Column: The 40-year-old oddball

In hopes of spreading autism awareness this semester, guest columnist Adria Nassim reviewed three books whose main characters were affected by autism in some way.
For her final installment, Nassim delved into the life of John Elder Robison, a man who found a way to rise above his disability.

Since about the age of 15, I have spent a large chunk of my time studying autism, and one statistic I find fascinating is that according to the Center for Disease Control, one in 110 American children have an Autism Spectrum Disorder. And for children with this diagnosis, their behavior is as diverse as their DNA.

In his memoir “Look Me in the Eye: My Life With Asperger’s,” Robison reveals what life was like growing up in a parallel universe where it was perfectly normal to avoid eye contact in conversation, take radios apart and dig five-foot holes and stick his younger brother in them.

Life for Robison is anything but easy. He struggles to fit in with society until age 40, when a physician friend finally lets him know that there is a medical reason behind his odd behaviors — Asperger’s syndrome, named after Dr. Hans Asperger in 1944, and characterized by problems with social interaction including lack of eye contact, problems making and maintaining age-appropriate friendships and limited intense interests.

Additionally, he and his brother, Augusten Burroughs of Running With Scissors, are practically left to raise themselves because their  father is an alcoholic and their mother is mentally ill. However, Robison finally finds meaning in his life after he lands a gig with the heavy metal band KISS repairing equipment and giving birth to their famous fire-breathing guitars.

Despite all the hardship Robison has experienced in life, “Look Me in the Eye” proves that a person with a disability can rise above an undesirable situation and lead a successful, interesting and fulfilling life. Just as entertaining as it is uplifting.