Normal Sucks
How to Live, Learn, and Thrive, Outside the Lines
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Narrated by:
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Jonathan Mooney
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By:
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Jonathan Mooney
About this listen
This program is read by the author.
Confessional and often hilarious, in Normal Sucks, a neuro-diverse writer, advocate, and father meditates on his life, offering the radical message that we should stop trying to fix people and start empowering them to succeed.
Jonathan Mooney blends anecdote, expertise, and memoir to present a new mode of thinking about how we live and learn - individually, uniquely, and with advantages and upshots to every type of brain and body. As a neuro-diverse kid diagnosed with dyslexia and ADHD who didn't learn to read until he was 12, the realization that that he wasn’t the problem - the system and the concept of normal were - saved Mooney’s life and fundamentally changed his outlook. Here he explores the toll that being not normal takes on kids and adults when they’re trapped in environments that label them, shame them, and tell them, even in subtle ways, that they are the problem. But, he argues, if we can reorient the ways in which we think about diversity, abilities, and disabilities, we can start a revolution.
A highly sought-after public speaker, Mooney has been inspiring audiences with his story and his message for nearly two decades. Now he’s ready to share what he’s learned from parents, educators, researchers, and kids in a book that is as much a survival guide as it is a call to action. Whip-smart, insightful, and utterly inspiring - and movingly framed as a letter to his own young sons, as they work to find their ways in the world - this audiobook will upend what we call normal and empower us all.
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.
©2019 Jonathan Mooney (P)2019 Macmillan AudioListeners also enjoyed...
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Very enjoyable. Listened to it twice.
- By howharryisharry on 09-05-17
By: Ron Fournier
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My Two Moms
- Lessons of Love, Strength, and What Makes a Family
- By: Zach Wahls, Bruce Littlefield
- Narrated by: Kris Koscheski
- Length: 6 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
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On January 31, 2011, Zach Wahls addressed the Iowa House Judiciary Committee in a public forum regarding civil unions. The 19-year-old son of a same-sex couple, Wahls proudly proclaimed, "The sexual orientation of my parents has had zero effect on the content of my character." Hours later, his speech was posted on YouTube, where it went viral, quickly receiving more than two million views. By the end of the week, everyone knew his name and wanted to hear more from the boy with two moms.
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You will not regret listening to this.
- By V. Brown on 06-07-12
By: Zach Wahls, and others
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A Mind Spread Out on the Ground
- By: Alicia Elliott
- Narrated by: Kyla Garcia
- Length: 7 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
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The Mohawk phrase for depression can be roughly translated as a mind spread out on the ground. In this urgent, visceral work, Alicia Elliott explores how apt a description that is for the ongoing effects of the personal, intergenerational, and colonial traumas experienced by her so many Native people. Elliott's deeply personal writing details a life spent between Indigenous and White communities - a divide reflected in her own family - and engages with such wide-ranging topics as race, parenthood, love, art, mental illness, poverty, sexual assault, gentrification, and representation.
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Well written, heartfelt, revealing
- By KWK on 07-15-24
By: Alicia Elliott
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Pregnant Girl
- A Story of Teen Motherhood, College, and Creating a Better Future for Young Families
- By: Nicole Lynn Lewis
- Narrated by: Nicky Sunshine
- Length: 7 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
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An activist calls for better support of young families so they can thrive and reflects on her experiences as a Black mother and college student fighting for opportunities for herself and her child. Pregnant Girl presents the possibility of a different future for young mothers - one of success and stability - in the midst of the dismal statistics that dominate the national conversation.
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Political
- By Amazon Customer on 01-16-23
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The Smartest Kids in the World
- And How They Got That Way
- By: Amanda Ripley
- Narrated by: Kate Reading
- Length: 7 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
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How do other countries create "smarter" kids? In a handful of nations, virtually all children are learning to make complex arguments and solve problems they've never seen before. They are learning to think, in other words, and to thrive in the modern economy.What is it like to be a child in the world's new education superpowers? In a global quest to find answers for our own children, author and Time magazine journalist Amanda Ripley follows three Americans embedded in these countries for one year.
