Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Strong Female Character | 2023 | Fern Brady | Buy |
Fern Brady is a Scottish comedian known for her sharp, confessional style of stand-up. Her non-fiction work centers on her personal experiences, particularly her late diagnosis of autism and the years of confusion that preceded it.
Strong Female Character, published in 2023, became a Sunday Times bestseller and earned praise for its honest, often very funny account of growing up feeling different without understanding why. Brady writes about her Catholic upbringing, teenage rebellion, stints in jobs that never lasted, and the coping mechanisms that did more harm than good. The book is both a coming-of-age story and a clear-eyed look at how the medical system can fail women and girls seeking an autism diagnosis.