Look Me in the Eye: My Life with Asperger's | John Elder Robison

Look Me in the Eye: My Life with Asperger's | John Elder Robison | Interesting look into a private mind

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Look Me in the Eye...

	Look Me in the Eye: My Life with Asperger's John Elder Robison Random House Audio, 2007 average customer review:based on 149 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Ever since he was small, John Robison had longed to connect with other people, but by the time he was a teenager, his odd habits?an inclination to blurt out non sequiturs, avoid eye contact, dismantle radios, and dig five-foot holes (and stick his younger brother in them)?had earned him the label ?social deviant.? No guidance came from his mother, who conversed with light fixtures, or his father, who spent evenings pickling himself in sherry. It was no wonder he gravitated to machines, which could, at least, be counted on.

After fleeing his parents and dropping out of high school, his savant-like ability to visualize electronic circuits landed him a gig with KISS, for whom he created their legendary fire-breathing guitars. Later, he drifted into a ?real? job, as an engineer for a major toy company. But the higher Robison rose in the company, the more he had to pretend to be ?normal? and do what he simply couldn?t: communicate. It wasn?t worth the paycheck.
It was not until he was forty that an insightful therapist told him he had the form of autism called Asperger?s syndrome. That understanding transformed the way Robison saw himself?and the world.

Look Me in the Eye is the moving, darkly funny story of growing up with Asperger?s at a time when the diagnosis simply didn?t exist. A born storyteller, Robison takes you inside the head of a boy whom teachers and other adults regarded as ?defective,? who could not avail himself of KISS?s endless supply of groupies, and who still has a peculiar aversion to using people?s given names (he calls his wife ?Unit Two?). He also provides a fascinating reverse angle on the younger brother he left at the mercy of their nutty parents?the boy who would later change his name to Augusten Burroughs and write the bestselling memoir Running with Scissors.

Ultimately, this is the story of Robison?s journey from his world into ours, and his new life as a husband, father, and successful small business owner?repairing his beloved high-end automobiles. It?s a strange, sly, indelible account?sometimes alien, yet always deeply human.

From the Hardcover edition.

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A great book for anyone with an Aspergian in their lives

We have an amazing and gifted son with Aspergers.

I first heard about this book listening to NPR on my way to work one day. When I arrived at work, two of my colleagues had heard John as well and made sure to tell me about John and his book. That weekend, my in-laws visited from New York and my mother-in-law already was halfway through the book. That Sunday evening I got my own copy before a business trip and read it on a flight from Boston to San Jose. I could not put it down.

I recommend this book for parents, teachers, grand parents, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, girlfriends, boyfriends, school bus drivers, neighbors, colleagues, managers and anyone else who interacts with a person in the Autism spectrum.

This book gave me tremendous insights to my son and how my son views his world, which is very differnt than how I view mine. I was given the lense or decoder ring that helped me see (or at least begin to understand)what my son sees and feels, does not see and does not feel. I was so entertained and moved by John's book that I sent him an email of thanks immediately upon arrival at the San Jose airport.

When John was a preteen and teen, he wanted to make friends but did not know how, which is the opposite of most perceptions of children with Asperger's. In John's adult years, he now wishes that his parents and other mentors in his life pushed him more to engage socially. I took this to heart. This has proven true with my son who just recently said that he wants to make friends but is afraid to fail and that he may be viewed as goofy. All kids feel this way, I know, but it is so profound and acute with my son and John. This and many other passages in the book helped me tremendously.

This is an entertaining and at times dark and funny book you should read.

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Interesting look into a private mind

Having read and enjoyed several of Augusten Burroughs' books, I was curious as to how good a writer John Elder would be. I also wanted to know more about Aspergers since my youngest grandson is thought to be on the autism spectrum. I found the book more than informative. John Elder's writing is more functional and easier to read than his brother--not to disparage his brother, but to point out the difference in writing styles. I found myself wanting to continue reading to "see what happens next." As a Georgia resident, I enjoyed his references to Georgia. My late husband's family was from Cairo, Ga. and my son is an attorney in Lawrenceville. I am fascinated by memoirs having written my own. I find some to be too bogged down in frivolity and unnecessary description. I prefer to have the story written in a straight forward manner, as this one is. I hope mine is as easy for readers to read as this book was for me.
Sandee CarlisleForgetting the Hurt, Remember the Hope: A Memoir of Endurance

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Thank you, thank you, thank you John!

This is exactly what we needed! Awareness, understanding, and the perspective that is MOST important but not heard from enough. This book is funny, easy to read, and so easy to relate to if you are lucky enough to be loved by & love an Aspie :).

Audio 5cd Compulsive listening

John Elder Robison has Asperger's Syndrome, but it wasn't diagnosed until he was in this thirties. Asperger's Syndrome wasn't even understood until the early 1980's. Aspergers is a form of autism. Most with Aspergers are usually highly intelligent BUT have a difficult time communicating with other people and tend to be loners. When they do express themselves it normally all comes out wrong which offends other people.

John Elders mother was mental problems and the father was an alcoholic.

This is a memoir not a fictional story so it doesn't flow like other books. The writing is a bit choppy at times and at other times goes into too much details. So what. John Elders mind doesn't work like ours and shouldn't be criticised for not having a brilliant writing form.

I really enjoyed the audio and would recommend it to anyone. John Elder proves different is not always wrong.

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Growing up with Asperger's

Ever since I learned about Asperger's syndrome, I have been wanting to know more. When I read the first review of the book in People magazine I knew I had to read it. I sensed that someone I loved very much just might have Aspergian traits and I hoped this book would answer some questions I had. I expected more of a textbook nonfiction book and was quite surprised to find that it was a tale of growing up, outside the definition of "normal." I sat down with a highlighter expecting to mark the most relevant parts and just read with serious attention rather than studying the facts. To always wonder why you aren't accepted would challenge anyone, but John Elder Robison learned how to survive and grow to accept his differences and overcome criticism of teachers, family and friends. He found his own happiness and was able to accept who he was and become successful in his own world and share his intellect and thought processes with all of us. Can I actually say that my loved one has Aspergian traits now that I've read the book? No, but I have learned some ways to deal with a highly intellectual, very analytical and logical human being. Thank you, John Elder.

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