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a Wanna-be fiction writer avoids the subject
- By Niall on 11-23-13
By: Amanda Ripley
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The Book of Pride
- LGBTQ Heroes Who Changed the World
- By: Mason Funk
- Narrated by: Mason Funk, Robin Miles, Eileen Stevens, and others
- Length: 10 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
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The Book of Pride captures the true story of the gay rights movement from the 1960s to the present, through richly detailed, stunning interviews with the leaders, activists, and ordinary people who witnessed the movement and made it happen. These individuals fought battles both personal and political, often without the support of family or friends, frequently under the threat of violence and persecution.
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Pure Joy for EVERYONE
- By Micah D on 06-03-19
By: Mason Funk
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Whatever It Takes
- Geoffrey Canada's Quest to Change Harlem and America
- By: Paul Tough
- Narrated by: Ax Norman
- Length: 10 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
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What would it take?That was the question that Geoffrey Canada found himself asking. What would it take to change the lives of poor children, not one by one, through heroic interventions and occasional miracles, but in big numbers, and in a way that could be replicated nationwide? The question led him to create the Harlem Children's Zone, a 97-block laboratory in central Harlem where he is testing new and sometimes controversial ideas about poverty in America.
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Aboslutely terrific!
- By Anthony on 09-21-10
By: Paul Tough
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How to Slowly Kill Yourself and Others in America
- Essays
- By: Kiese Laymon
- Narrated by: Kevin Free
- Length: 3 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
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Author and essayist Kiese Laymon is one of the most unique, stirring, and powerful new voices in American social and cultural commentary. How to Slowly Kill Yourself and Others in America is a collection of Laymon's essays, touching on subjects ranging from family, race, violence, and celebrity to music, writing, and coming of age in the rural Mississippi Gulf Coast. Laymon's writing is unflinchingly honest, while also being smart, lacerating, and unexpectedly funny.
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I'm Stunned By This Collection
- By Rachel on 10-17-17
By: Kiese Laymon
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Because I Come from a Crazy Family
- The Making of a Psychiatrist
- By: Edward M. Hallowell
- Narrated by: Paul Boehmer
- Length: 13 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
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When Edward M. Hallowell was 11, a voice out of nowhere told him he should become a psychiatrist. A mental health professional of the time would have called this psychosis. But young Edward (Ned) took it in stride, despite not quite knowing what "psychiatrist" meant. With a psychotic father, an alcoholic mother, an abusive stepfather, and two so-called learning disabilities of his own, Ned was accustomed to unpredictable behaviour from those around him and to a mind he felt he couldn't always control.
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Love and connection permeates through this book!
- By Steve Steinmetz on 06-29-18
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The Priority List
- A Teacher's Final Quest to Discover Life's Greatest Lessons
- By: David Menasche
- Narrated by: David Menasche
- Length: 4 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
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David Menasche lived for his work as a high school English teacher. His passion inspired his students, and between lessons on Shakespeare and sentence structure, he forged a unique bond with his kids, buoying them through personal struggles while sharing valuable life lessons.
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Truly Inspiring!!
- By Trish on 07-13-14
By: David Menasche
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America 3:16
- By: Graham Allen
- Narrated by: Graham Allen
- Length: 5 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
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What’s the biggest threat to America today? Why are gun rights human rights? And why do so many Christians behave in such un-Christian ways? Graham Allen has the answers. With over two billion views online, the social media star has given a voice to those who feel silenced by the mainstream media and pop culture. Now, with America 3:16, Graham shares a deeper look at the life events that shaped his philosophy on Christianity, politics, family, and country.
