Award-winning Warwickshire author shares inspirational story of how magic saved his life in new book
A young south Warwickshire man has published the inspirational story of how magic 'saved his life,' as part of his ongoing mission to advocate for autism and mental health.
'Naughty or Neurodiverse: An Aspie's Road To Magic' follows Angus Baskerville's journey from misunderstood child to professional magician, thanks to a new passion he discovered while holidaying with family as a teenager.
Bullied, excluded and expelled from three schools, Angus grew up feeling like he didn't belong. Diagnosed with Asperger's and ADHD at 15, he finally had a name for the chaos he had always felt.
Now aged 29, he is enjoying huge national success with a magic career that includes a return to The Edinburgh Fringe Festival in August, on the back of a sell-out summer one-man show, Hidden Powers, and a series of big ticket event performances.
He is also the proud recipient of a clutch of national awards, including last year, The Prestige Award, Ladies First Inspirational Awards and The Derek Award for standout acts at The Fringe.
Despite a packed schedule, Angus, from Binton, is still finding time to stay true to his pledge to 'pay it forward' by helping others overcome the challenges of neurodiversity through workshops, holiday camps, mentoring and public speaking.
He recalls: "School was a major challenge for me. Teachers didn't understand me because I was behaving very differently to the other students, and I was always known by everyone as the 'naughty one.' I spent so much time in the naughty corner, at one school the teacher even named it after me!
"Lack of understanding of Asperger's Syndrome, when everyone thinks you're being odd or naughty when in actual fact it's something you can't help, can be a first-class ticket to serious mental health problems and it's why I urge people to fight to get their diagnosis as soon as possible."
"It wasn't until I found magic that I was able to make friends for the very first time. My social skills improved a lot."
As a Christmas gift in 2014 Angus' parents Neil and Kate enrolled him on a magic course at the famous Davenport's in London, bolstered by which he went on to compete in – and win - his sixth form talent contest. He earned money through his talent for the first time, performing tricks for tips in his local pub.
At 19, Angus joined Leamington and Warwick Magic Society and, in 2020 he was accepted as a member of the prestigious Magic Circle.
Today, he is in high demand among the magic and public speaking circuits, performing to a who's who list of rich and famous at prestigious venues across the country, including Windsor Castle, The Grosvenor Hotel Park Lane and Greenwich Theatre in London.
He's now looking forward to mesmerising Edinburgh audiences once again throughout August with his all-new show on the famous Royal Mile.
He said: "Edinburgh Fringe has been a massive highlight of my career that created a lot of opportunities for me. It is known to be the third biggest ticketed event in the world behind The Olympics and The World Cup so I feel extremely privileged."
Angus is also a regular keynote speaker at autism conferences, conventions and workshops around the country, and a proud neurodiversity ambassador for numerous charities and bodies.
"I think if I had been diagnosed earlier things would have been different," he said. "I just felt like I was a bad person and the whole world was against me. I just didn't want to be here," he said.
His mental health battles suffered another setback in 2022 when, while waiting for a train at Warwick Parkway Station, he was witness to a suicide. This traumatic incident eventually led him to train in mental health first aid and suicide and self-harm awareness and prevention and, for the past two years, Angus has found solace in his volunteer work on Stamp Out Suicide's charity helpline.
"I've learned so much about mental health and other people and about autism and how you can achieve anything if you set your mind to it. There's always hope."
After 13 years in the making, Angus now hopes his book will help others not only come to terms with, but also embrace their diagnosis.
He said: "I have written this book to show people what it's like to grow up with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). I want to share what helped me and what didn't. I also want people to understand how being different isn't bad – it's powerful. I believe the people with autism have amazing gifts to offer the world.
"I've always been different. Not naughty. Not worse, not broken. Just different. Some people see autism as a disability, others see it as a gift. There are challenges – lots of them – but there are also strengths.
"This book is my way of giving back. I want to help people find out what autism looks like from the inside. I want to help parents, teachers and kids find hope and practical ideas. I want neurodivergent people of all ages to know they're not alone.
He added: "This book is such a proud moment for me. There were countless times when I thought about giving up and considered just deleting the whole thing! But it's always been my dream to share my story with the world and the feedback so far has been positive.
"Life on the spectrum can be tough but with support, self-awareness and the right environment, it can also be joyful, meaningful and full of magic. If even one person reads it and feels seen, understood or inspired, then it's all been worth it."
'Naughty Or Neurodiverse: An Aspie's Road To Magic' is available as a Kindle edition for £6.99 or in paperback for £17.99 from Amazon.
Visit Angus Baskerville Magic here.
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