Jennifer O’Toole is the author of ASA's 2014 Outstanding Literary Work and bestselling Asperkids series. One of Tony Attwood's "Top Aspie Mentors" and winner of the Temple Grandin Award for Global Contributions, Jennifer has advised the President's Council on Disabilities and keynotes internationally. She was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome in 2010. She lives near Charlotte, North Carolina.
“I just got finished reading Jennifer O'Toole's book. It gave me
great insight into a woman with autism who has aspects of her life
that are [both] similar and totally different than me…Autism in
Heels will help other women navigate a risky world.” —Temple
Grandin, author, Thinking in Pictures
“I am blown away. Never has a book on autism captured the female
perspective with so much accuracy, grit, and flair. The perspective
of the girl who models herself after typical girls but never quite
fits in, and feels fraudulent, is a common but never before clearly
articulated phenomenon for women with autism. Jennifer’s stories
will resonate with women on the spectrum and women everywhere
trying to find their identities and find their way navigating their
life journeys. I literally could not put this book down and would
recommend it to all women, those on and off the spectrum, and the
men who want to better understand them. —Wendy Ross, MD, CNN Hero,
Autism Society of America Person of the Year, founder of Autism
Inclusion Resources
“Witty, frank, and full of insight, Jennifer O’Toole’s Autism in
Heels is a major addition to a growing body of literature on the
distinctive experience of women on the autism spectrum, long
overlooked by researchers and clinicians. After helping to pioneer
the genre with her groundbreaking Sisterhood of the Spectrum,
O’Toole takes us deep into her often harrowing process of becoming
self-aware in a world built for non-autistics, guiding us through
her search for meaning and identity in a voice that is disarmingly
candid, appealingly warm, and often hilariously funny. O’Toole is a
natural storyteller. Autism in Heels is a great book.” —Steve
Silberman, author of NeuroTribes: The Legacy of Autism and the
Future of Neurodiversity, winner of the Samuel Johnson Prize for
Nonfiction
“I have always considered Jennifer an Aspie mentor in terms of her
insights and wisdom on life as experienced by a woman who has
autism. She is a natural talent who, in Autism in Heels, has indeed
written a love letter to all women. Her memoir will change our
perception of autism and how those with autism will perceive
themselves.” —Tony Attwood, PhD, bestselling author, international
speaker
“Funny, moving, compelling, deep . . . Autism in Heels is an
absolute must-read not only for women on the spectrum, or people
who love them, but anyone who likes a good conversation with an
utterly brilliant mind.”“ —Maia Szavalitz, bestselling author and
award-winning journalist covering neuroscience and addiction for
Time, Scientific American, and more
“Jennifer O’Toole allows us to witness the workings of her
beautiful, brilliant mind, to share in her vulnerability, and to be
thoroughly entertained by her storytelling. Through both her
content and style we get a glimpse of the intense empathy and
passion that is so often misunderstood about autism, and in
particular, about the unique experience of women on the spectrum.
Ultimately this is a book for everyone. —Jed Baker, PhD,
bestselling author, international speaker
“Autism in Heels is a compelling must-read that proves autism
doesn’t have a set appearance. Witty and full of real-life
experience, readers will love O’Toole’s writing. She inspires hope,
individuality, and certainty for those of us on the spectrum that
we are not limited by our uniqueness. We really can do anything we
set our minds to.” —Rachel Barcellona, autism self-advocate, Miss
Southeast International, Unicorn Children’s Foundation
Ambassador
“Autism in Heels hit me to the core. Exposing the pain of
perfectionism, anorexia, bullying, abuse, and loneliness, Jennifer
outlines the sheer need for this memoir in exposing the
vulnerability that many girls face from being gifted, talented, and
on the autism spectrum. This is an incredible, necessary book that
will change lives for the better.” —Barb Cook, editor and author of
Spectrum Women, founder and editor in chief at Spectrum Women
Magazine
“Told like no other, this book leaves all of us, autistic or not,
better human beings for having known Jennifer O’Toole.” —Sharon Lee
Cummings, copublisher/editor at large of Zoom Autism Magazine,
Autism Society of Virginia board member
“I was immediately captivated by Jennifer’s intimate story telling.
