should be regarded as an important voice in research, policy making and healthcare. But if this is how the loudest voices of those with lived experience choose to make their voices heard, I truly fear for our future. This is why with a heavy heart, I'm giving this book a 1-star review.

I’m challenged by this book but possibly not in the way the author intended. As a computer scientist I have been surrounded for decades by many people who are on the autistic spectrum and/or diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome. I also have people in my immediate family who are dyslexic which is also on the author's list of things under the neurodiverse term. Although the subject of dyslexia is barely touched on in the book.

Many of those I know on the autistic spectrum have never been formally diagnosed as it was less common to do so in the first decades of my life. Some have been diagnosed later in their lives. I have long strongly felt that we need to stop regarding anyone with these traits as having a disorder but simply it is part of their personal makeup and we are all individuals. I often wonder if one day there will be a term for those who are quite the opposite end of the autistic spectrum from that end which is regarded as having a disorder. In short, the premise of this book appealed to me as I thought I was in agreement with the author.

However, the book grated on me quite a lot. There is a lot of personal opinion with liberal uses of ‘I need’, ‘I want’, ‘I believe; and ‘we must’. There is little reference to scientific research but a lot of reference to social media posts which are often simply the opinions of people other than the author and are not backed by academic research.

The author is also very keen to blame capitalism and white supremacy for any neurodiversity being regarded as a problem by society in general. There are around forty uses of the phrase ‘white supremacy’. She states that the Neurodiversity Movement needs to be anti-capitalist and needs to actively challenge capitalism. Despite having read the book, I am not able to vocalise exactly how these things negatively impact on neurodiversity in the eyes of the author as her argument was confusing at times.

A lack of quotations often makes it hard to always distinguish the author’s opinion from that of someone being quoting. There was also some strange use of capital letters in the middle of words in one section. And use of the word ‘folx’ which is maybe modern speak for ‘folks’ or maybe simply a typo to be corrected in the final print?

My final thought in finishing the book was that the author would be prejudiced against me as I cannot compete for dramatic labels with her and the people she is writing on behalf of. I am also white.

With thanks to NetGalley and Jessica Kingsley Publishers for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was an interesting read, and I especially liked that it focussed on a real variety of Neurodiversity.
I'm not sure how much info I will retain as I found it quite difficult to follow at times, but it was certainly eye opening.