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From Publishers Weekly
Although this memoir deals with some dark topics—including Asperger's syndrome, family alcoholism and mental illness—debut author Robison maintains a keen humor and sense of dramatic irony throughout. The gravelly voiced Robison proves to be a capable storyteller, whether describing the pranks he used to play on his much younger brother (Augusten Burroughs, who reads his foreword) or the relief of finally being diagnosed with Asperger's in middle age after a lifetime of social isolation and relatively odd behaviors. Robison is a vocal and emphatic advocate for Asperger's, which he insists is not a disease but a different—and sometimes better—neurology. Asperger's gave Robison a single-minded ability to focus on his love of electronics, giving him a place in the world as the wizard behind Kiss's smoking and flaming guitars or, later in life, a gift for diagnosing and fixing high-end imported cars. This memoir is highly entertaining and the abridgment is smoothly edited.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.
From Booklist
*Starred Review* If one looked at only Robison's impish sense of humor (he once ordered a blow-up sex doll to be delivered to his junior-high-school teacher—at school), or his success as a classic-car restorer, it might be impossible to believe he has the high-functioning form of autism spectrum disorder called Asperger's syndrome. Clues abound, however, in his account of a youth encompassing serious inability to make and keep friends; early genius at pyrotechnics, electronics, and math; and pet names such as Poodle for his dog and Snort and Varmint for his baby brother. Much later, he calls his wife Unit Two. It is easy to recognize these telltale traits today, but Robison went undiagnosed until he was 40. In the 1960s, he was variously labeled lazy, weird, and, worse, sociopathic. Consequently, his childhood memories too often read like a kid's worst nightmares. Not only did his parents fail to understand the root of his socialization problems but they were also virtually as dysfunctional as the pair Augusten Burroughs portrays in Running with Scissors (2002). 'Nough said? Not nearly. Robison's memoir is must reading for its unblinking (as only an Aspergian can) glimpse into the life of a person who had to wait decades for the medical community to catch up with him. Chavez, Donna
--This text refers to the
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Most helpful customer reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Truly Inspiring.....An Eye Opener,
By
This review is from: Look Me in the Eye: My Life with Asperger's (Hardcover)
My son is 35 years old and it wasn't until 11/14/07 that an acquaintance mentioned to me that my son may have Asperger's. I delved into everything I could find online only to come to the conclusion that without a doubt this is what he has. I purchased this book and could not put it down. The similarities are uncanny. This book opened my eyes into understanding the thought process in a different light. John's story is truly inspiring by having overcome so many hurdles and has been a Godsend to me after all of these years. Thank you so much John Elder!
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Perspective,
By bon bon momma (new york) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Look Me in the Eye: My Life with Asperger's (Hardcover)
As a mom to a child on the autism spectrum, I have read a lot of books about autism. In my quest to learn as much as I possibly can about how to help and understand my son, I read whatever I can get my hands on. Most of the books I have read are somewhat hopeless and depressing or are from a parents perspective. John Elder Robison is aspergian, and he is writing from his own experiences. He really explained the reasoning behind some of his behaviors as a child, and they totally made perfect sense to me. This book is funny in parts, sad in parts, but very real and very enjoyable. Plus the fact- you get to hear about John's adventures on the road with Kiss.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
A must-have for your library!,
By
This review is from: Look Me in the Eye: My Life with Asperger's (Hardcover)
You don't expect a book about Asperger's to be funny, but it is. I loved this book. I have a nephew with Asperger's, and reading this book has helped me to understand him on a human level.I would highly recommend this book to all schools as a reference, and to anyone who wants to feel what an Aspergian feels. It was a terrific read, cover to cover!
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