Freaks, Geeks and Asperger's Syndrome - Book 10

Freaks, Geeks and Asperger's Syndrome; a User's Guide to Adolescence by Luke Jackson is a neat book. Jackson was 13 when he wrote it. He has Asperger's himself and writes from experience. He's a wonderful writer for a 13 year old. Actually, he's a good writer for any age! He is quite funny and sensitive and really does have a lot of common sense tips for how to handle various things like bullies, dating, etc. This would be an excellent book to give a teen with Asperger's to help them along in their journey. Jackson is from the U.K. The book was hit in Britain and the BBC made a documentary about the family; there are seven children and the mother. The four girls don't seem to have any difficulties but the three boys do. One is very autistic, another had ADHD and then there's Luke.

The oddest thing about the book, though, was that Jackson never once, not even once that I can recall, ever mentions his father!!! Where did these babies come from, I wonder? I believe they are all biologically related, so what happened to the father? Why is he cut out? The mother seems to be doing fine financially but we never really know what it is she does for a living. Jackson mentions that he lives in a nice neighborhood and that he stopped going to the government school and started attending a private school because of bullying. So who is supporting them all? It left me puzzled.

After the book was written, when Jackson was 14, he left high school to homeschool. He mentioned in the book that just knowing that homeschooling was an option made him feel better because he'd suffered so in school socially.

I did some searches on Luke Jackson and found that they have recently made a fictionalized TV series about the Jackson family as well, with Helen Bonham Carter starring as the mother! I wish we could get that over here.

Anyway, I thought it was a good book and I recommend it to those who are curious about life with Aspergers as well as those who need reassurance and camaraderie in dealing with their own Asperger's Syndrome.

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