Listen free for 30 days

Listen with offer

Sample
  • Illuminated

  • Autism & All the Things I’ve Left Unsaid
  • By: Melanie Sykes
  • Narrated by: Melanie Sykes
  • Length: 8 hrs and 42 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (62 ratings)

£0.00 for first 30 days

Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

Illuminated

By: Melanie Sykes
Narrated by: Melanie Sykes
Try for £0.00

£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

Buy Now for £12.99

Buy Now for £12.99

Pay using card ending in
By completing your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and authorise Audible to charge your designated card or any other card on file. Please see our Privacy Notice, Cookies Notice and Interest-based Ads Notice.
activate_samplebutton_t1

Listeners also enjoyed...

Christine McGuinness cover art
Spectrum Women cover art
Looking After Your Autistic Self cover art
But You Don't Look Autistic at All cover art
Drama Queen cover art
Scatter Brain cover art
Kerry Katona: Whole Again cover art
The Last Word cover art
Autism in Heels cover art
My Account cover art
Avoiding Anxiety in Autistic Adults cover art
Becoming Us cover art
Just Getting Started cover art
The PDA Paradox cover art
A Light That Never Goes Out cover art
Acting Up cover art

Summary

All the things I left unsaid…

Melanie Sykes has been a face on our screens, a voice on our radios for nearly thirty years. As a presenter and broadcaster people turned to her for her humour, her honesty and insight. But between all the interviews and chat shows, is a life unseen, a story unsaid.

Her journey – from up north to down south, from Manchester to LA and via London, Paris and India, and through the eye of the storm of celebrity culture is a rollercoaster ride. Sex, drugs and rock and roll, certainly, but also brass bands and ice cream vans, broken hearts and healing adventures – a search not for fame but for freedom.

Her autism diagnosis in midlife has supercharged that journey – and means this isn’t a story just of breakdown, but of breakthrough. Funny, furious and gloriously frank, this is a book that lifts the lid on being a woman in the media, navigating relationships, and being a neurodivergent person speaking up in a neurotypical world. Illuminated is Melanie, in her own inimitable voice.

©2023 Melanie Sykes (P)2023 HarperCollins Publishers Limited

Critic reviews

‘Wonderful … a life worth telling’ Graham Norton

‘An amazing book … a fantastic read … brave, breathless and fun’ Chris Evans

What listeners say about Illuminated

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    48
  • 4 Stars
    4
  • 3 Stars
    4
  • 2 Stars
    4
  • 1 Stars
    2
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    45
  • 4 Stars
    5
  • 3 Stars
    4
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    3
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    47
  • 4 Stars
    4
  • 3 Stars
    4
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    2

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Enjoyable

I really enjoyed listening to your story Melanie. I’m always interested in journeys of self discovery.
I would love to hear more about your journey as a late diagnosed autistic woman and I hope you have plans to explore this more in depth, perhaps a second book could be in the pipeline?! Best wishes to you.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Honest and raw

Delivered by the author, very honest and raw. A painful listen at times but even more reason to lean in.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

my own feelings

amazing someone who gets me and. understands how difficult people can be when having adhdand autism

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Inspiring read

I loved all of it, much love to Melanie, as a woman on the waiting list for possible ADHD it was very relatable and inspiring

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Loved this book

loved listening to this book about Melanie's life story. She is very relatable as a person

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

I sort this book out after being diagnosed with autism at 47

Melanie, thank you for sharing your story. So many elements resonate with me. I have now known for 3 months of a diagnosis that has connected so many elements of my life, met with joy but became depression. Learning who I am.

The way you have written this with such honesty, respect and power to you x

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Honest and powerful

As some who just started their autism discovery journey at 31, this book meant everything to me.
Melanie's journey and experiences spoke to me on a deep level, and I can only aspire to get close to the level self-acceptance and peace she has achieved through her research and practices, what a strong and wise woman.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

So brave, truthful and inspiring

such a brave and open book. I personally found it helpful and inspiring in my own life, especially in the last chapter about 'you can be reborn'. thank you Melanie for being so honest and open!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Highly recommended

I really enjoyed listening to this audiobook, especially as I was also diagnosed as having Autism later in life, age 50. Thank you Melanie for being so open and honest about your life.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent

Loved it! Thank you for sharing your story…I drew so many parallels and strength from listening to you.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!