One of its Legs are Both the Same

by Mike Cavanagh

Do you know what makes you, you? Mike thought he did, until a diagnosis of Asperger’s Syndrome in his sixties made him rethink who he was, and how he got there. ‘One of Its Legs are Both the Same’ is Mike’s memoir of being, as his mum would say, different. An intriguing and rollicking tale of the hippie era of the early 1970s, featuring murderous rats, painfully low door lintels, angry spiders and a rabid duck.

246 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 29, 2016

About the author

Mike Cavanagh is now in his sixties and has no idea how that happened. He lives with his wife, Julie, adult son Dan, and two black cats in Bateman’s Bay, NSW. Two other adult children, left home eventually, complete the extended menagerie.

The house Mike and Julie live in is quirky and in need of regular maintenance, as are its owners. Mike also writes poetry, fiction, plays guitar and composes music, is doing research on rock-wallabies, and spends far too much time playing computer role playing games. He does none of these very well, necessarily, but he does them.

Mike thought he knew who he was until a diagnosis of Asperger’s Syndrome in his sixties gave him pause to rethink who he thought he was, and how he got here. Having no real idea how to proceed from there, he wrote his memoir, 'One of Its Legs are Both the Same'. It was not the memoir he thought he was going to write, so he wrote another one, 'A Pocket Full of Days'.

Reviews

[Valerie Poore · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a lovely, honest and whimsical memoir. The author, Mike Cavanagh, tells us upfront that this is not a book about his Asperger’s syndrome but more a look back into his childhood and youth following his diagnosis in an effort to make sense of it in the context of his life. He was always told he was different and so he delves into his memories of growing up in 1960s and 70s Australia when autism and Asperger’s were virtually unheard of. That Mike had difficulties with relationships was clear, but this special book is not sad or troubled; it is a beautiful account of a young man’s development in a world that was very accepting of unconventional behaviour such as his. Indeed it was what marked the post WWII generation, which is, I imagine, why no one pointed out to him that his responses to emotions and situations were anything other than occasionally ‘lacking in compassion’ or ‘empathy’.

Mike Cavanagh’s writing is often lyrically beautiful and striking in its expression. I loved his descriptions of everything from the run down cottage where he lived after dropping out of university to his feelings about nature, life and relationships. I also loved the parts about his childhood. His parents were astonishingly tolerant and his youth was blessed with tremendous freedom, which he was lucky to enjoy in such a sun-kissed land.

Altogether, this is a wonderful, funny, poignant and beautifully written book and I am sad to have finished it. I loved it and recommend it highly.

[Beth Haslam · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book recounts the author’s younger days in the 1970’s hippie era. Mike Cavanagh provides an insight into the alternative lifestyle where he, together with a group of other young people, lived in a communal setting existing on what their limited resources, and the land around them allowed. The author also alludes to his own mental thought processes and realises that his are ‘different’ to those of others. The reasons for this are unknown at the time, and only revealed much later in his life.

Mike Cavanagh has a descriptive style of writing which I find appealing. This was particularly well developed in his accounts of the traumas he and his migratory group of friends found themselves in. They made me chuckle and wince at the same time as I visualised their various antics. As a contrast to these, there are other passages which are extremely poignant and which illustrate the author’s mind-set and depth of emotion. One in particular is styled as an epiphany of sorts, which I found to be extraordinarily moving.

I thoroughly enjoyed the book for its honesty and intelligent writing and believe that it deserves a 5* rating.

[Laurie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed the authors writing style and humour in this account of growing up in 60's and 70's Australia. From his younger days in a all boy's Catholic school to living in the "cottage" after graduating and a stint of trying out University, the author keeps you laughing and cringing with the antics of himself and his friends. The care free lifestyle of their hippie days brought back many memories for me back in those days. Along the way the author learns a few life lesson's that help forge his journey into adulthood. This is one of those books I will probably revisit in the future.

[Ronald Mackay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mike Cavanagh’s memoir exceeds the promise of its title in that it elucidates and elaborates upon, if not explains, the inexplicable.

When you play rugby league but find the “whole team thing a troubling blur”; when your girlfriend tells you that you have “no real sense of compassion”; and when your mother warns you to “be careful the next time you fall out of” an upper-story window, you may just get an inkling that you’re not quite like other people.

“One of its Legs are Both the Same” is the author’s successful attempt to recover a period of his life when he was aware that he was not quite like others without knowing why or even caring very much.

The author “did his own thing” then. Now, drawing on a photographic memory, he does his own thing again as a way of coming to terms with a diagnosis of Adult Asperger’s Syndrome. His fortunate memory is matched by an equally fortunate ability to write in such a way as to draw the reader right into his unusual life as a teenager and young adult.

While life, for Mike Cavanagh may not have been easy, for the reader, this memoir is surprisingly easy to enjoy.

[Ellie Lancaster · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dad let me read his copy, and I thought it was excellent. Thanks for being willing to get it out there <3

[Julie Watson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A girlfriend told Mike in 1972 that he had no sense of compassion and no true sense of humour. It would only be in his 60's that Mike got the diagnosis of Aspergers syndrome. Legs tells Mike's story of his childhood and younger years as he looks back knowing that he was always 'different'. A very entertaining read and one that will make you laugh. A lot of poetic license is used of the English language and words that are truly Australian as they aren't English. An honest and reflective read in some ways as we all have our young years of fun and friends. Then it all changes and it's somehow never the same again. Mike talks about 'The Cottage" where a lot of the book is set but time moves on and in the end, all we have are memories of a time long gone.

