Books: Seeing Yourself in Autism

By most standards, John Elder Robison has led an interesting life. He created smoking guitars and other special effects for the rock band Kiss, worked on video games for a toy company and was featured in a best-selling memoir written by his brother, the author Augusten Burroughs.
But what is surprising about Mr. Robison is that he unknowingly lived most of his life on the autism spectrum. It wasn’t until his 40’s that a psychologist friend suggested he might have Asperger’s syndrome, a disorder often considered a high-functioning form of autism. People with Asperger’s usually have average or above-average intelligence, but they lack the intuitive ability to read social cues and find it difficult to make friends and form relationships. Characteristics of Asperger’s include difficulty maintaining eye contact and a single-mindedness that can be odd and frustrating but also act to fuel creative genius.
After his brother featured him in the memoir “Running with Scissors,” Mr. Robison became a source of fascination among his brother’s fans. At book readings, adults with Asperger’s and parents of children with the diagnosis would approach Mr. Burroughs with questions about his brother. “Aren’t there any proper books for these people?” Mr. Burroughs wondered.
Now there is. With his brother’s encouragement, Mr. Robison has penned his own best-selling memoir about life with Asperger’s. The title, “Look Me in the Eye,'’ refers to the countless times teachers, parents and other adults demanded eye contact from him as a young child. But “Look Me in the Eye” isn’t a tragic tale. It’s an entertaining, provocative and highly-readable story by a great storyteller who happens to have Asperger’s.
What is most remarkable about Mr. Robison’s story is that it is surprisingly easy to relate to, even if you’ve never knowingly encountered anyone with an autism disorder. Most of us haven’t toured with rock bands or created video games, but nearly everyone can relate to feeling like an outsider. Who hasn’t had a socially awkward moment or felt like they didn’t fit in?
“You may not have Asperger’s, but I will almost guarantee that you will see yourself in Asperger’s,'’ said Mr. Robison in an interview. “When they say it’s a spectrum, you have at one end people who are totally disabled by autism, and the middle people like me who are eccentric but get by fine in life. And from here on it blends seamlessly into normality. That’s why so many millions of people identify with my story.”
Reading Mr. Robison’s book will leave you with a slightly altered world view. He makes you question the logic of human emotions, telling the story of how he smiled after hearing news that someone had died. Bystanders were horrified by his insensitivity, but in his head his reaction made perfect sense. He was merely happy and relieved to know that everyone in his own family was safe.
For parents of children with Asperger’s, Mr. Robison’s story will give them hope. Despite living most of his life without a diagnosis, Mr. Robison experienced many of the milestones that define a so-called “normal” life. He got married, had a child, got divorced and remarried a second time. He enjoyed professional success long before his book was a best seller. In addition to the rock band special effects and work as a toy company engineer and manager, he now runs his own business restoring luxury cars.
By the time Mr. Robison’s story is finished, you will rethink your own definition of normal, and it may spark a new appreciation of the untapped potential behind every quirky, awkward person who doesn’t quite fit in.