The Autist's Guide to the Galaxy: Navigating the World of Normal People

A playful guide to understanding the ways of “normal people”, The Autist’s Guide to the Galaxy flips our usual scripts about neurodiversity.

Following on from her internationally successful memoir, The Autists, Clara Törnvall has written a fun, comprehensive, and accessible explanation of neurotypical, or “normal”, behavior. Full of facts, tips, and tests, and developed with input from other autists, this book places the difficulties autists face in the context of a world built for the neurotypical majority. It will help neurodiverse people―and their families, friends, and loved ones―navigate this world, nurture stronger relationships, and thrive.

Clara Törnvall has been a journalist and producer since the early 2000s. She’s produced programs for Swedish radio and TV, as well as written articles/chronicles for various media outlets. Her first book, The Autists: women on the spectrum, was written after her diagnosis with autism at the age of 42 and has been published in 12 languages.

Alice E. Olsson is a literary translator, writer, and editor working across Swedish and English. She has served as the Cultural Affairs Adviser at the Embassy of Sweden in London and is the recipient of a fellowship as well as multiple grants from the Swedish Arts Council. She has been shortlisted for the 2020 Peirene Stevns Translation Prize and the 2023 Bernard Shaw Prize.