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Well written and read
- By Sterling Silver Magnolia on 01-02-21
By: Graham Allen
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How to Be Fine
- What We Learned by Living by the Rules of 50 Self-Help Books
- By: Jolenta Greenberg, Kristen Meinzer
- Narrated by: Jolenta Greenberg, Kristen Meinzer
- Length: 4 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
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In each episode of their podcast By the Book, Jolenta Greenberg and Kristen Meinzer take a deep dive into a different self-help book, following its specific instructions, rules, and advice to the letter. From diet and productivity to decorating to social interactions, they try it all, record themselves along the way, then share what they’ve learned with their devoted and growing audience of fans who tune in.
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Disappointed
- By doughswan on 10-23-20
By: Jolenta Greenberg, and others
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What listeners say about Normal Sucks
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Michelle Lassiter
- 09-19-21
I needed to hear this.
This was a tough story to listen to since the author’s story is so closely aligned to mine. I wish I could have my hubs and children listen to it. Thank you Jonathan Mooney! Thank you!
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- John Medeiros
- 07-16-20
Normal does suck
The concept of normal is overrated and the reason why is explained well here. so many of us are told for the first 18 years of our life that we are not normal and won't amount 2 as much as the normal kids will. this book explains why they were all wrong.
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- Tasha
- 09-30-19
Beautiful
I don’t normally take the time to write reviews, but this one deserves an emphatic 5 star recommendation! Hilarious, relatable, heart-warming, tear-jerking at times, and deeply thought provoking, this book is for anyone. It will inspire you to be a better human in the truest sense of the word.
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5 people found this helpful
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- Anonymous User
- 03-26-20
Everyone Needs This Book
This book is incredible. Every parent, teacher, doctor and human needs to read or listen to this book. As the mom to a Dyslexic child and wife to s Dyslexic husband I know all too well their daily struggles. Public education has to evolve to incorporate all abilities and this book is testament to that. I know how cruel the word Normal is and Jonathan is right, Normal Sucks. This book doesn't suck, read it.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Amber
- 05-11-21
Finished in a day, a must listen..seriously!
I seriously loved this book. I have 2 sons. Both are not normal, adhd and adhd/dyslexia, and that's OK. I knew this already but Jonathan helped me see this even more. Thanks so much JM!
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- MNBrad
- 06-27-22
Touching, excellent
As an educator, this affirms how I strive to see and love my students. As a neurodiverse human, it affirms me at a deep level. I loved this book- and laughed aloud many times bc of Jonathan’s sharp wit.
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- dylan pike
- 06-22-23
Deep story with great narration by the author
I have hyperactive ADHD, Dyslexia, and Dysgraphia myself and could definitely relate to a lot of the authors experiences going through school in the early 2000s. I definitely was told not to use my disabilities as a crutch, even now it makes me feel odd to call them disabilities due to how much masking I have done in my life. It took me until 30 to embrace the gifts you get for being neurodiverse. The book itself was very thought provoking and validates feelings I have had for a very long time. I would recommend neurotypical people to read this as well to better empathize and understand the experiences that neurodiverse people have to go through.
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- David Williams
- 08-18-19
Great story...very strong message
I'm not a person who did have any deficiencies as described in this book but I found the story to be a great story that many like myself should hear and take to heart. Growing up I tended to be one who protected other kids who were picked on and treated different. I wasnt a popular person in school but I was one who nobody wanted to mess with. I couldn't tell you then why I did what I did, but even then I knew somehow that kids who were different or thought to be different all had their own traits and personalities that made them rockstars in my mind. A great book and i thoroughly enjoyed it!!!
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3 people found this helpful
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- cathy
- 09-23-19
What a ride!
This book will take you on a historically enlightening, philosophically challenging, emotional ride that will stay with you for the rest of your life. If you have children this book is essential.
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1 person found this helpful
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- TheSamples
- 11-09-21
being not normal is normal
I admire the story and context that went into this book. It is raw and authentic which makes it so powerful. A must for anyone questioning, 'what is normal?'
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