Look me in the Eye

Title of the Book: Look me in the Eye: My Life with Asperger's 
Author: John Elder Robison 
Number of Pages: 282
Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆

Review:

“Look me in the eye, young man!” John Elder Robison’s life was filled with these comments. “What’s wrong with him?” “Why are you looking at me like I’m a specimen in a jar?” Until being diagnosed with Asperger’s in his forties, John Elder Robison was living his life undiagnosed with no treatment or help. Later in life, he found support from his wife and children, but had to teach himself how to act in social situations. Throughout his story, Robison explains to the audience how he had to adapt and conform to society’s ideas of “normal” in order to feel accepted.

Living with Asperger’s hasn’t been easy for Robison, but with the support of his few friends, younger brother, wife, and kids, he has come to tell his story from his perspective. Growing up, Robison lived in a rough home, with a mentally ill mother and alcoholic father, dropping out of school because it was too easy. His natural abilities in mechanics allowed him to pursue sound and light design for bands like KISS. After leaving the industry, he settled down with his family and began writing.

This book is so vastly different from any other books out there, because Robison’s perspective is hardly ever seen. People with Asperger’s and other forms of autism don’t often write books, and even if they do, they are never really interesting in the public’s eye. Look me in the Eye shows Robison’s ups and down through life, and how he learned to act “appropriately” in society. He teaches us readers without Asperger’s what his life was like, how he saw the world, and the process he would go through when conversing with people or dealing with difficult situations. It also shows his character development from childhood to adulthood, learning along the way and bringing readers along for a journey they’ve never seen before.

The way Robison writes is very blunt and tells it how it is. He doesn’t leave out any parts of his life that might seem “distasteful” to certain audiences, but he also tries his best to make sure the reader understands his situation and perspective. He always explains why he did what he did and leads the reader through his thought process. Robison’s tone is very informative, and the book is written almost like the reader is sitting and having a conversation with him. I quite like that he lays everything out for the reader, so even the people who understand the least about Asperger’s can really grasp what he’s trying to say and don’t come out of the reading offended by anything Robison said or did.

A few memorable moments include Robison’s tricks and traps that he sets for his little brother, his run-ins with the law at a Caribbean island, becoming part of the KISS band, and finally settling down with his family in the end. The way he explains each of these scenes and times in his life really brings the reader into the moment and Robison focuses less on his Asperger’s and more on the experiences of his life. He really tries to make the audience understand that he lives life just like any other person, with some very crazy and chaotic times and some more calm, almost depressing times as well.

Overall, the book starts out a little slow and continues that way. It’s not a reading that has the reader on the edge of their seat, nor is it a reading many people would finish in one night. However, it is extremely eye opening and informative. For anyone who is curious about the perspectives of Aspergian individuals, this book is a perfect read. It may help some readers realize they are not alone in their lives, and it may also help some teachers better understand the lives of their students. For those who are curious, for those who don’t know, and for those who feel they have something to learn: read this book. Take your time, consider the writing, and reread it if you don’t understand the author’s logic the first time.