4.17/5
Author: John Elder Robison
Publication Date: Sep 9, 2008
Formats: PDF,Paperback,Hardcover,Kindle,Audible Audiobook,Audio CD
Rating: 4.17/5 out of 59599
Publisher: Three Rivers Press
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Jul 18, 2011
Asperger’s Syndrome is a form of autism that affects social interaction, communication skills and may also cause physical clumsiness. For example, it may prevent a person from displaying emotion and may cause them to make inappropriate or odd comments.Dec 10, 2008
I am interested in the Asperger's continuum, so when I heard about this memoir - written by Augusten Burroughs's brother - I added it to my Amazon wish list. The title leads one to believe that the book is about the author's life with Asperger's, but that's a little misleading. The book is about his life in general and very little is devoted to how Asperger's influenced his life at all ages. I wanted to read a memoir about growing up within a dysfunctional family and also having a condition that I am interested in the Asperger's continuum, so when I heard about this memoir - written by Augusten Burroughs's brother - I added it to my Amazon wish list. The title leads one to believe that the book is about the author's life with Asperger's, but that's a little misleading. The book is about his life in general and very little is devoted to how Asperger's influenced his life at all ages. I wanted to read a memoir about growing up within a dysfunctional family and also having a condition that makes life different, but what I read was about his experiences with sound engineering, some good stories that you can hear in any bar and, occasionally, his Asperger's. His condition seemed to be tangential, an afterthought. A selling point?Apr 11, 2008
In a day when a cure is expected for nearly every ailment, flaw or disorder, I was struck by John Elder Robinson's assertion that those with Asperger's Syndrome, a neurobiological disorder on the autism spectrum that the author lived with undiagnosed until he was forty, needs no cure - only understanding.Jan 20, 2008
“Look me in the eyes, young man!â€Mar 28, 2016
Dec 06, 2018
I don't really know how I feel about this book. On the one hand I suppose I'm glad that it helps dissolve the notion that people with Asperger's (now grouped in under autism in general) are not idiots or freaks, but just people with a different way of thinking. On the other hand, it reaffirms the stereotype of the eccentric savant and that people with Asperger's are more caring towards their fixations than towards other people. I guess that's all a matter of perspective - with it being such a I don't really know how I feel about this book. On the one hand I suppose I'm glad that it helps dissolve the notion that people with Asperger's (now grouped in under autism in general) are not idiots or freaks, but just people with a different way of thinking. On the other hand, it reaffirms the stereotype of the eccentric savant and that people with Asperger's are more caring towards their fixations than towards other people. I guess that's all a matter of perspective - with it being such a wide spectrum and some people arguing that those with Asperger's are just introverts being psychologically diagnosed for being different, a book like Look Me in the Eye is sure to draw out polarizing opinions from both experts and average readers alike.Jul 02, 2008
I bought this book on a whim (so that my order would get free shipping from Amazon.com). I was quickly horrified to learn that the author is the real-life brother of Augusten Burroughs, author of Running with Scissors. I did not enjoy that memoir at all. Go read my review of it so see what exactly I hated, if you're so curious. But I decided that I would try not to hold Robison's family against him and read his book.Jul 07, 2015
OKAY THIS WAS GLORIOUS. I'm always nervous of memoirs and, particularly, adult books...because I am Peter Pan, okay?? I am not growing into adult books. Return me to the children's aisle ASAP. *ahem* BUT! This was so easy to read and funny and engaging and interesting and I basically did not want to put it down. I was doing the whole "oh one more chapter and I'll go to bed...um, just one more...just one more." Addictive = yes.Aug 11, 2010
Before I read John Elder Robison's LOOK ME IN THE EYE: MY LIFE WITH ASPERGER'S, I knew enough about the syndrome and about my brother to mentally peel off the Asperger's label that my mother stuck on my late brother. Nevertheless, I wanted access to the interior of someone with Asperger's. Yes, I was well aware of the fact that it's not a "one-size-fits-all" syndrome and that looking at people and experiences through Robison's eyes wouldn't enable me to prove the unprovable. Having no interest Before I read John Elder Robison's LOOK ME IN THE EYE: MY LIFE WITH ASPERGER'S, I knew enough about the syndrome and about my brother to mentally peel off the Asperger's label that my mother stuck on my late brother. Nevertheless, I wanted access to the interior of someone with Asperger's. Yes, I was well aware of the fact that it's not a "one-size-fits-all" syndrome and that looking at people and experiences through Robison's eyes wouldn't enable me to prove the unprovable. Having no interest in the lives of the abusive alcoholic father and certifiably crazy mother of Augusten Burroughs and John Elder Robison, no interest in KISS and the other bands that benefitted from Robison's brilliance, no interest in complex electrical engineering projects, I read LOOK ME IN THE EYE for only one reason. I wanted to compare -- call me "irrational" or something more insulting -- a man with Asperger's and my brother. I wanted to feel, from the first page of Robison's memoir to the last, that I was not reading about my brother. I unhesitatingly gave LOOK ME IN THE EYE four stars -- because I got what I wanted.Oct 07, 2007
