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John Elder Robison

Goodreads Author

Born

in Athens, Georgia, The United States

Website

http://www.johnrobison.com

Twitter

johnrobison

Genre

Biographies & Memoirs, Health, Mind & Body, Parenting & Families

Member Since

May 2008

URL

https://www.goodreads.com/johnelderrobison

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I was born in rural Georgia, where my dad worked as a country preacher. I was kind of a misfit growing up. In fact, the bigger I got, the more misfit I became. At age 8, I got a little brother, and he was a misfit too. I dropped out of school in 10th grade, and never looked back. My brother dropped out a few years later, following in my footsteps.

I've had a number of careers . . . I designed sound systems for discos. I designed effects for KISS. I designed sound systems for more bands than I could count. Then, I took up electronic game design. I worked on fire alarms and power supplies. I even worked with lasers. Finally, 20 years ago, I gave up technology to start an automobile repair business.

That was where I was when my brother told some ...more

216 posts
John Elder Robison's Blog

I can never forget I'm different, no matter how I try . . .

This morning I was at the gym as part of my twice-weekly effort to halt my inevitable decline. As I lay on the floor, twisting myself in knots, two people were talking about their respective travels. One was just back from Virginia and Arizona after touring two schools with her son. The other had been to Louisiana and Pennsylvania for the same thing, and they compared their journeys and th

Combine Editions
John Elder Robison’s books

Average rating: 3.92 · 75,693 ratings · 5,482 reviews · 11 distinct works • Similar authors

	Look Me in the Eye 3.92 avg rating — 69,462 ratings — published 2007	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Be Different: Adventures of a Free-Range Aspergian 3.97 avg rating — 3,274 ratings — published 2011 — 26 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Raising Cubby: A Father and Son's Adventures with Asperger's, Trains, Tractors, and High Explosives 3.85 avg rating — 1,475 ratings — published 2013 — 20 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Switched On: A Memoir of Brain Change and Emotional Awakening by John Elder Robison (Goodreads Author), Marcel Just (Foreword), Alvaro Pascual-Leon (Introduction) 3.89 avg rating — 1,430 ratings — published 2016 — 22 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Science of Making Friends: Helping Socially Challenged Teens and Young Adults by Elizabeth Laugeson, John Elder Robison (Goodreads Author) (Foreword) 4.17 avg rating — 130 ratings — published 2013 — 11 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Autism Adulthood: Strategies and Insights for a Fulfilling Life by Susan Senator, John Elder Robison (Goodreads Author) (Foreword) 3.69 avg rating — 99 ratings — published 2016 — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Be Different: Adventures of a Free-Range Aspergian it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 2 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	John Elder Robison: Raising Cubby : A Father and Son's Adventures with Asperger's, Trains, Tractors, and High Explosives (Large Print Hardcover); 2013 Edition by John Elder Robison (Goodreads Author), Unknown Author liked it 3.00 avg rating — 1 rating	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Pilgrimage to Vallombrosa 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Be Different: Adventures of a Free-Range Aspergian with Practical Advice for Aspergians, Misfits, Families & Teachers by John Elder Robison (2011-03-22) by John Elder Robison (Goodreads Author), Unknown Author 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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John is currently reading

Off the Charts: The Hidden Lives and Lessons of American Child Prodigies

by Ann Hulbert

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Dec 13, 2018 05:05PM

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Broadway: A History of New York City in Thirteen Miles

by Fran Leadon

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The Spy and the Traitor: The Greatest Espionage Story of the Cold War

by Ben Macintyre

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Oct 05, 2018 06:55PM

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John has read Leica M6 - TTL by Richard Hunecke	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Mar 27, 2025 01:28PM · like

More of John's books…

Quotes by John Elder Robison (?)

“And now I know it is perfectly natural for me not to look at someone when I talk. Those of us with Asperger's are just not comfortable doing it. In fact, I don'treally understand why it's considered normal to stare at someone's eyeballs.”
― John Elder Robison

tags: aspergers

65 likes

“I don't really understsand why it's considered normal to stare at someone's eyeballs”
― John Elder Robison, Look Me in the Eye

30 likes

“In the past, when people criticized me for asking unexpected questions, I felt ashamed. Now I realize that normal people are acting in a superficial and often false manner. So rather than let them make me feel bad, I express my annoyance. It's my way of trying to strike a blow for logic and rationality.”
― John Elder Robison

30 likes

See all John Elder Robison's quotes »

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