There are so many fantastic books on psychology, autism, disability, and more. Here is a compilation of some of my favorite general audience books I've read on the topics.
Please note: these are books I have overall enjoyed reading. This does not mean they are perfect. They may also not be for every person. Many contain sensitive or upsetting material.
Autism and Developmental Disabilities:
NeuroTribes: The Legacy of Autism and the Future of Neurodiversity by Steve Silberman (2015)
A classic recommendation, this book discusses the history of autism and neurodiversity. There are some elements that are a bit out-of-date, as more historical analysis has been unearthed in the last decade.
I Overcame My Autism and All I Got Was This Lousy Anxiety Disorder by Sarah Kurchak (2020)
A memoir written by a late-diagnosed autistic white Canadian woman, reflecting on her experiences with growing up, coping with social and sensory difficulties, finding her diagnosis, and frustrations with misinformation about autism.
Strong Female Character by Fern Brady (2023)
A memoir written by a late-diagnosed, autistic white Scottish woman, reflecting on her experiences with growing up, sensory difficulties, mental health struggles, and relationships. Brady is a comedian and the book is humorous and irreverent.
Disability and Disability Justice:
A Disability History of the United States by Kim Nielsen (2012)
This nonfiction book describes perspectives on disability and how disability has shaped the American story throughout centuries.
The Woman They Could Not Silence by Kate Moore (2021)
This is a narrative nonfiction that tells the true story of Elizabeth Packard, a 19th-century woman wrongfully and involuntarily institutionalized and her subsequent fight for freedom and mental health reform.
Care Work: Dreaming Disability Justice by Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha (2018)
In this essay collection, the author describes the stories and strategies of disability justice. It beautifully describes accessibility and caring for one another as an act of love, led by disabled and intersectionally marginalized people.
Broader Psychology:
Man's Search for Meaning by Victor Frankl (1946)
This powerful book is in part a memoir of surviving Nazi concentration camps and in part a description of Frankl's psychological theory (logotherapy). It describes Frankl's belief in humanity's inherent drive to create meaning and how this promotes survival and wellbeing.
Building a Life Worth Living: A Memoir by Marsha Linehan (2020)
This memoir describes the life of the creator of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and her journey from struggling with her own mental health in adolescence through finding ways to help others out of hell.