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

I read this book for my teen book group, although it had been recommended to me beforehand. I hate to steal words out of another reviewer's mouth, but I have found after reading this book that how I look at the world has changed (in a good way). Robison (brother of Augusten Burroughs, of Running with Scissors fame) relives his childhood, adolescence, and journey into adulthood - living both with a dysfunctional family, and Asperger's - a form of autism for which there simply was no diagnosis. Before I continue, I should expand a little on Asperger's itself. Asperger's syndrome is a form of high-functioning autism. Children with Asperger's usually demonstrate intense concentration and interests (for Robison, this was electronics), and generally have a difficult time socializing and making friends. Robison talks a lot about his struggles in the book - from making friends as a child, to escaping his family as an adolescent, to being accepted in society and finding his place in the working world as an adult. Robison adds a fresh point of view on subjects many people experience in their own lives - married life, fatherhood, finding one's place in the world and being accepted. He also explains experiences unique to him - living with an abusive father and mentally unstable mother, living on his own as a teenager and being diagnosed at the age of forty. His persistent wit and unique perspective on life add humor to a very serious subject. One thing I like about Robison is that he tells his story like it is - he does not milk his experiences for emotional heartwrench. Instead, he lets his story speak for itself (and I do distinctly remember crying at different points throughout the book). I would recommend this book to absolutely anyone (although there is a lot of swearing, so maybe not for everyone). Definitely one of my favorite reads.

Overall: 10 out of 10.

Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Three Rivers Press; Reprint edition (September 9, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0307396185
ISBN-13: 978-0307396181