Donna Williams

In 1992, Williams published her first book, an autobiographical account titled Nobody Nowhere: The Extraordinary Autobiography of an Autistic Girl (Doubleday, London).[6][22] It was an international best seller including spending fifteen weeks on The New York Times Best Seller list for adult non-fiction in 1993.[23] It was short-listed for the New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards for non-fiction in 1992.[24] According to Kirkus Reviews the book enabled people associated with autistic individuals, to "understand more clearly what those unresponsive 'dead eyes' see".[25] While Daniel Goleman of The New York Times described how Williams "originally wrote it as a series of notes to herself, to help her make sense of her own chaotic world. She planned to burn her journal until a therapist helped her see the value in sharing it".[6]

Her second autobiography, Somebody Somewhere: Breaking Free from the World of Autism, appeared in 1994.[26][27] Marguerite Mroz of Library Journal noted that Williams describes getting the first book published, including "[h]er extraordinary and painful growth as she completes her education, continues psychiatric treatment, experiences the unwelcome publicity brought about by the publication of Nobody Nowhere".[17] Kirkus Review found Williams had become "more emotionally vulnerable than ever, unprotected by the ritualistic noises and movements typical of autism and determined not to call on the false selves that helped her function in the world 'out there'".[18] Later autobiographical works include Like Colour to the Blind: Soul Searching and Soul Finding (1996),[28] and Everyday Heaven: Journeys Beyond the Stereotypes of Autism (2004).[29] Emily Golson in Williams' entry in Encyclopedia of Women's Autobiography (2005) finds that "[her] writing mirrors the convolutions of her thought processes: disjointed, sometimes rambling, often filled with images that convey a jumble of colors, sounds and attitudes".[2]

Williams wrote several non-fiction books on intellectual and developmental conditions, especially on the autism spectrum[2] Autism – an Inside-out Approach: An Innovative Look at the Mechanics of Autism and Its Developmental Cousins (1996),[30] Autism and Sensing: The Unlost Instinct (1998),[31] Exposure Anxiety - The Invisible Cage: An Exploration of Self-Protection Responses in the Autism Spectrum (15 September 2002),[32] and The Jumbled Jigsaw: An Insider's Approach to the Treatment of Autistic Spectrum "Fruit Salads" (2006).[33] Her first collection of poetry and prose, Not Just Anything: A Collection of Thoughts on Paper (2004), was published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers.[34] A second collection, Weirdos Like Me, appeared in September 2009.[35][36]

Williams was the subject of several TV documentaries.[37] "My Experience with Autism, Emotion and Behavior" (1993), an episode, on Eye to Eye with Connie Chung was broadcast in the United States. Beth Fouse and Maria Wheeler describe Williams' interview and her mode of communication in their book, A Treasure Chest of Behavioral Strategies for Individuals with Autism (1997).[38] Williams had "difficulties in processing incoming information. She needed to listen or look. She could not use auditory and visual channels at the same time".[38] On Jam Jar (1995), by Fresh Film in association with BBC Four, which aired in the UK, Williams provided her audience with a greater depth of understanding of autism.[39] The documentary provided Joe Geraci with Williams' "provocative argument about academics coming to some kind of understanding of autism" where she described the 'inside-out' world, "[an autistic] has his own system, and it's not an infantile version of [the non-autistic person's] system; they haven't learned his system".[39] Yokosho Watashi No Sekai E "Jiheisho" Donna Williams (1995), was broadcast by NHK TV in Japan. Krankheit als Schicksal (English: Illness as fate), was filmed in 1995, by Hamburg's Spiegel TV, and was aired on 25 January 1997 in Germany.[40] It is titled Dann Verstehe Ich Auch Nur Bla, Bla, Bla (English: Then I Only Understood Too Much Bla, Bla, Bla).

In September 2010, Orlai Produkciós Iroda of Hungary produced a monodrama, Nemsenkilény, monológ nemmindegyembereknek ("Not a nobody creature") presented by Börcsök Enikő, from a book by autistic author, Henriett Seth F. which appeared in theatres and on TV. The script contains quotations from Nobody Nowhere along with Birger Sellin's Don't want to Be Inside Me Anymore, and Mark Haddon's The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time.[41]

Williams' debut album, titled Nobody Nowhere after her first autobiography, was released in 2000; it is a collaboration with Paul Farrer.[42] Two tracks, "Sometimes" and "Beyond the When", feature in the 2000 Tokyo Broadcasting System Television series Things You Taught Me.[43] The 12-part series follows the life of an autistic woman developing her human interaction skills.[44] In July 2005, she followed up Nobody Nowhere with a second album titled Mutation.[45] It is a collaboration with Akash, an Australian composer, producer and arranger. Both albums feature music and lyrics by Williams, with Mutation including spoken word poetry in addition to music.[46] Williams was a self-taught painter, beginning in adulthood. She was also a sculptor and completed life-sized sculptures.[7]

Williams had a "strong family history of cancer". In 2011 she was diagnosed with breast cancer. The cancer, which was terminal, metastasized and "spread throughout the liver". She chose to spend her last days in palliative care. She urged her state premier to pass Dying with Dignity legislation.[1][55] Williams died of the disease on 22 April 2017, aged 53.[1]