Place for Everything

When I Had a Little Sister is a powerful memoir by Catherine Simpson that tells the story of her mother's late-diagnosis of autism and its impact on the whole family. It is a searing account of a life lived with undiagnosed autism, exploring family secrets and the challenges of caring for parents in their final years.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 384 pages
Publication date: 22 July 2021
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

A searing account of a mother's late-diagnosis of autism and its profound effects on a whole family, Catherine Simpson's When I Had a Little Sister is a painfully raw and honest memoir. The Bookseller praised it as a "vividly told and profoundly affecting memoir," while Sally Magnusson called it "a brilliant, searing account that I defy anyone not to be gripped by."

Anna grew up in a loving household, even though her mother was a little eccentric. They learned to keep things clean, stay quiet, and turn a blind eye when things got too much for her mother. However, it wasn't until her mother reached her 70s and Anna had a family of her own that the cracks started to appear. Her mother became more manic, irrational, and detached from the world, and when her father became unwell, everything turned upside down.

This is a story about a life lived with undiagnosed autism, about the person behind the disorder, the unspoken family truths, and the importance of caring for our parents in their final years. It is a powerful and emotional read that will leave readers thinking about the impact of autism on families and the importance of seeking help and support.

Weight: 338g
Dimension: 198 x 129 x 31 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780008342555