Octopus lands Price's Unmasking Autism

Octopus Publishing Group imprint Monoray has signed a deal for Unmasking Autism: The Power of Embracing Our Hidden Neurodiversity by Chicago-based professor Dr Devon Price.  

Publisher Jake Lingwood acquired UK and Commonwealth rights, excluding Canada and including Ireland, from Rachel Berkowitz, director of foreign rights at Penguin Random House US. It will be published in hardback on 7th April 2022.  

The blurb reads: “For every visibly Autistic person you meet, there are countless 'masked' people who pass as neurotypical. They don't fit the stereotypical mould of Autism and are often forced by necessity to mask who they are, spending their entire lives trying to hide their Autistic traits. In particular, there is evidence that Autism remains significantly undiagnosed in women, people of colour, trans and gender non-conforming people, many of whom are only now starting to recognise those traits later in life. 

“Blending cutting-edge research, personal insights and practical exercises for self-expression, Dr Devon Price examines the phenomenon of 'masking', making a passionate argument for radical authenticity and non-conformity. A powerful call for change, Unmasking Autism gifts its readers with the tools to uncover their true selves and build a new society — one where everyone can thrive on their own terms.” 

Price is a social psychologist, professor, author and “proud Autistic person”, Octopus said. Their writing has appeared in outlets such as the Financial Times, HuffPost, Slate, Jacobin, Business Insider, LitHub and on PBS and NPR. Price is also the author of Laziness Does Not Exist (Simon & Schuster). They live in Chicago and are assistant professor at Loyola University Chicago's School of Continuing & Professional Studies.  

Lingwood said of the announcement: “Devon Price’s ground-breaking book is an important step forward when it comes to further understanding Autism. It is also notable as one of the few books on the subject to be written by an autistic person and all the more relevant for it. I am proud to publish Unmasking Autism on Monoray.”  

Price commented: “Most writing and scholarship on Autism is concerned with helping neurotypical people 'make sense' of people with the disability. Unmasking Autism is by and for Autistic people, and I've written it with the goal of empowering Autistic individuals to better understand, embrace, and advocate for ourselves. I'm so excited to put the research and practical tools in this book in the hands of autistic readers and our allies.”