As someone who has ASD, I did not know what exactly to expect from a book on this subject created by a comedian, but I absolutely loved it. Not only is this a quick read, but it is easily consumable as well. The subject of Autism Spectrum Disorder can be either quite hard to talk about, or the butt of a joke, so I appreciate that it was discussed in a manner that explained it to those who are not on the spectrum, and that the writers experiences were well explained enough for someone who is not on the spectrum to be able to relate as well. This book was a really good read and I would absolutely suggest it to anyone wanting some insight into one persons experience with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

I loved this book! The author narrates the audiobook himself, and he is so funny! I really enjoyed how he tries to help people understand more about what being autistic means and can look like.

I finished listening to the audio version of Funny, You Don't Look Autistic a few months ago and I struggled to write a review. Thinking that the audiobook was the issue, as the author often referred to visual material for which I had no access to, I decided to wait until the release of the actual printed book. Making my way through that, I realized that Funny, You Don't Look Autistic was just not the book for me. As a memoir about a comedian, I expected funny, but this book largely was not.

Though I do applaud the author for both writing the book and reading the audio version, I am not a fan of this book. As a memoir, it is lacking substance. It is not funny enough to be a humoristic tale of a young man's life. I do feel that the book is better in the printed format, but I would not recommend Funny, You Don't Look Autistic to other readers.

Disclaimer: I was given an Advanced Audio Copy by NetGalley and the publisher. The decision to review this book was entirely my own.

Michael McCreary's memoir "Funny, You Don't Look Autistic" offers a light-hearted glimpse into the world of a person on the autism spectrum. While it wasn’t exactly laugh-out-loud funny for me, I did appreciate the humorous tone he used to discuss a subject that can often be quite heavy. The book did bring a few smiles, and I found it interesting to see the world from McCreary’s unique perspective.
His writing provides valuable insight into the challenges faced by autistic individuals, particularly in social interactions and understanding humor. It’s ironic yet fitting that McCreary, despite the difficulties many autistic people have with subtlety and double meanings, chose to pursue a career in comedy. His slice-of-life humor is honest and affable, and it’s clear that he’s passionate about perfecting his craft.
The memoir is quite short—on audio, it felt more like a long podcast episode than a full-length book. However, it serves as a helpful guide for anyone new to understanding autism, offering basic but educational content. McCreary debunks some common myths about Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and emphasizes that each person with ASD is unique. Overall, while the book is brief and not particularly deep, it’s an informative and accessible read for those looking to learn more about life with autism from a first-hand perspective.

I went into this book thinking I could get some tips to help my almost 3 year old autistic son. While I did get something out of it- I feel that it just wasn’t for me.
The book was great; and I can see the struggles that he went through in his younger life.

I needed this book in my life!

My daughter was diagnosed 2 years ago and people say that to me ALL the time. It's a struggle! I loved his perspective on life, and how he brought humor to real life situations that otherwise would have made me spiral.

I HIGHLY recommend this book to EVERYONE! Regardless if you're autistic, have someone with autism in your life or not. His perspective is eye opening in a way that's not in your face and I adored it!!

Thank you NetGalley and Annick Press for the ALC of this book!

This being a memoir, it is hard to put a rating on someone's experiences. I will say that if you are looking for a humorous book, this really isn't it. I thought it was very interesting to understand what autism is from a first hand perspective. To fully understand what his life has been life was an eye opening read. So I appreciate the author being open and candid with the readers. The audiobook was narrated by the author and I thought he did a great job. 3.75/5 stars.

This one kept me company on a long drive. I found it funny and engaging. There were many references to visual parts of the book and weblinks, but I don’t feel like I missed anything by listening to the audiobook. I enjoyed the author’s voice and the pace of the story.

McCreary gives a first person account of growing up with autism and becoming a comedian. I have already read several books written by or about people with autism, but this was a fresh perspective, and I also gained some new knowledge. Give it a listen!

Entertaining and very helpful. I highly recommend this book and the audiobook which is narrated by the author. Michael McCreary knows what he’s talking about and will help you learn more about ASD or autism spectrum disorder in an easy to understand and fun way. This is his own story and the story of his older brother who had a more severe form of autism and tragically died as a result.

ASD presents challenges in social interaction, communication, repetitive disorders and fixation on a specific topic. There is a difference in how the brain is wired for people on the spectrum, they process things differently, like having too many tabs open on a computer. Instead of saying a “normal” person, use “neurotypical” for those without ASD. Scientists don’t know the exact cause of ASD, but it doesn’t matter. A more important question is what we can do to support them.

Senses are heightened for people like Michael, socks and tags on clothes drove him crazy, chewing sounded louder to him, and he could not handle crowds due to sensory overload. His brother has the opposite situation and is hyposensitive meaning his senses are too dull, so he needs to seek stimulation like spicy food and strong smells.

For people with ASD it is difficult to distinguish the difference between words someone is saying and body language. If smiling while insulting him Michael thought they were a nice guy, until someone pointed it out to him. He learned to work harder to understand people who didn’t think the same way as him.

Parents of kids with ASD have more work teaching them how to act like others so they won’t be ostracized. Things like respecting personal space or to stop talking when it’s time for someone else to have a turn. Some helpful tips he shared: Set up cardboard dividers or even a pillow fort on each side when you’re working to minimize distractions, wear sunglasses with tinted lenses for bright light, and take earplugs or headphones everywhere you go.

