robison, john elder

Highlights the personal journey the author lived through when he participated in TMS, transcranial magnetic stimulation, to treat his autism. Addresses questions about the benefits and downfalls of diminishing his disability.

John Robison was not your typical dad. Diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome at age forty, he approached fatherhood with joy, playing with his son Cubby in his own way---playing practical jokes and teaching him to drive the family's antique Rolls Royce. John thought Cubby was turning out pretty well until school authorities told him Cubby was dumb and stubborn and John wondered if Cubby had Asperger's too. By the time Cubby was seventeen he had become a brilliant and curious chemist---smart enough to make military-grade explosives and bring Federal agents calling. Cubby was facing a felony trial and up to sixty years in prison. Both father and son were forced to take stock in their lives, finally accepting that being "on the spectrum" is both a challenge and a unique gift.

John Robison recounts his struggles to fit in and communicate with others as he grew up, describing why he had so many problems relating to others and why he often turned to machines for comfort, rather than people, and explains how his life was changed when he was diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome at age forty.

John Robison recounts his struggles to fit in and communicate with others as he grew up, describing why he had so many problems relating to others and why he often turned to machines for comfort, rather than people, and explains how his life was changed when he was diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome at age forty.

Author John Robison chronicles his own experiences while growing up with Asperger's syndrome, revealing how his condition shaped his life despite the fact that he was not diagnosed until he was forty. Robison provides advice for others with Asperger's, discussing how they can take advantage of their unique gifts to lead a successful life.