Listen free for 30 days

Listen with offer

Preview
  • Untypical

  • How the World Isn’t Built for Autistic People and What We Should All Do About It
  • By: Pete Wharmby
  • Narrated by: Pete Wharmby
  • Length: 6 hrs and 59 mins
  • 4.8 out of 5 stars (187 ratings)

£0.00 for first 30 days

Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

Untypical

By: Pete Wharmby
Narrated by: Pete Wharmby
Try for £0.00

£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

Buy Now for £12.99

Buy Now for £12.99

Pay using card ending in
By completing your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and authorise Audible to charge your designated card or any other card on file. Please see our Privacy Notice, Cookies Notice and Interest-based Ads Notice.

Summary

It’s time to remake the world – the ground-breaking book on what steps we should all be taking for the autistic people in our lives.

The modern world is built for neurotypicals: needless noise, bright flashing lights, small talk, phone calls, unspoken assumptions and unwritten rules – it can be a nightmarish dystopia for the autistic population. In Untypical, Pete Wharmby lays bare the experience of being ‘different’, explaining with wit and warmth just how exhausting it is to fit in to a world not designed for you.

But this book is more than an explanation. After a late diagnosis and a lifetime of ‘masking’, Pete is the perfect interlocutor to explain how our two worlds can meet, and what we can do for the many autistic people in our schools, workplaces and lives. The result: a practical handbook for all of us to make the world a simpler, better place for autistic people to navigate, and a call to arms for anyone who believes in an inclusive society and wants to be part of the solution.

©2023 Pete Wharmby (P)2023 HarperCollins Publishers Limited
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2

Listeners also enjoyed...

Looking After Your Autistic Self cover art
But You Don't Look Autistic at All cover art
Drama Queen cover art
Your Child Is Not Broken cover art
Divergent Mind cover art
Avoiding Anxiety in Autistic Adults cover art
Spectrum Women cover art
The Action Hero Teacher cover art
I Will Die on This Hill cover art
Laziness Does Not Exist cover art
Our Autistic Lives cover art
Understanding Autism in Adults and Aging Adults: 2nd Edition cover art
How to Be Alone cover art
Different, Not Less cover art
The PDA Paradox cover art
The Power of Neurodiversity cover art

Critic reviews

‘A wonderful, compassionate, important book, exploring the many faces of neurodivergence, and offering ways for everyone to make life kinder for those who are wired differently.’ – Joanne Harris

‘Pete eloquently and passionately explains the the challenges of having to navigate our round-hole world as a square peg and therefore is a comforting and validating read for anyone who is Untypical. Rectangle, parallelogram, rhombus, whichever neuro-shape you are, this book can help us all to create a more inclusive society.’ – Dr Meg Arroll

‘A wonderful book about achieving better awareness and a more inclusive society for people on the autism spectrum.’ – Roger Clark

‘This brilliant, funny, important book shows how we can all make the world a bit better for everyone but especially our neurodiverse friends, loved ones and possibly ourselves.’ Sarah Hart

What listeners say about Untypical

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    162
  • 4 Stars
    20
  • 3 Stars
    1
  • 2 Stars
    3
  • 1 Stars
    1
Performance
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    158
  • 4 Stars
    15
  • 3 Stars
    4
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    156
  • 4 Stars
    16
  • 3 Stars
    4
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    1

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

An absolute MUST read!

Whether you're autistic or not, this book is such a great insight into autism.
As an autistic female, I don't relate to every point Pete makes; however, so much of what he says is absolutely spot on.
Excellently written, highly recommended!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Honesty of author

Really helpful in terms of understanding how we might make the world a more accessible place for neurodiverse people

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Really interesting

I saw so much of myself in his experience. His thoughts are well organised and include suggestions for how things could improve. Those regarding education would be beneficial for everyone.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Outstanding

Not only is this a fascinating insight into the personal experience of autism by Pete Wharmby bringing me laughs, lots of 'yes' moments and tears too, it made me feel seen, and puts into words what I could not for so many years. An absolute gem of a listen and the narration was outstanding. Have already recommended this book to another member of my family and I will be undoubtedly listening again in the coming months. So much to digest and reflect on. Thank You ✨️

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great read for all

There is often a large focus on autism - and neurodivergence in general- regarding children, as though a neurodivergent person doesn't continue to struggle in a neurotypical world as they step into adulthood and so this book is a refreshing angle of that of a late diagnosed person and their experiences. I could really relate to the author in areas where most of my life I felt quite alone, particularly in the unwritten social rules, particularly in the work place.
The author acknowledges the challenges of other neurodivergent marginalised groups in a very mindful way that as a neurodivergent poc, I really appreciated.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Fabulous listen

Superb book. Can’t recommend highly enough. 2022/23 book so up to date. Great reading voice by author. Excellent coverage of topics. Sensitively written. Will be reading/listening again.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Unjust world for the Autistic

A fabulous insight into the world of Autism and neurodiversity, what it means and how we should adapt to make it more inclusive for ALL

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Better understanding my wonderful son

My adult son is profoundly autistic and despite decades as a caring, loving parent, I feel this book gave me a quantum leap forward in my understanding of his behaviours and autism. It
should be required reading for all academics, carers , teachers , employers, parents and siblings with an association to autism or an autistic person.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Insightful and revealing

Made me stop and think… in a much needed way.
Insightful and revealing, read in an open an approachable way.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A must read/listen!

Brilliantly honest and informative. Pete’s view of the world just makes sense in many ways. This book really gets you thinking about your own actions and highlights how small changes in classrooms and workplaces could make a big difference.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!