First published 2007
John Robison spent decades feeling like an outsider. As a child and teenager, he couldn't understand why connecting with people felt impossible. He blurted out random thoughts, avoided looking people in the eyes, and obsessed over taking apart electronics. Others labeled him a social deviant. His unusual behaviors included digging deep holes and putting his younger brother Augusten Burroughs in them. At forty, Robison finally received an explanation that changed everything: a diagnosis of Asperger's syndrome, a form of autism. This New York Times bestseller traces his journey from childhood confusion through an unconventional career creating exploding guitars for the rock band KISS. Robison writes with dark humor about building a life and family despite feeling alien in a neurotypical world. His memoir shows how understanding his neurological differences transformed his self-perception and relationships with others.
Genres: psychology, mental-health, neuroscience, autobiography, mental-illness, biography-memoir, disability
Vibes: dark, emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, outsider-protagonist, unconventional-life
306 pages · Kindle Edition · Broadway