Madeleine Ryan

The debut novel from an autistic writer, an extraordinary story of a fiercely original young woman whose radical self-acceptance illuminates a new way of being in the world, and opens up a whole new realm of understanding and connection As a full moon rises over Melbourne, Australia, a young autistic woman gets ready for a party. What appears to be the start of an ordinary night out, though, is, through the prism of her mind, extraordinary. As the events of the night unfold, she moves from person to person, weaving a web around the magical, the mundane, and the tragic. She's charming and witty, with a touch of irreverence; people can't help but find her magnetic. However, each encounter she has, whether with her ex-boyfriend or a woman who wants to compliment her outfit, reveals the vast discrepancies between what she is thinking, and feeling, and what she is able to say. And there's so much she'd like to say. When she meets a man in line for the bathroom, and the possibility of intimacy and genuine connection occurs, it's nothing short of a miracle. It isn't until she invites him home, though, and into her remarkable world that we come to appreciate the humanity beneath the labels we cling to, to grasp, through her singular perspective, the visceral joy of what it means to be alive. From the inimitable mind of Madeleine Ryan, an outspoken advocate for neurodiversity, A Room Called Earth is a magical and miraculous adventure inside the mind of an autistic woman. Humorous and heartwarming, and brimming with joy, this hyper-saturated celebration of acceptance is a testament to moving through life without fear, and to opening ourselves up to a new way of relating to one another.

A Room Called Earth

rida

“I have a belief that we, like, choose our problems. When I’m considering a challenge, or a change, it’s usually on the back of wanting new problems. Maybe when you reach the point of wanting new problems, you’ll be ready."

And I don’t want to teach him about me, I want him to experience me.

I want to be in contact with everything that is precious about being a human being. There’s no hiding behind a kiss. During a really good kiss, there are no power struggles. It’s making out with humanness. It’s heaven on earth. It’s eyes open, and closed, and lips, and breath, and flesh, and stubble. Hopefully not enough to enter into rash territory. Just enough to be conscious of the fact that, yes, hair grows on this person’s face and, yes, he shaves it occasionally, and the last time he might have done so was about a week to ten days ago.

Brodie smith

I want my life, and everything inside of it, to be absolutely mine. 

A Room Called Earth quotes

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