Book review: Untypical by Pete Wharmby

Title: Untypical
Author: Pete Wharmby
Dates read: 07/04/25 - 10/04/25
Rating 5/5

Publisher: HarperCollins
Number of pages: 256
Fiction or non-fiction: non-fiction
Subject or genre: autism, memoir

Book blurb:

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

Rule 1: You should never ask for something directly. If you want something, you must imply or hint your need for it … somehow.

The modern world is built for neurotypicals. Needless noise, bright flashing lights, small talk, implication and ‘unwritten rules’; it can be a nightmarish dystopia as far as the autistic population is concerned. In Untypical World, Pete Wharmby lays bare the experience of being ‘different’, explaining with wit and warmth just how exhausting it is to fit into a world not designed for you.

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

How I discovered or acquired this book: I checked it out of the library for a reading challenge last year but didn't get round to reading it and renewed it the maximum number of times. So I asked my partner to take it back the library, but instead she read the blurb and wanted to read it, so she checked it out - and then insisted I actually read it because it was so relatable

Notable quotes 'It always feels to me that the neurotypical world puts arbitrary limits on how passionate one is 'allowed' to be about a subject'

My thoughts Reading Untypical felt like exhaling after holding my breath for too long. As an autistic person, this book offered something that’s still all too rare: recognition. Pete Wharmby’s voice is compassionate, clear, and - above all - authentic. He doesn’t speak for us, but with us, and that distinction matters.

The book is part manifesto, part lived experience, part gentle challenge to the neurotypical world to do better - and all of it resonated deeply. Wharmby balances honesty with hope, frustration with humour, and clarity with nuance. There were so many moments I found myself nodding along or pausing to take in the fact that someone else had finally put into words what I’d only ever felt.

It’s informative without being preachy, affirming without romanticising, and accessible in a way that makes it a perfect recommendation for both autistic readers and allies alike.

If you’re autistic, this might feel like being seen in a way you didn’t even realise you needed. If you’re not, this is one of the best guides I’ve come across to help you understand us—without the tired clichés or clinical detachment. An absolute must-read.