Book Being Reviewed:
Robison, J. E. (2007). Look me in the eye: My life with Aspergers. New York, NY: Crown Publishers.

Reviewer:
Anne Metz

Review:
John Elder Robison’s memoir Look Me in the Eye is a coming of age story about a young man growing up with undiagnosed Aspergers Syndrome (AS). Dubbed everything from a misfit to a psychopath in childhood, Robison relays his steady transformation into a successful, albeit idiosyncratic, father and husband. Look Me in the Eye records the author’s struggles to forge an identity, to follow his passions, and to connect with others. Of course, none of this came easily. Robison describes the pain and isolation of his childhood and early adult years with an unsentimental, matter-of-factness that is periodically hard to read. Yet, it is in his frank account that Robison challenges one of the common myths about individuals with AS diagnoses: that they are uninterested in relationships. The reality, Robinson assures us, is that those with AS genuinely desire companionship, friendship, and romantic love, despite the difficulty they experience in interpreting the behaviors of others.