Book 49

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

Type: Nonfiction, Memoir

My rating: 3 stars (out of 5)

Why I chose it: This book was mentioned as an interesting read by one of my friends on Facebook. I like book recommendations.

What I liked about it: Through some delightful storytelling I learned that some common traits of someone with Asperger's are that they:

- lack empathy;
- say things that are true, but that people don't want to hear;
- are usually the class clown;
- study intently and have a tendency to focus on one subject or topic;
- enjoy playing tricks on people including weaving just enough truth into a story to make it seem plausible;
- are very logical thinkers and don't understand other people's point of view when it doesn't make logical sense to them; and
- enjoy altering stories and rhymes to include their own personal spin.

Sounds very much like someone I know ;)

What this book has reinforced for me is that we are all different and special in our own ways. There seems to be two schools of thought on Autism and Asperger's. Some individuals seek a cure and others believe Autism should be tolerated as a difference and not treated as a disorder. John Elder Robison, the author, takes the latter view, at least as it relates to Asperger's. Our minds work in mysterious ways. Sometimes we are given a gift like this author was given to allow the mind to be opened up beyond its conventional way of thinking. It's unfortunate that when something special like that happens, the normal thinkers make fun of, and ridicule, the person for not being more like them.