Books : Look Me in the Eye: My Life with Asperger's
List Price: $29.95Amazon.com's Price: $21.86 You Save: $8.09 (27%)Prices subject to change.
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
This item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping.
Binding: Audio CD
Dewey Decimal Number: 362.1968588320092
EAN: 9780739357682
Format: Abridged, Audiobook
ISBN: 0739357689
Label: Random House Audio
Manufacturer: Random House Audio
Number Of Items: 5
Publication Date: September 25, 2007
Publisher: Random House Audio
Release Date: September 25, 2007
Sales Rank: 311748
Studio: Random House Audio
Related Items:
Editorial Review:
Product Description:
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.
Average Rating: 
Rating:  -
The subtitle suggests that this is a memoir about having Asperger's syndrome. Actually, it's a book about a guy who grew up in a wildly dysfunctional family, who had a series of adventures, and who turned out okay. Many of his idiosyncrasies, however, have nothing to do with Asperger's. His Asperger's isn't even particularly salient in this memoir. What stuck out for me was his obsession with practical jokes, some quite elaborate, all apparently executed because Robison derives enormous enjoyment from humiliating people. (This is not a feature of Asperger's.) And yet, throughout the book, he whines about how he felt humiliated in many situations. His annoying habit of insisting on his own names for things (e.g., "Aspergian," which is his own peculiar term) also has nothing to do with Asperger's. Robison likes to entertain an audience with outlandish stories, and that's what he's doing here. If that's your idea of a good read, you'll enjoy this book.
Rating:  -
I found this book through Amazon's "Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought" and my interest was peeked when I read that he's the brother of Augusten Burroughs. I personally enjoyed this book more than Running with Scissors. I like looking into the mind of someone that thinks differently. I'm a slow reader, but I read through this on a 5 day vacation because I had a hard time putting it down.
Thank you John for sharing your story with us. I hope you have more to share in the future.
Rating: -
I WAS DISAPPOINTED IN THIS BOOK. I HAVE A NEPHEW WHO HAS ASPERGER'S SYNDROME. I WAS LOOKING FOR THINGS THAT WOULD HELP ME TO HELP HIM. THE BOOK SEEMED A BIT LIKE "RUNNING WITH SCISSORS".
Rating:  -
This book is a reassuring recounting of John's turbulent growth through Aspbergers. He does an amazing job of identifying the difference in his perceptions and how he was able to alter them over time. John shows incredible insight as he reveals what caused him problems and shows typical Aspergish integrity in his life.
I got this book for my son,hoping it might affirm what I have been saying. It affirmed that this is not a defect,shame has no part of life with Aspberger syndrome,he will find his way and it does not need to be by some formula of "normalcy"
Rating: -
As many other reviewers have said, this is a good read and an entertaining picture of what it's like to see the world through the author's eyes. But he also makes some very important points about Asperger's, namely:
1. Aspies are socially inept because they lack innate abilities that we take for granted: how to pick up on behavioral cues, empathy, etc.
2. They're not sociopaths; they're interested in other people and want to join in social activities, but they don't instinctively know how to behave in those situations and often say or do exactly the wrong thing.
3. Because they're logical and intelligent, Aspies can be taught the appropriate social behavior. Robison figured it out for himself in late childhood, and from then on he was able to make friends, but having some guidance at an early age would have spared him years of frustration.
I read the book because I suspected that a young man of my acquaintance is an Aspie -- and, after reading it, I'm sure he is. Unfortunately, his family seems convinced that he's hopelessly "weird" and "antisocial" and doomed to a life on the margins of society. I plan to recommend the book to his relatives, because I'm sure that if he's diagnosed and trained, he'll be able to lead a full, productive life.
Browse for similar items by category:
|
