A Little Less Broken

How an Autism Diagnosis Finally Made Me Whole

De: Marian Schembari

Narrado por: Marian Schembari

This program is read by the author.

One woman’s decades-long journey to a diagnosis of autism, and the barriers that keep too many neurodivergent people from knowing their true selves

Marian Schembari was thirty-four years old when she learned she was autistic. By then, she’d spent decades hiding her tics and shutting down in public, wondering why she couldn’t just act like everyone else. Therapists told her she had Tourette’s syndrome, obsessive-compulsive disorder, sensory processing disorder, social anxiety, and recurrent depression. They prescribed breathing techniques and gratitude journaling. Nothing helped.

It wasn’t until years later that she finally learned the truth: she wasn’t weird or deficient or moody or sensitive or broken. She was autistic.

Today, more people than ever are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. Testing improvements have made it easier to identify neurodivergence, especially among women and girls who spent decades dismissed by everyone from parents to doctors, and misled by gender-biased research. A diagnosis can end the cycle of shame and invisibility, but only if it can be found.

In this deeply personal and researched memoir, Schembari’s journey takes her from the mountains of New Zealand to the tech offices of San Francisco, from her first love to her first child, all with unflinching honesty and good humor.

A Little Less Broken breaks down the barriers that leave women in the dark about their own bodies, and reveals what it truly means to embrace our differences.

A Macmillan Audio production from Flatiron Books.

©2024 Marian Schembari (P)2024 Macmillan Audio

Reseñas de la Crítica

"Astutely observed, incandescently written, and unexpectedly hilarious, A Little Less Broken is a riveting account of the costs of masking your authentic autistic self, as well as a tribute to the life-changing power of finding a diagnosis and a community."—Steve Silberman, author of NeuroTribes: The Legacy of Autism and the Future of Neurodiversity

"A Little Less Broken provides great insights for autistic women. It will help them understand meltdowns, masking, and the stressful intense world of sensory oversensitivity."—Temple Grandin, author of Thinking in Pictures: My Life with Autism

“I feel weepy with gratitude for this book. Marian writes with such humor, insight, and immediacy that it's an absolute page turner. This book is a gift to humanity—no exaggeration—and should be required reading for all. A Little Less Broken will make the world a better, more compassionate place."—Joanna Goddard, Cup of Jo

Amazingly insightful

I’ve been working as a behavior therapist with autistics for almost 20 years only to discover recently at 62 years old, that I have autism. The book allowed me to put my life experiences into perspective and understand a lifetime of struggles. I’m grateful for someone articulating what I’ve been feeling.

I appreciated the vulnerability of this book

I loved that Marians mom responded the way she did at the end. that is how it's done!!

Loved this book!!

Loved this book so much! Once I started listening I couldn’t put it down. Fascinating to know how
a diagnosis can make everything make more sense.

Excellent voice and descriptions!

Great memoir. Very educational about autism in females! I recommend for any woman wondering if she’s autistic

I’m a newly diagnosed autistic adult and I connected to the author.

Good stuff. Listen if you are or even think you might be autistic or someone you love might be. Insightful.

A Little Less Broken

My jaw dropped when she was describing the exact scenario I’ve experienced. So healing for the parts of me that were still in the dark.

Thought provoking insight

I liked the way she explained her life story finding out what she thought about herself

Good to help understand

Bought to better understand the perspective of ASD / neurodivergence as a lived experience. It did help and bonus - was a nice coming of age story with moments . She did a great job of narrating. Sometimes there’s dull levels of detail that slow the book down but it was a nice read that helped me gain insight into the struggles and frustrations.

If you’re a woman doubting if your autistic READ

This felt like a letter of validation and diary excerpt of the little girl and woman who has felt like a broken record on repeat for 3 decades, me. Thank you Marian for sharing your story that is so deeply close to my own, and thank the universe I’m not alone, broken or a freak, I am just autistic.

The author, the book, almost everything

This book shows me i’m not the only one going through this hard stuff. That’s why I love this book so much.