[E.J. Bauer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The fact that some of it was set in my own back yard (well one hill over) was a bonus. Mike demonstrates the rare ability to balance, humour, sadness, a little local history and introspection in this memoir. I'm not sure that he could induce me to live in a leaky cottage, dig up a country road or fall off a motor bike, but I loved reading about his efforts. Please note dear readers, this book should not be read in a hair salon unless you plan to ignore the strange looks thrown your way with each smothered giggle. Loved it. You should read it.

[Ann Patras · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Mike Cavanagh has a wonderful way of being able to laugh at himself and the situations he found himself in. At the same time his descriptions paint very clear pictures of his surroundings and encounters.

The way in which he explains his feelings, and on several occasions the lack of them, during various events is brutally honest Thankfully he now understands the root of some of his reactions.

[Martha Graham-Waldon · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Fun Read!

In this endearing tale, author Mike Cavanagh leads us on a wild adventure through the throes of the adolescence and youth of an Australian adolescent male. He beautifully dissects his past memories, scenes and emotions in painstaking, lyrical detail drawing out lessons of self-discovery that are funny yet profound. A fun read!

[Alyson Sheldrake · Rating 5 out of 5]

An unusual and intriguing memoir
This was an analytical and deeply personal memoir that covered the author’s hippie lifestyle in the early 70s. What made it so interesting was his late diagnosis of Asperger’s Syndrome when he was aged in his early 60s. Knowing that diagnosis at the start of the book made the events that he recalls all the more interesting and remarkable. He knew he was in some way ‘different’ but did not know why. His extremely detailed descriptions of life and the people he meets, written in an almost fastidious way, hints at the underlying turmoil of such a condition and how it affects a person’s perception of the world around them. This was a memoir where you felt that you were given a glimpse inside someone’s else’s mind, and it made for an unusual and thought-provoking read.

[J. A. Lewis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not every book is going to be as entertaining to read to some as it is to others. "One of its Legs are Both the Same" was that kind of book for me. I thought the book was going to be about Mr. Cavanagh's struggles with Asperger's. However, throughout the book, I really didn't read anything that made me think he was any different than most of us. After deciding to drop out of University, Mike moves to a rundown cottage without running water or electric and lives a hippie lifestyle for several years. The book is about his escapades during his time there. There are a few funny moments and it's obvious Mr. Cavanagh has a gift for words as his thoughts are very descriptive. Overall, for me, an ok read. Would like to read a fiction novel by Mr. Cavanagh.

[Linda Hawkswell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant Read

This is well written and very informative, Mike has a descriptive way of writing and this gives the reader a clear picture of his surroundings. He is very honest about his inability to understand certain emotions, throughout the book you feel him growing into adulthood and understanding more.
Mike has a wonderful way of being able to laugh at himself and the situations he found himself in. I am not too sure how Mike survived some of his misadventures. The book is filled with laughter and tears and plenty of teenage kicks in the 70s in Australia.
Mike had been diagnosed as living with Asperger´s Syndrome when he was in his 60’s and this was all explained at the beginning of the book.
Thank you Mike for a wonderful story.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

so proud of my hubby - its a great read - I laughed

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an interesting and almost brutally honest memoir. Mike Cavanagh writes so descriptively of his early years and how he was always a ‘bit different’ Intriguingly Mike had been diagnosed as living with Aspberger’s when he was in his 60’s and with this in mind sets about writing about his formative years and also his time living almost a hippy life. ’ A warning here though – don’t read this book in a public place or you will have people staring at you for laughing aloud! What a memory Mike has and his recollection of blowing up the Bull Ant’s nest had me in fits. And that’s just one incident! After three years at university Mike decided it wasn’t really for him and dropped out. For the next few years Mike works at a succession of jobs while various friends come and go. He has a wonderfully vivid style of writing which I very much liked. At the same time he lets the reader into his innermost thoughts and with the benefit of hindsight; he can make sense of some of his actions. It’s quite analytical at times. I found it funny and fascinating and well worth reading.

[Robert Fear · Rating 5 out of 5]

Engrossing memoir

I had the privilege of being able to beta read this wonderful book. It is a treasure trove of memories, woven together in a vividly descriptive life tapestry.

With the knowledge of a recent diagnosis of Asperger’s Syndrome, Mike Cavanagh shares his innermost feelings, reflecting on his younger years and why he was so 'different'. Things he knows now make these reflections even more poignant and provide an additional layer to his many weird and wonderful recollections.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is an engrossing memoir and highly recommended.

[Jackie Parry · Rating 5 out of 5]

A unique and absorbing story.
I really got where Mike was coming from. I am not sure if it’s because I, too, live in NSW or because, like the author, I have a lust for living an alternative lifestyle.
But it doesn’t matter. The point is, this is a great read. It’s different – it’s Australian – it’s honest.
Cavanagh looks back on his life with a new view, now he knows he has Asperger’s.
Could I do that? I’m not sure – it’s an interesting exercise, which makes this story even more compelling.
I hope he writes more.

[Pat Ellis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wasn't sure if this Memoir would be for me because I tend to stick to the travel and moving abroad genre - how wrong was I. Mike Cavanagh takes you on part of his journey with ease. Aspergers Syndrome wasn't 'out there' until fairly recently really - A diagnosis for the Author did help to 'make sense' of how 'different' he felt during those earlier years. The 1970's was an interesting time for lots of us for many reasons - but for Mike Cavanagh it was interesting in a different way. It's a heart-felt, at times humorous and interesting read - well written.

[Sarah C. Frazer · Rating 5 out of 5]

well done, you!

I also was born with Asperger's syndrome and suffered mightily as a child. Maturity helped me cope with my idiosyncrasies and even build careers out of them. Having said that, being retired and a widow has allowed me to relax into solitude with no regrets. It's lovely to read of another soul with the same affliction and how he managed to come out the other side alive.

[Angela warman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant book.

I have so enjoyed this book. such a brilliant memoir,a must read about a guys life from childhood to adulthood.