Look Me in the Eye: My Life with Asperger's by John Elder Robison
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Book Reviews of Look Me in the Eye: My Life with Asperger's
Book Review: A great book for anyone with an Aspergian in their lives
Summary: 5 Stars
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.
Book Review: The Best Asperger's Autobiography I've Read
Summary: 5 Stars
I love this book for so many reasons. First because my own version of Asperger's is more similar to John Elder Robisin's than any of the other authors I've read. Secondly, because the book is just a fantastic and captivating read all the way through. Addditionally, I really like his take on explaining Autism and his perception of the world.
But probably my favorite thing about the book is how beautifully he illustrates how much he has learned and how his story shows that being a person with autism can end wonderfully, in ALL the normal ways of thinking.
There were a few points that made me like the book slightly less. But none of these are horrible faults and really, I can't blame anyone because Autism is such a difficult condition to understand. But I think it becomes difficult to tell what of the author's behavior is specifically autistic and what is not. He tries to make attempts to explain this but at times I think it isn't very clear simply because the disease isn't very well understood.
And at one point he stated a theory for why autistic people smile at inappropriate times, he had this complicated thought process but I think it is much more simple than that (i've done this too). I think it is similar to a cat purring when it is stressed or a chimp smiling when it is in danger, there is a natural biological response in mammals to produce positive actions in the face of adversity. I am not an expert but I think it is either a subconscious attempt to calm ourselves down or a subconscious response to calm down other members of our "pack". Autistic people are not the only ones to have this, plenty of Normal people have a "nervous laugh". But this phenomenon is exaggerated in autistic people for whatever reason.
Book Review: Uplifting and insightful
Summary: 5 Stars
I bought this book at an airport bookshop when I was going on a rare trip without the children and realised I had nothing to read. I had several half-read books at home - all textbooks about autism and related issues, as I had had two children diagnosed with ASDs in the year before (one with autism, one with Aspergers). I had decided to buy a novel for a change, and the cover of this book caught my eye as I passed through the autobiographical section. I couldn't help myself! I thought "oh well, it's one step away from the textbooks I guess".
I was very glad I bought it though - I had never read a first hand account of being an Aspergian and it was amazing. John Elder's honest and detailed accounts of what it was like growing up were at times hilarious and at times heartwrenching but at a certain level I found I could relate to him, having been a bit of an outcast, possibly Aspergian and definitely with some tendencies myself! I found it uplifting to read a story of success when most of the literature I'd read was spelling out a fairly grim future for my children.
I've passed it on to my family to read and it's currently being read by the one who I feel needs it the most - my sister - who I hope will see something of herself in there and maybe find the answer she has been looking for. I knew there was something interesting going on when she told me that after reading the first part of the book she kind of felt like doing something crazy ... "like burying her sister head first in a hole?" I asked. Yo'll get it once you read the book.
Book Review: Look Me In The Eye - Fabulous Autobiography
Summary: 5 Stars
I have dealt with a whole bunch of books written by people with autism/Asperger's (a/AS), and this book is the most tremendous book I've ever read. John Robinson has his own in interests such as dealing with automobiles, which motivated him to run his automobile company. Since I suspect many people with a/AS have been chronically unemployed or underachieved at work, I wish I could do what I was really interested in like him. Even today, I have a lot of job changes, which frequently causes embarrassment at a whole bunch of job interviews. John E. Robinson seems to have more reliable friends than I do. I guess he wasn't as unhappy as me even before he was diagnosed. TR, one of his friends gave John Dr. Tony Attwood's book, Asperger's Syndrome. In this respect, this book wouldn't exist without TR's help, because TR could see through John's AS traits and took it as John's characteristics instead of mentally retarded or socially disabled. The author likes to deal with automobiles and so do I. Unfortunately, I still have no idea what kind of jobs interest me, while he seems to make the best use of his interests at work. So the author must have overcome his social misfits when he became a grown-up.
I'm not getting young and I may not be offered as many jobs as younger people. At least, however, I want to avoid torturing myself at work by experiencing social misfits such as reluctance to do what doesn't suit me! Otherwise, I eventually may have to be stressed-out and quit or get fired like I used to. That is a vicious circle.
Book Review: If you communicate with anybody--READ IT!
Summary: 5 Stars
Different is not bad...it's just different. But, it ain't easy.
This is not just another dry factual boring book on Aspergers Syndrome...John Robison explains life situations in many sad/funny/explicit ways. He shows us how having this form of autism has affected the way he communicates with the world and how others see him. He states that it was not easy being the kid that mothers did not want their children to play with. But, it was exciting to create fantastic fire and sound shows for bands like KISS! His fascination with mechanics of all types helped him function well in society. He had some great pranks!
But, being DIFFERENT and always being left out, not chosen, is no easy task. HE SURVIVED childhood and adolescence and that seems miraculous in itself. Maybe Robison was just lucky.
This is a free flowing/free thinking book written in a manner that can be understood by all. LOTS of HUMOR along with the details of difficult times.
You probably know or have known people with Aspergers Syndrome...read this to see how they just might SEE YOU! WELL WRITTEN. EVERYONE should BUY or BORROW THIS BOOK...especially if you are a teacher.
Our educational society needs to learn that not every kid needs or should to forced/fit into the classroom. Some kids are different...they need to be treated differently and not forced to fit society through manipulation with drugs or psychiatry/behavior modification to FIT INTO ONE MODEL of CLASSROOM STYLE LEARNING. Nourish the plant that grows!