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Danny's People

A Memoir and Manifesto About Autism

Published by Oneworld Publications
Distributed by Simon & Schuster

About The Book

We have a choice about who we want to be as a society. Do we provide care for those who are different from us? And if we don’t, what are we sacrificing?

'Virginia's love for her son Danny is an inspiring testament and a celebration of neurodiversity. This important book dismantles prejudice and shines with honesty and truth.' Manni Coe, author of Brother. Do. You. Love. Me

Virginia’s son Danny has a way of lighting up a room. He’s warm, personable and has an infectious laugh. He forms lasting relationships and has known his best friend since they were little. He is also nonverbal and autistic, and requires round-the-clock care and a liquid diet. And for this reason, there are many people who would rather not encounter Danny.

Fighting against a view that autism is something which needs to be ‘cured’, Virginia Bovell testifies to the battles to obtain support, the dismissive attitude of some professionals, and chronic underfunding faced by families at every turn. Passionate and unapologetic, Danny’s People draws on Virginia’s experience as both a mother and activist to offer a compelling argument for change.

About The Author

Dr Virginia Bovell is the mother of Danny, 30, who has a diagnosis of autism and severe learning disabilities. A former trustee of the National Autistic Society, she was also one of the founding parents of TreeHouse school and its UK umbrella charity Ambitious about Autism. She has since written and spoken about autism and ethics, for which she received a doctorate in 2015.

Product Details

  • Publisher: Oneworld Publications (August 22, 2024)
  • Length: 352 pages
  • ISBN13: 9780861548392

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Raves and Reviews

'Virginia's love for her son Danny is an inspiring testament and a celebration of neurodiversity. This important book dismantles prejudice and shines with honesty and truth.' —Manni Coe, author of Brother. Do. You. Love. Me.

‘An impassioned plea for better provision for autistic people, as well as a moving and unsparing account of the joys and challenges of raising Bovell's autistic son… Danny’s People radiates with love and Bovell’s warm voice.’ —Jill Dawson, author The Great Lover

'A remarkable book that raises deep questions. Her [Virginia's] compassion for autistic people – in all their multiplicity – and the dedicated people who support them shines through. This book will inspire and educate.' —Prof Simon Baron-Cohen, Director of Autism Research Centre, University of Cambridge

'A beautifully written and searingly honest account of the highs and lows of raising a disabled child, as well as the very special people that can make a difference along the way. But more than that – this book is a must-read for anyone who would benefit from a critical and empathetic reflection on a range of debates and controversies in the field of autism.' —Professor Laura Crane, Director of the Autism Centre for Education and Research at the University of Birmingham

'Virginia Bovell’s marvellous book goes to the heart of what it takes to parent a profoundly disabled young man. It charts with tremendous care and unflinching honesty the fearfully challenging health complications faced by her beloved son, Danny, but also the radiant joy that he inspires in so many. She carefully charts, and tries to resolve, the deep and often bad tempered debates surrounding autism, and reminds us of the raw realities of learning disabilities. She goes out of her way to celebrate the many people who have supported and helped Danny through thick and thin, and shares with us, in passages of luminous prose, the overwhelming love that she feels for her son, and the enormous gift that he offers in return. Danny's People is an important, honest and beautiful book. Highly recommended.' —Stephen Unwin, director and former chair of Kids

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