The slyly funny, sweetly moving memoir of an unconventional dad's relationship with his equally offbeat son-complete with fast cars, tall tales, homemade explosives, and a whole lot of fun and trouble
John Robison was not your typical dad. Diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome at the age of forty, he approached fatherhood as a series of logic puzzles and practical jokes. Instead of a speech about the birds and the bees, he told his son, Cubby, that he'd bought him at the Kid Store-and that the salesman had cheated him by promising Cubby would "do all chores." While other parents played catch with their kids, John taught Cubby to drive the family's antique Rolls-Royce. Still, Cubby seemed to be turning out pretty well, at least until school authorities decided that he was dumb and stubborn-the very same thing John had been told as a child. Did Cubby have Asperger's too? The answer was unclear.
One thing was clear, though: By the time he turned seventeen, Cubby had become a brilliant and curious chemist-smart enough to make military-grade explosives and bring federal agents calling. With Cubby facing a felony trial-and up to sixty years in prison-both father and son were forced to take stock of their lives, finally accepting that being "on the spectrum" is both a challenge and a unique gift.
The slyly funny, sweetly moving memoir of an unconventional dad's relationship with his equally offbeat son-complete with fast cars, tall tales, homemade explosives, and a whole lot of fun and trouble
John Robison was not your typical dad. Diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome at the age of forty, he approached fatherhood as a series of logic puzzles and practical jokes. Instead of a speech about the birds and the bees, he told his son, Cubby, that he'd bought him at the Kid Store-and that the salesman had cheated him by promising Cubby would "do all chores." While other parents played catch with their kids, John taught Cubby to drive the family's antique Rolls-Royce. Still, Cubby seemed to be turning out pretty well, at least until school authorities decided that he was dumb and stubborn-the very same thing John had been told as a child. Did Cubby have Asperger's too? The answer was unclear.
One thing was clear, though: By the time he turned seventeen, Cubby had become a brilliant and curious chemist-smart enough to make military-grade explosives and bring federal agents calling. With Cubby facing a felony trial-and up to sixty years in prison-both father and son were forced to take stock of their lives, finally accepting that being "on the spectrum" is both a challenge and a unique gift.
JOHN ELDER ROBISON is the author of two previous books, the New York Times bestseller Look Me in the Eye and Be Different. He lectures widely on autism and neurological differences, and is a member of the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee of the US Dept. of Health and Human Services. John also serves on committees and review boards for the CDC and the National Institutes of Health. A machinery enthusiast and avid photographer, John lives in Amherst, Massachusetts with his family, animals, and machines.
“Charming and wise…Part parenting guide, part courtroom drama, part
catalog of the travails and surprising joys of life with the
high-functioning form of autism called Asperger’s syndrome, this
memoir will offer all parents—but particularly fathers—a lot to
think about. That its author was almost 40 when he learned he had
Asperger’s…and that he eventually learned his son had the condition
as well, make their story more remarkable, but do nothing to
diminish its relevance even for readers with no personal experience
of autism...[Robison’s] deadpan humor [is] in evidence
throughout... Touching, sympathetic, and often insightful.”
—New York Times
“Robison ... sheds some light on how having Asperger’s helped him
cultivate an outlaw style of parenting...by turns hilarious,
poignant, weird, shocking, and inspiring...This book will make you
laugh, and make you think about how to parent a child who doesn’t
fit into the neat categories we expect our children to occupy.”
—Parents.com
“How does a man who lacks a sense of empathy and an ability to read
nonverbal cues learn to be a father? And how does a man with
Asperger’s learn to recognize the same symptoms in his own child?
(A key element in the book is Robison’s son’s own diagnosis, and
Robison’s reaction to his having missed seeing the signs for as
long as he had.) In many ways, this is a traditional father-and-son
memoir, but the added element of Asperger’s gives the story a
stronger emotional core: when Robison and his wife separated, for
example, he realized he had been misreading a lot of what had been
going on between them. It’s a story of a man learning to be a
parent, yes, but it’s also—and perhaps more importantly—the story
of a man discovering, as an adult, who he really is.”
—Booklist
“John Elder Robison is one of my autism super heroes because he
bravely brings humor and humility to the heart and soul of the
taboo and unexpected corners of life lived with autism. His
new book, Raising Cubby, is more than a memoir about a father and
son bound by their Asperger syndrome. It’s a story that reminds us
how precious and precarious the parent child relationship is and
how beautiful our lives can be when we are share that ride
together. Raising Cubby is Robison’s best work yet.”
—Liane Holliday-Willey, coauthor of Pretending To Be Normal: Living
with Asperger Syndrome
“Funny and moving...A warmhearted, appealing account by a masterful
storyteller."
—Kirkus Reviews
“Robison's third book starts with a bang—his description of the
'malicious explosion' created by his teenage Cubby that has the
boy, who has Asperger's syndrome, looking at 60 years in prison, is
as disconcerting as it is captivating....With the ensuing
investigation and trial, Cubby and the author are drawn into a
crazy world that threatens to tear apart their already delicate
lives.”
—Publishers Weekly
“John Elder Robison has written two books on his experience with
Asperger's syndrome: Look Me in the Eye and Be
Different. In Raising Cubby, he brings his warmth,
intelligence and humor to an equally personal subject: his own
son.”
—Shelf Awareness
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