COMMON READING SPRING ‘21
LOOK ME IN THE EYE: My Life with Asperger’s Presentation Tues., March 23 @ 12:30
Bernie Hale intelligence. A leading The Owensboro Community and Technical College (OCTC) Common Reading selection for the Spring 2021 voice on autism, he implores audiences to find semester is The New York Times best-selling memoir, strengths where others see Look Me in the Eye: My Life with Asperger’s, by John weaknesses. Elder Robison. The memoir is set in the 1960’s before Asperger’s syndrome was a recognized diagnosis. Robison describes his childhood with a directness and humor that serves in contrast to some of the darker topics addressed, including family alcoholism, neglect, and mental illness. His success at a myriad of careers also supports his theory that Asperger’s is not a diagnosis but merely a different neurology. The authors virtual visit is scheduled for Tuesday, March, 23 at 12:30 p.m.; additional details will be shared on campus and on the Common Reading facebook page at www.facebook.com/OCTC. CommonRead.
John Elder Robison is the Neurodiversity Scholar in Residence at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, VA. He teaches neurodiversity at the Williamsburg campus and at the Washington DC continuing ed facility. He is an active participant in the ongoing discussion of ethical and legal issues relating to autism therapy, services, and intervention. He is particularly interested in improving quality of life for those people living with autism today—both autistic people and family members.
He’s been a member of the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee of the US Department of Health and Human Services, and he serves on other Additional events in the works include presentations boards for the US National Institutes of Health, the (in person or virtual as permitted) related to music, Centers for Disease Control, and private organizations. automotive, and disabilities/abilities. All OCTC He is also a Professor of Practice in the Department of Common Reading events are free and open to the Education at Bay Path University in Longmeadow, MA, public and pending current health restrictions. and the co-founder of the TCS Auto Program, a special ed high school program for teens with developmental Look Me in the Eye: My Life with Asperger’s is available at the OCTC Bookstore. For more information challenges in Springfield, MA. about the OCTC Common Reading program please In his younger days, Robison worked as an engineer contact tonya.northenor@kctcs.edu. To keep up for KISS and Pink Floyd’s sound company and worked with pertinent Common Reading events follow us on on original electronic games at Milton Bradley. Later, facebook. he founded J E Robison Service—a restorer of Land Rover, Rolls Royce, and Mercedes motorcars. About John Elder Robinson Robison, who was Robison’s books Switched On: A Memoir of Brain undiagnosed until the Change and Emotional Intelligence, Look Me in the age 40, has Asperger’s Eye, Be Different, and Raising Cubby are the most Syndrome. In his new widely read accounts of life with Asperger’s in the book Switched On, he world. His books have been translated into more than describes how a powerful fifteen languages, and they are sold in 60+ countries. brain therapy has allowed Robison has also authored or contributed to over 100 him to sense other autism-related articles. people’s feelings and claim a newfound emotional 20 OCTC President’s News Fall 2020
