News from Chicago

I have been blessed with a series of wonderful reviews for Look Me in the Eye. One review, from the October 13 Chicago Tribune, stands out. It's written by Chicago psychologist David Royko, who has wonderful insight combined with personal experience of autism


It's late now. I've been working all day, getting ready for winter. Rigging the snow blower to the big farm tractor, cleaning up leaves, and spreading fall fertilizer. I'll return with more tomorrow.

Comments

Belfast said…
Nifty to find that out, as I'd heard of Royko before. Few years ago he was part of an episode of public radio show "This American Life", in which he & his wife told story about their son with autism. It was so interesting that I did search online & turned up some writings he'd done on same subject-seemed he was going to write abook along those lines but don't know if that came to pass.
By the way, here's what I wrote in response to your book (on an ASD forum):

Particularly related to, or found instructive/insightful:
pgs. 20-21, 30-33, 189-194 (Logic vs. Small Talk), 206-217 (Becoming Normal), 247-250 (Units One Through Three), and 254-257 (Married Life). Mostly the chapters post-diagnosis, in mid-age.

Enjoyed a few funny & clever stories about elaborate tricks he played, though was disturbed some of the others that seemed cruel (in consequence, not in intention).
I'm dx'd & also female-didn't have lot in common with his activities or experiences, however the thinking behind his emotions (to extent book includes those analyses or explanations) is familiar & makes sense to me. My father drank (though I didn't notice at the time) & my mother was considered crazy (by some, incl. myself, at times), so there were some similarities in family story/situation (chaos, secrets, neglect & abuse). Also 'positive' commonalities in upbringing/environment-I was raised in New England, to creative intellectual liberal parents.

Took 2 days to read, 250 pgs. but they flew by rapidly (except for couple places where I got confused by author's special interests that I don't share-which is bound to happen in any book).
m said…
"Rigging the snow blower to the big farm tractor...spreading fall fertilizer."

Just don't get the two mixed up. If you spread the snow and blow the fertilizer...woo. Big mess.
Michelle O'Neil said…
Your kicking butt John!

Woof!
Polly Kahl said…
Great article John, congrats!
Kanani said…
It's always good to get the perspective of an adult (as in Belfast), or the parent of a teen or adult, or the person himself.

Great review, written by someone in the trenches. Adolescence and adulthood bring challenges that are completely different from when the person is a young child. That's one of the great things about John's book.
ORION said…
Congratulations John- Great review and it's wonderful to have such a qualified reviewer.
Trish Ryan said…
I love that as your book is being reviewed to great acclaim far & wide, you're spreading fertilizer. Because the truth is that the fertilizer still needs to be spread, whether you're a superstar author or not :)
Ann said…
John, my mother is your mother's best friend from Pittsburgh. Can we talk somewhere more private?
Anonymous said…
so exciting! see, i'm telling you, a movie! a movie is on the way! i feel it!!
John Robison said…
Ann, just write me at john@johnrobison.com.
Aprilynne Pike said…
Hehe, I'm getting ready for winter too. Yanno, turning up my thermostat, covering my windows . . . I'm a bit more of an inside gal.:)
Unknown said…
I picked up your book three days ago, intending to perform the usual scan for perinent information, and i have read every word. Thank you. Thank you for affording me a moment in the world of my son. Thank you for writing a book that i couldn't scan. Thank you for saying "sneaked..."
John Robison said…
Thank you, Tina, for reading my book? Do I really say sneaked? Not snuck? I guess it shoes my "hound dogs under the front porch" heritage.

And Aprilynne, I prefer being indeers or somewhere warm in winter too but I still have to have the snowblower ready.

And the big tractor has a heated cab so you can blow even the deepest snow in comfort.
Linda said…
I just finished your book and loved it! My son is also on the Autism Spectrum. He is 13 years old and I told him he would like it. Thank you for giving me insight to a different way of thinking.(my son also pats my head).
ORION said…
Hey John there's quite a nice ad in the Newyorker
Unknown said…
Congrats, John! As I read the pages of your memoir, I fully understand the excellent reviews. Sorry about the snow issue, however. That's just too bad. No snow here -- cacti don't like. ;)

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