Common Reading

COMMON READING SPRING ‘21 LOOK ME IN THE EYE: My Life with Asperger’s

Presentation Tues., March 23 @ 12:30

The Owensboro Community and Technical College (OCTC) Common Reading selection for the Spring 2021 semester is The New York Times best-selling memoir, Look Me in the Eye: My Life with Asperger’s, by John 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.

Additional events in the works include presentations (in person or virtual as permitted) related to music, automotive, and disabilities/abilities. All OCTC Common Reading events are free and open to the public and pending current health restrictions.

Look Me in the Eye: My Life with Asperger’s is available at the OCTC Bookstore. For more information about the OCTC Common Reading program please contact tonya.northenor@kctcs.edu. To keep up with pertinent Common Reading events follow us on facebook.

About John Elder Robinson Robison, who was undiagnosed until the age 40, has Asperger’s Syndrome. In his new book Switched On, he describes how a powerful brain therapy has allowed him to sense other people’s feelings and claim a newfound emotional intelligence. A leading voice on autism, he implores audiences to find strengths where others see weaknesses.

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 boards for the US National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control, and private organizations. He is also a Professor of Practice in the Department of Education at Bay Path University in Longmeadow, MA, and the co-founder of the TCS Auto Program, a special ed high school program for teens with developmental challenges in Springfield, MA.

In his younger days, Robison worked as an engineer for KISS and Pink Floyd’s sound company and worked on original electronic games at Milton Bradley. Later, he founded J E Robison Service—a restorer of Land Rover, Rolls Royce, and Mercedes motorcars.

Robison’s books Switched On: A Memoir of Brain Change and Emotional Intelligence, Look Me in the Eye, Be Different, and Raising Cubby are the most widely read accounts of life with Asperger’s in the world. His books have been translated into more than fifteen languages, and they are sold in 60+ countries. Robison has also authored or contributed to over 100 autism-related articles.