Book Review: Look Me in the Eye

Several years ago, I ran across a book in the bookstore which I intended to read sometime, but never went on to read. It was called Running with Scissors. Yes, the title hooked me. So, recently when I discovered another memoir called Look Me in the Eye: My Life With Asperger's and saw that it was written by the "careless" author's brother, I checked it out.

I have been fascinated with autism and asperger's syndrome for quite some time. I remember reading books about autism in college, during my special ed. curriculum, even though they weren't required reading. My mother had been trained as a special ed. instructor and did some teaching both prior to and in the middle of her work as a Salvation Army officer. I didn't intend to follow that route, but my college courses required a short practicum and I ended up working in my mother's classroom side-by-side with her for a brief stint. She dealt with severe and profoundly handicapped individuals. I have very fond memories of that time in her classroom and the chance I had to work (or perhaps I was only observing) alongside her.

Later in my life, I worked with one autistic student in the elementary level (low level autism - but a very sharp kid inside!). Plus, I had suspicions that two students in our school, whom I became very fond of, were possibly dealing with asperger's syndrome. They were very intelligent and articulate, but they did struggle with communicating with peers. I thought they were delightful and their quirks were endearing (even if, at times, frustrating).

I found John Elder Robison's book, Look Me in the Eye to be a delicious and engrossing read. He is a gifted storyteller. For most of his life, he was unaware that he had asperger's syndrome. He chronicles tales of his early life, dealing with the difficulties of cultivating friendships when he sort of "spoke a different language." He tells fascinating stories of pranks he pulled (several I just had to share with my family - hope I didn't give ES any ideas).

Despite enduring a horrible home life and dropping out of high school, he nurtured his obsessions and it led to a way out. He tells of designing the wild special effect guitars used by members of the band, KISS. He tells of working for Milton Bradley, designing talking electronic toys. But, he also shares the insights he learned which enabled him to function more normally in society.

He discusses the stigma of being different, something he always recognized but couldn't understand. At one point, he mentions that he wishes his disability were more obvious. People treat those in a wheelchair with compassion, but they don't extend the same sympathies to those who have a conversational handicap and lack the ability to read social cues others understand innately.

John Robison is a remarkably gifted individual who plowed through a lot of garbage (ha - at one point he plays a prank on some academic elites by concocting a story about being a waste management engineer!) to carve out an interesting and productive life. His story was funny, unusual and deeply human.