I am in the process of writing Pathologically Genuine, a narrative non-fiction memoir about being diagnosed with autism in my 50s after spending more than three decades in higher education. (You can read my bio here.)
As the book develops, please stop by and read early chapters on my Substack page or in the Blog Table of Contents on this site. I welcome your comments and feedback.
Pathologically Genuine:
A memoir about late-diagnosed autism and what it feels like to live an entire life without a map, then suddenly find one. With humor and vivid storytelling, I share .
Draft Overview
This is my story of appearing highly successful while privately struggling to navigate the social world that everyone else seems to intuitively navigate. It also reveals a transformation when my struggles were given a name and a context late in my life. It’s a funny, emotionally honest, and empathetic look at what autism feels like from the inside, not what autism is. I also show how my being wired for radical authenticity has been an enormous strength, while at the same time has been a devastating weakness, in a world that needs genuine connection but is driven by unwritten social rules and expectations.
At its heart, the memoir is a story of paradox:
- how authenticity can be both a superpower and a liability,
- how someone can appear accomplished while struggling to navigate the world, and
- how a late diagnosis can reframe and clarify without resolving the challenges of being autistic.
What do readers think, so far (May 18, 2026)
➡️ Jim, your humor shines. It not only made me smile but also helped me feel the heart behind your words. That’s a rare gift: the ability to carry both laughter and empathy in the same line. Please keep writing; you never know how far your words may reach (Georgiana, Pathologically Genuine I)
➡️ I was diagnosed autistic at 19, 3 years ago, and this is the first time I have genuinely related to someone about how they experience it....(Maisie, several pieces).
➡️ Your prose is absolutely captivating. You really do have a gift for writing nonfiction. (Chloe, Pathologically Genuine 1)
➡️I have several friends, acquaintances, and students on the autism spectrum. Knowing them heightens the pleasure I take in the insights you reveal in your posts. It appears that. I read your posts with much empathic engagement. I am very grateful you've given me this window into your funny, nimble, subtle mind. (Kate, several articles on Substack)
➡️Thank you for sharing so openly. I really admire the way you put words to the differences between introversion and autism…it helps me understand more clearly what that feels like from the inside. I think it’s powerful that you’ve found writing as a way to mix humor with information. That kind of voice is rare and very needed. (Ena, several articles on Substack)
➡️….. The authenticity you bring to the table is so refreshing, and it really helps break down the barriers we all face...... Your perspective is a reminder that we all have our own paths, and the beauty lies in accepting and understanding that. Keep shining! (Aelia, several articles on Substack)
➡️ I so much appreciate your honesty and clarity, and the full expression of your feelings. You are an inspiration to not only the neurodivergent, but also to the supposedly neurotypical like me who suffer loneliness for different reasons. (Randy, Lonesome I know you too well)
➡️ Your descriptions about loneliness and depression extend far beyond the experience of autistic people. Everyone has times of loneliness, grief, isolation, faking normalcy. You could be the next Mel Robbins of the ‘Let Them Theory’ for the ‘Belonging Theory’! (Carole, Lonesome I know you too well)
➡️ Very relatable, but also, wonderfully written! (Amberhawk, A Banana Slug in the Mojave Desert)
➡️ Incredibly moving and beautifully written [a] vivid portrait of your parents, your father bursting with so much pride that he wanted to announce you to the world, and your mother serving as his quiet, stable foundation...(Nade, Inheritance on a Family Tree)
➡️ The writing was beautiful in creating a scene I could TOTALLY relate to . . . I did not find it dark, just very real and so well written. (Spoma, The Missing Map)
➡️ Love your prose style! Can't tell you how much I identify with [you]... May or may not be interesting to you, but at age 71 I was just diagnosed with ADHD. Explains a lot for me. Rock on! (Chris, The Missing Map)
➡️Great piece. I like how this goes beyond the lunch itself and becomes a meditation on attention, misreading people, what it means to come back into relationship with the world. It makes me think about how much delivery matters when someone's telling you something hard. (Ang, Lunch with Omar)
➡️ You casually lead us into and then out of your main event with some delightful details, peppered with your characteristic good humor and unique interpretative descriptions. Your situational friend Omar is proving to be a true friend--one who is not afraid of telling you a truth that could perhaps help you in all your conversations. He listened to you, and then he pointed out a gem. Maybe the code word "ostrich" can remind you to be the gem, Jim. Your wife will see new treasures in your conversations together. (Jeffrey, Lunch with Omar)
➡️Jim Coleman’s story is not just about autism or stuttering. It’s about the quiet courage of showing up in a world that often misunderstands. . . . You can feel the ache in moments like trying to order a Coke or being stared at in class. Yet, there’s humor, warmth, and a deep sense of self woven through every paragraph. He doesn’t ask for sympathy he offers insight, connection, and a gentle challenge to be more patient, more curious, more human. (Antonio , Autism and Stuttering)
➡️ The way you weave in humor, like the pet rock and Wilson the volleyball references, made me laugh and really drew me into the rest of your story. Your love for dogs, especially Brea, shines through, and the research you included about pets improving the well-being of people with autism is very informative and much appreciated. (Martha, Autism and Pets” )
➡️ You had me laughing at the start and near tears by the end, with a solid bit of learning in the middle. I am really enjoying learning about the autistic experience through your posts. (Kim, Autism and pets)
➡️ Great article... It sure sheds a lot of light on living life with autism. (Martha, The Joy of Stimming)
➡️ I really enjoyed reading your article. I felt so calm reading it, you write beautifully. I found your line “normality won” so moving and sad and frustrating …(Sinead, “The Joy of Stimming”)
➡️ Coleman insists that genuine inquiry means resisting the seduction of easy answers and honouring complexity. Drawing on Kahneman, he warns that our minds crave simple stories, but wisdom lives in hesitation. The essay becomes deeply personal: an autistic professor urging us to see humility as strength. Ultimately, it is a call to protect uncertainty as the most human form of knowledge, a sanctuary of truth. If this space offered you something meaningful, you may support me with a symbolic coffee, warm, of course, and full of heart. (Antonio, Our understanding of complex is rarely absolute and clear)