Mudlark to publish practical handbook from autism advocate Wharmby

Murdlark is publishing a “practical handbook” by Pete Wharmby to make the world a simpler place for autistic people to navigate.  

Anna Mrowiec, senior commissioning editor, acquired UK and Commonwealth rights to Untypical World: Why it’s not built for autistic people, and what we should all do about it from James Spackman at The bks Agency. Untypical World will be published to coincide with World Autism Day in March 2023. 

The synopsis states: “The modern world is built for neurotypicals. Needless noise, bright flashing lights, small talk, implication and ‘unwritten rules’, it can be a nightmarish dystopia as far as the autistic population is concerned. In Untypical World, Pete Wharmby lays bare the experience of being ‘different’, explaining with wit and warmth just how exhausting it is to fit into a world not designed for you.” 

Mrowiec said: “It’s rare for a book to come along that has the potential to change the way you think. That can alert you to the scale of such a deep-rooted problem in our society, while remaining ever-so-hopeful about the power of people to change it. I can’t wait to press this book into the hands of everyone I know, especially those who are, or who love someone who is, autistic – but also just anyone who wants to make the world a friendlier place for the neurodivergent population. These words are thrown about too often, but this truly is a remarkable and ground-breaking book.” 

Wharmby added: “I feel there’s a big gap between the general public’s understanding of autistic people and how we actually experience the world, and I want this book to bridge that gap. I’m absolutely delighted to be working with Anna and HarperCollins and I am very excited to get started on the book!”