5 stars. This is a book I wish everyone would read. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a copy of the audiobook to use for my review.

This is a sweet, feel-good memoir. The author shows that neurodivergent people can "look" like anything. I think that concept is becoming better accepted in general, especially in the last few years with the public interest in ADHD.

This does better as an audiobook than in print, as I believe most memoirs do. However certain visuals are helpful so you may want to consider having a computer handy.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

3.5 stars. A short but funny read. I do wish he hadn’t referenced so many visuals that you had to go to his website for. Maybe this would be fixed in a printed publication.

Thanks to NetGalley and Annick Press Audiobooks for the ALC of this audiobook.

Michael McCreary was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder at age five. Not long after, he got bit by the performing bug. To help him through difficult times in junior high school, he started journaling and turning his writing into humor. Suffering and trauma are oftenfodder for solid, dark humor. At 14, he got his first stand-up gig, and it put him on his life’s trajectory. People often tell McCreary that he doesn’t look autistic, but as he’s quick to point out, it looks different for everyone.

This book was insightful, vulnerable, and funny. Whenever I come across a memoir of autism, I usually want to read it. As McCreary mentioned, autism is different for everyone, and the more stories we hear, the more we can break down our mental stereotypes of what autism is “supposed” to look like.

People very close to me still don’t believe I’m autistic, despite many tests that but me very high on the monotropism scale and official questionnaires all confirm that I likely have ASD, but I’m great with people and am a pro at masking. I’ve spent my life studying “normal” people, and I’m pretty perceptive, so I can pivot when I make social faux pas and just come off as quirky.

Anyway. This book resonated with me, and it’s another experience of neurodivergence I can add to my knowledge bank.

This is my first Memoir written by a person on the spectrum, and I have actually avoided ASD memoirs and self-help books in a long time, because I felt like it wouldn’t be able to tell me anything about myself or teach me anything. but while listening to this book I realized that I didn’t have too.
It was funny and most of all relatable, and it don’t have to be more than that.
For example, I always felt like I was just stupid for not knowing if somebody was making fun of me or not (or not realizing it until much later) and reading about others experience with the same types of situations is just comforting.
This also made me less unwilling to try books like this in the future.

4

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

When I was first approved for this audiobook, I was very intrigued. The title really stood out to me as an adult who doesn't have an official diagnosis, but considers herself neurodivergent. I found this book to be informative and funny, so that it is relatable. I think everyone should either listen to this book on audio or read this book themselves. What a fantastic book!

'Funny, you don't look autistic' is McCreary's attempt at breaking stereotypes about autism and telling his own story of growing up autistic.
Stereotypes were definitely debunked, and he gave a lot of information about autism. It just wasn't very funny to me. The fact that I listened to the audiobook may have to do with that, since you don't get to experience the pictures and graphs that the narrator refers to. But even then, I didn't think this was very funny.
The book itself was not bad, I think a great deal of people can learn more about what it means to be autistic by reading this book. McCreary is also very honest about his own experiences, and I appreciate that in an #OwnVoices story.

"Funny, You Don't Look Autistic" by Michael McCreary is an exceptional memoir that brilliantly combines humor and heartfelt honesty to shed light on the experiences of living with autism. McCreary’s comedic talent and candid storytelling make this book both enlightening and enjoyable. As someone with autistic family members, I found his insights particularly interesting and relatable. McCreary’s resilience and optimism are truly inspiring. This book is a must-read for anyone seeking to understand autism better. Many thanks to NetGalley for providing this wonderful read.

Michael McCreary has written a book that is part his life story as a person with early diagnosed ASD and part a lecture on what ASD is. He is an accomplished Canadian comedian however if you are looking for a comedy this is not it. I really appreciated hearing his life perspectives and obstacles as a neuro-diverse person. McCreary is a young a voice in his early 20's at the time of writing this. I personally feel as though a later in life Autobiography will paint an ever better picture.

Thank you NetGalley, Michael McCreary and Annick Press Audiobooks for this ARC in return for an honest review.

Audiobook was good and had me laughing out loud in places. While it is an account of the author/narrator's life, and he is still quite young, t was a good story.

Funny, You Don't Look Autistic
by Michael McCreary
Narrated by Michael McCreary

Rating: 4.0/5.0 Stars

As the mother of a five-year old kiddo with ASD, I found this book heartfelt and uplifting, though I was bummed that the story ended on such a sad note. Mr. McCreary writes with candor and humor about growing up with ASD. There were some similarities with my son, and it was interesting hearing Mr. McCreary articulate the "why" of some of the things my kiddo does. The spectrum is so broad and different for every person, and I appreciate his sharing his experiences and thoughts. I love that his parents have been such a support to him and I got a laugh out of his interactions with Dr. Grandin (love her)! He did a good job narrating his story as well.

Thanks to NetGalley, Annick Press, and the author for the opportunity to listen to and review this ARC.

I really appreciate the narration of this book. Michael makes these scenarios that's he's gone through because of his autism into something that everyone can relate to, whether on the spectrum or not. The way he tells his stories is both heartfelt and hilarious, and I would definitely be interested in seeing him on stage. I also thought it was very informative the way he contrasts his experiences with those of his younger brother, who had more difficult challenges to face due to his ASD. I definitely recommend reading or listening to this book, whether you are on the spectrum or not, or you know someone on the spectrum or not.