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'Introducing a bold new voice in Australian nonfiction, Late Bloomer is a heartfelt coming-of-age memoir that will change the way you think about autism.
'Clem Bastow grew up feeling like she’d missed a key memo on human behaviour. She found the unspoken rules of social engagement confusing, arbitrary and often stressful. Friendships were hard, relationships harder, and the office was a fluorescent-lit nightmare of anxiety. It wasn’t until Clem was diagnosed as autistic, at age 36, that things clicked into focus.
'The obsession with sparkly things and dinosaurs. The encyclopaedic knowledge of popular music. The meltdowns that would come on like a hurricane. The ability to write eloquently while conquering basic maths was like trying to understand ancient Greek. These weren’t just ‘personality quirks’ but autistic traits that shaped Clem’s life in powerful ways.
'With wit and warmth, Clem reflects as an autistic adult on her formative experiences as an undiagnosed young person, from the asphalt playground of St Joseph's Primary School in Melbourne to working as an entertainment journalist in Hollywood. Along the way she challenges the broader cultural implications and ideas around autism, especially for women and gender-diverse people. Deconstructing the misconceptions and celebrating the realities of autistic experience, Late Bloomer is as heartbreaking as it is hilarious, and will stay with you long after the reading.' (Publication summary)
Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of
Other Formats
- Sound recording.
Works about this Work
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Books Roundup : Late Bloomer, Muddy People, Dark as Last Night, When Things are Alive They Hum
2021
single work
review
— Appears in: Kill Your Darlings [Online] , August 2021;
— Review of Late Bloomer : How An Autism Diagnosis Changed My Life 2021 single work autobiography ; Muddy People 2021 single work autobiography ; Dark As Last Night 2021 selected work short story ; When Things Are Alive They Hum 2021 single work novel
-
Books Roundup : Late Bloomer, Muddy People, Dark as Last Night, When Things are Alive They Hum
2021
single work
review
— Appears in: Kill Your Darlings [Online] , August 2021;
— Review of Late Bloomer : How An Autism Diagnosis Changed My Life 2021 single work autobiography ; Muddy People 2021 single work autobiography ; Dark As Last Night 2021 selected work short story ; When Things Are Alive They Hum 2021 single work novel