very funny book! describes bits and pieces of Asperger's, but it is not a book about Asperger's. It is a very funny life story of someone who understands that there are social mores, but has to eventually learn to do them and even as an adult remind himself to follow them. I say that it is funny because he is very light hearted about his trials and tribulations.Dec 12, 2012
A thoughtful and entertaining memoir of someone who has Asperger's, but he wasn't diagnosed until he was 40. Before then, John knew there was something wrong with him, but he didn't know what. When he was young he wanted to make friends and be part of a team, but he had trouble talking to other kids. He couldn't understand social cues and didn't understand when other people got mad at him for asking inappropriate questions or smiling at the wrong times. Worst of all, John would often look at the A thoughtful and entertaining memoir of someone who has Asperger's, but he wasn't diagnosed until he was 40. Before then, John knew there was something wrong with him, but he didn't know what. When he was young he wanted to make friends and be part of a team, but he had trouble talking to other kids. He couldn't understand social cues and didn't understand when other people got mad at him for asking inappropriate questions or smiling at the wrong times. Worst of all, John would often look at the floor when someone talked to him, and grownups often yelled at him to "look me in the eye! What are you hiding?"Nov 07, 2007
Haven't read Augusten Burroughs' books so didn't feel a connection on that level.Nov 06, 2010
I really enjoyed this book. It was insightful, witty, and entertaining. I'm sending it on to a friend whose son has Asperger's. I'm watching Running with Scissors again as there were many references to it in the book.Jul 13, 2008
I really enjoyed this book. Several times I laughed out loud, and then was stumped how to answer my son's question, "What's so funny, Momma?"Jun 10, 2009
"Look me in the eye," is something John Robinson grew up hearing. He was constantly told that he would end up as a criminal, him having shifty eyes and all, and what did he have to hide?Jan 04, 2009
I was expecting this memoir to be an astonishing insight into Asperger's syndrome, a glimpse into the mind of the author. Instead, what I got was a bunch of semi-interesting stories about this dude's life, with the Asperger's aspect as almost an afterthought. Other reviews I've read have called Robison a "born storyteller" but I personally didn't find this to be all that engrossing. You'd think that one would be able to make touring with Kiss into a enjoyable story...but the writing was so I was expecting this memoir to be an astonishing insight into Asperger's syndrome, a glimpse into the mind of the author. Instead, what I got was a bunch of semi-interesting stories about this dude's life, with the Asperger's aspect as almost an afterthought. Other reviews I've read have called Robison a "born storyteller" but I personally didn't find this to be all that engrossing. You'd think that one would be able to make touring with Kiss into a enjoyable story...but the writing was so robotic that it wasn't holding my attention very well. I suppose that's part of the syndrome itself, which is why I'm giving this a second star. It was ok. ...moreJan 10, 2013
Reviewing this book will be a complex affair; I gave it four stars but I wouldn't say I "liked" or "enjoyed" it. It was certainly educational, about Aspies yes, but also about humanity in general. The book often made me angry, however, with its characteristic habits (which I find among "normal" men as well as Aspies) of blowing off anything that he personally wasn't interested in or good at as unimportant... and by chronically lumping all "normal" people as possessing certain characteristics. Reviewing this book will be a complex affair; I gave it four stars but I wouldn't say I "liked" or "enjoyed" it. It was certainly educational, about Aspies yes, but also about humanity in general. The book often made me angry, however, with its characteristic habits (which I find among "normal" men as well as Aspies) of blowing off anything that he personally wasn't interested in or good at as unimportant... and by chronically lumping all "normal" people as possessing certain characteristics. Many "normal" people experience the same sufferings that he describes, only we suck it up and learn to cope, or pretend to cope. And not all "normal" people prefer platitudes to actual conversation -- and when we do, it is often for a functional reason. So I hope he gets off his "actually, this is better" place, and grows up some more.Apr 02, 2008
Hmm, it's hard to write this review because I don't want to sound mean-spirited at any point. I did enjoy this book quite a lot, although sometimes I wasn't sure if he was being funny/sarcastic or completely serious. (I tend to think the latter.) I worked exclusivly with an adolescent with Asperger's for about six months and it was an exhausting experience. While Robinson insists he has feelings (and they can be hurt) (which is a good thing to remind people without experience with autism Hmm, it's hard to write this review because I don't want to sound mean-spirited at any point. I did enjoy this book quite a lot, although sometimes I wasn't sure if he was being funny/sarcastic or completely serious. (I tend to think the latter.) I worked exclusivly with an adolescent with Asperger's for about six months and it was an exhausting experience. While Robinson insists he has feelings (and they can be hurt) (which is a good thing to remind people without experience with autism spectrum disorders) I think he demonstrates throughout the book that people with Asperger's simply cannot ever put themselves in anyone else's shoes. Instead of at least thinking "Okay, this