Autism in Heels is a story of honesty and empowerment, and is a
must read for women with and without autism.” —Michelle Dean,
assistant professor of special education at California State
University, Channel Islands, technical consultant for the
Netflix/Sony show Atypical
“Autism in Heels is a fascinating glimpse into the mind of an
autistic woman. It’s a must-read for anyone without autism to learn
a new side of tolerance and inclusion. And for my fellow autistic
women, you’ll hopefully find parts of her life that parallel your
own, as I did, and know you are not alone.” —Carly Fulgham, Autism
Society of California board member, Art of Autism board member
“Honest, raw, intimate. Jennifer O’Toole’s description of the
female autistic life experience will resonate with many generatons
of autistic women to come. —Christa Holmans, autistic author and
advocate, Neurodivergent Rebel Blog
“Jennifer O’Toole spares nothing of her experiences and
methodically dissects the internal and external realities of what
it’s really like to be an Aspie female. I urgently recommend this
book to clinicians, parents, self-identified, self-curious humans.
Reading it will increase your knowledge, your sensitivity, your
worldview, and your love.” —Carol Moog, PhD., clinical psychologist
and co-author of The Autism Playbook for Teens”
“An essential read that I cannot wait to share. Writing with a
radiating kind of aliveness and breathless honesty, O’Toole tackles
all the tough issues—trauma, eating disorders, self-harm,
depression, self-doubt—alongside the grace, hope, and joy of a life
lived full of meaning and self-discovery.” —Shana Nichols, PhD,
clinical psychologist specializing in female ASD, lead author of
Girls Growing Up on the Autism Spectrum
“Thanks to Jennifer O’Toole, we have established a sturdy, hard-won
narrative tradition that has the power to change hearts and minds.”
—Valerie Paradiz, PhD., Autism Speaks board member; Director,
National Autism Leadership Institute
“Jennifer O’Toole systematically examines issues faced by this
group and illustrates with examples from her own journey. . . .
Although Jennifer accentuates the positives, she does not sugarcoat
vulnerabilities, dangers, and despair that women on the spectrum
are likely to face. Her powerfully punching wit and insight are of
a beauty and efficacy that only a spectrum mind could imagine.”
—Lars Perner, PhD, Autism Society of America executive board
member
“This slice of life on the spectrum illustrates just how diverse
our lives can be, and how different our inner realities may be from
what observers assume.” —John Elder Robison, bestselling author,
advisor to the US Department of Health and Human Services, World
Health Organization Autism Advisor, Institute for Autism Research
co-chair
“Brave, warm, and fiercely honest, Jennifer has broken the autism
mold open with her riveting story. From anxiety and eating
disorders to relationships and self-doubt, Autism in Heels will
provide invaluable relief for girls and women around the world who
have too-long struggled to fit in. A jewel of a book!” —Susan
Stifleman, PhD., bestselling author, Huffington Post columnist,
Today Show contributor
“In this chipper memoir–cum–inspirational guide . . . O’Toole’s
compassion and enthusiasm are infectious.” —Publisher’s Weekly
“I am blown away. Never has a book on autism captured the female
perspective with so much accuracy, grit, and flair. The perspective
of the girl who models herself after typical girls but never quite
fits in, and feels fraudulent, is a common but never before clearly
articulated phenomenon for women with autism. Jennifer’s stories
will resonate with women on the spectrum and women everywhere
trying to find their identities and find their way navigating their
life journeys. I literally could not put this book down and would
recommend it to all women, those on and off the spectrum, and the
men who want to better understand them. —Wendy Ross, MD, CNN Hero,
Autism Society of America Person of the Year, founder of Autism
Inclusion Resources
“Witty, frank, and full of insight, Jennifer O’Toole’s Autism in
Heels is a major addition to a growing body of literature on the
distinctive experience of women on the autism spectrum, long
overlooked by researchers and clinicians. After helping to pioneer
the genre with her groundbreaking Sisterhood of the Spectrum,
O’Toole takes us deep into her often harrowing process of becoming
self-aware in a world built for non-autistics, guiding us through
her search for meaning and identity in a voice that is disarmingly
candid, appealingly warm, and often hilariously funny. O’Toole is a
natural storyteller. Autism in Heels is a great book.” —Steve
Silberman, author of NeuroTribes: The Legacy of Autism and the
Future of Neurodiversity, winner of the Samuel Johnson Prize for
Nonfiction
“I have always considered Jennifer an Aspie mentor in terms of her
insights and wisdom on life as experienced by a woman who has
autism. She is a natural talent who, in Autism in Heels, has indeed
written a love letter to all women. Her memoir will change our
perception of autism and how those with autism will perceive
themselves.” —Tony Attwood, PhD, bestselling author, international
speaker
“Funny, moving, compelling, deep . . . Autism in Heels is an
absolute must-read not only for women on the spectrum, or people
who love them, but anyone who likes a good conversation with an
utterly brilliant mind.”“ —Maia Szavalitz, bestselling author and
award-winning journalist covering neuroscience and addiction for
Time, Scientific American, and more
“Jennifer O’Toole allows us to witness the workings of her
beautiful, brilliant mind, to share in her vulnerability, and to be
thoroughly entertained by her storytelling. Through both her
content and style we get a glimpse of the intense empathy and
passion that is so often misunderstood about autism, and in
particular, about the unique experience of women on the spectrum.
