It’s official – Look Me in the Eye debuts as a New York Times Bestseller!

I just got word that Look Me in the Eye made the New York Times non-fiction bestseller list immediately upon going on sale September 25th. It will be #13 on the October 16 list, which tracks sales for books in the September 25 week.

Woof!

To my great amazement, the book has already been reprinted five times, and there are one hundred thousand copies in print. My book has been reprinted every few days for the past couple of weeks to keep up with the orders. Who would ever have guessed that there’d be such a huge demand for a story like this?

The bestseller list is dominated my huge bestselling authors, presidents, and major public figures. And yet, there I am, right in the midst of them. I can understand why millions of readers want to know what President Clinton or Federal Reserve Chairman Greenspan have to say. Deplorable as it may be to some, many want to know "How OJ Did It." And I know there are huge crowds awaiting the next Grisham or Sparks. But why me? A guy no one has heard of? The remarkable demand for my book tells me that the country’s interest in Asperger’s and the way all people think and feel is very, very strong.

It’s the same response I’m seeing at all my readings and appearances. I hear it from booksellers, too, when I stop by to sign copies of my book.

I marvel at the undercurrent of interest in the working of the mind our society. People sometimes say, “it’s just a good, funny book!” While I am thrilled to hear that readers think my book is “good” or “well written” or “funny,” I do not think it would have been an Instant Bestseller if my topic had been Wall Street, the trucking industry, or real estate riches. Asperger’s and “growing up different” are the key.

My book is all about “fitting in.” And I guess deep down, that’s what all of us want. It doesn’t matter if someone have Asperger’s or not – we all want people to like us, and we want to find our place in the world. And that’s really the essence of my story.

At every reading, someone asks what I wanted to accomplish by writing Look Me in the Eye. And I tell them the same thing . . . I wanted to provide hope and inspiration for young people struggling to find their way. I wanted to show people what it’s like to be “different.” I want moms and teachers to look at that kid by himself in the corner a little bit differently, the next time they see him.

Thanks so much to all of you, here at the blog and in real life, who've helped to make this a success. And my brother deserves a special mention . . . it was his book, Running With Scissors - and the public's response to his story - that gave me courage to write my own. I would never have written a book without his encouragement. I'm far too shy.