person is telling me X, and while I can't understand it, I'll at least accept that THEY think X" Robinson (and the student I worked with) go on and on and on and on and ON about why the other person thinking or feeling X is completely WRONG. That kind of bugged me. It's not just that they can't empathize, it's that they feel the other person's feelings aren't valid, and will go to lengths to demonstrate why. I did get quite a bit out of this book, though; I was very interested when he explained why "people like him" literally cannot look people in the eye. I have heard that people with autism see faces very differently than people who don't have autism do--it's information like that that should help people without autism spectrum disorders have much more patience and understanding. You wouldn't tell a person with a broken leg to just get over it and walk, and trying to force people with austism spectrum disorders to do things the way "the rest of us" do them is just...what's the word...well, ridiculous, if not cruel. ...moreFeb 23, 2008
I've been looking for a book like this since summer when my 10-year-old was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome. I was confused about what his future prospects were. What could I expect? Would he be living with me the rest of his life? Could he be productive in society? Since that time I have heard of other Aspergians who have been successful to varying degrees but have never talked to one about their experiences. "Look me in the eye" gives that viewpoint in rich detail from a man who not only I've been looking for a book like this since summer when my 10-year-old was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome. I was confused about what his future prospects were. What could I expect? Would he be living with me the rest of his life? Could he be productive in society? Since that time I have heard of other Aspergians who have been successful to varying degrees but have never talked to one about their experiences. "Look me in the eye" gives that viewpoint in rich detail from a man who not only has experienced it but who can insightfully explain why he responded the way he did in certain situations. He has the ability to step through his thought process to pinpoint where his thinking differs from the "Normal" person. And it all makes sense. So much so that I first began wondering if his way of thinking didn't make more sense, then wondering if Aspergian aren't more normal than the normal person, and finally, "Maybe I'm a bit Aspergerish myself."Sep 12, 2007
This is one of the best books I've read all year - and the cover is fantastic too. I've been reading the author's blog (jerobison.blogspot.com) and find myself wanting to read the book again. It's really one guy's story about trying to get through life - but he happens to be Augusten Burrough's brother, he worked for KISS for several years and he has Asperger's - well-written, clever and funny in so many ways.May 25, 2016
I really wanted to like this book. I was reading it for a class and had to compare it to other accounts of people with Asperger's. However, not only did I dislike it due to the poor writing, but also because it really didn't seem to agree with Robison's assessment of Asperger's. A lot of what he attributes to the condition (dangerous pranks, manipulation, lying) seems less to do with him being an Aspie than him just being a jerk. I couldn't see the humor in his interactions or his pranks, (Like I really wanted to like this book. I was reading it for a class and had to compare it to other accounts of people with Asperger's. However, not only did I dislike it due to the poor writing, but also because it really didn't seem to agree with Robison's assessment of Asperger's. A lot of what he attributes to the condition (dangerous pranks, manipulation, lying) seems less to do with him being an Aspie than him just being a jerk. I couldn't see the humor in his interactions or his pranks, (Like leaving his brother head first in a deep hole, or making "cocaine" at work) despite his dismissal in epilogue claiming no one got hurt.Dec 05, 2008
This book was a bit odd. It wasn't really about Asperger's as much as it was the story of Robison's life thus far - he wasn't diagnosed with any type of autistic disorder until he was in his later 30s. There were parts that were quite interesting, but nothing seemed really cohesive. Not bad, exactly, just not great.Sep 15, 2011
I loved this book. It's the true story of a boy named John Robison's struggle to connect with people. He wonders why he isn't like other kids and why they don't hang around with him. When he's a teenager, he is always dismantling things like radios and burying his little brother in holes in the ground. All this has him looked upon as weirdo. His mother speaks to light fixtures and his farther is always drunk in the evenings, so John's only friends seem to be the machines he tinkers with - least I loved this book. It's the true story of a boy named John Robison's struggle to connect with people. He wonders why he isn't like other kids and why they don't hang around with him. When he's a teenager, he is always dismantling things like radios and burying his little brother in holes in the ground. All this has him looked upon as weirdo. His mother speaks to light fixtures and his farther is always drunk in the evenings, so John's only friends seem to be the machines he tinkers with - least they are reliable in his mind.Oct 29, 2008
This is a very interesting book. Too bad he wasn't diagnosed at a younger age and he wouldn't have had to discover everything for himself. It makes me want to be more understanding of people with this and other syndromes. IfApr 20, 2011
I did a whole bloody review and it disappeared.Take your time and choose the perfect book.
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