Ultimately this is a book for everyone. —Jed Baker, PhD,
bestselling author, international speaker
“Autism in Heels is a compelling must-read that proves autism
doesn’t have a set appearance. Witty and full of real-life
experience, readers will love O’Toole’s writing. She inspires hope,
individuality, and certainty for those of us on the spectrum that
we are not limited by our uniqueness. We really can do anything we
set our minds to.” —Rachel Barcellona, autism self-advocate, Miss
Southeast International, Unicorn Children’s Foundation
Ambassador
“Autism in Heels hit me to the core. Exposing the pain of
perfectionism, anorexia, bullying, abuse, and loneliness, Jennifer
outlines the sheer need for this memoir in exposing the
vulnerability that many girls face from being gifted, talented, and
on the autism spectrum. This is an incredible, necessary book that
will change lives for the better.” —Barb Cook, editor and author of
Spectrum Women, founder and editor in chief at Spectrum Women
Magazine
“Told like no other, this book leaves all of us, autistic or not,
better human beings for having known Jennifer O’Toole.” —Sharon Lee
Cummings, copublisher/editor at large of Zoom Autism Magazine,
Autism Society of Virginia board member
“I was immediately captivated by Jennifer’s intimate story telling.
Autism in Heels is a story of honesty and empowerment, and is a
must read for women with and without autism.” —Michelle Dean,
assistant professor of special education at California State
University, Channel Islands, technical consultant for the
Netflix/Sony show Atypical
“Autism in Heels is a fascinating glimpse into the mind of an
autistic woman. It’s a must-read for anyone without autism to learn
a new side of tolerance and inclusion. And for my fellow autistic
women, you’ll hopefully find parts of her life that parallel your
own, as I did, and know you are not alone.” —Carly Fulgham, Autism
Society of California board member, Art of Autism board member
“Honest, raw, intimate. Jennifer O’Toole’s description of the
female autistic life experience will resonate with many generatons
of autistic women to come. —Christa Holmans, autistic author and
advocate, Neurodivergent Rebel Blog
“Jennifer O’Toole spares nothing of her experiences and
methodically dissects the internal and external realities of what
it’s really like to be an Aspie female. I urgently recommend this
book to clinicians, parents, self-identified, self-curious humans.
Reading it will increase your knowledge, your sensitivity, your
worldview, and your love.” —Carol Moog, PhD., clinical psychologist
and co-author of The Autism Playbook for Teens”
“An essential read that I cannot wait to share. Writing with a
radiating kind of aliveness and breathless honesty, O’Toole tackles
all the tough issues—trauma, eating disorders, self-harm,
depression, self-doubt—alongside the grace, hope, and joy of a life
lived full of meaning and self-discovery.” —Shana Nichols, PhD,
clinical psychologist specializing in female ASD, lead author of
Girls Growing Up on the Autism Spectrum
“Thanks to Jennifer O’Toole, we have established a sturdy, hard-won
narrative tradition that has the power to change hearts and minds.”
—Valerie Paradiz, PhD., Autism Speaks board member; Director,
National Autism Leadership Institute
“Jennifer O’Toole systematically examines issues faced by this
group and illustrates with examples from her own journey. . . .
Although Jennifer accentuates the positives, she does not sugarcoat
vulnerabilities, dangers, and despair that women on the spectrum
are likely to face. Her powerfully punching wit and insight are of
a beauty and efficacy that only a spectrum mind could imagine.”
—Lars Perner, PhD, Autism Society of America executive board
member
“This slice of life on the spectrum illustrates just how diverse
our lives can be, and how different our inner realities may be from
what observers assume.” —John Elder Robison, bestselling author,
advisor to the US Department of Health and Human Services, World
Health Organization Autism Advisor, Institute for Autism Research
co-chair
“Brave, warm, and fiercely honest, Jennifer has broken the autism
mold open with her riveting story. From anxiety and eating
disorders to relationships and self-doubt, Autism in Heels will
provide invaluable relief for girls and women around the world who
have too-long struggled to fit in. A jewel of a book!” —Susan
Stifleman, PhD., bestselling author, Huffington Post columnist,
Today Show contributor
“In this chipper memoir–cum–inspirational guide . . . O’Toole’s
compassion and enthusiasm are infectious.” —Publisher’s Weekly
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