I knew Tim Page’s work through his biography of Dawn Powell and his editing of her diaries. I dimly remembered that he was the music critic of The Washington Post. Though I initially read this largely for his account of his Asperger’s, I stayed for the discussion of music. Though Mr. Page and I do not have similar taste in music, his sheer enthusiasm for the music he listens to and his ability to describe what is essentially indescribable is fabulous. While Mr. Page maintains that Asperger’s made his career possible, readers looking for a sort of Asperger’s handbook will want to look elsewhere. Page is wonderfully eloquent about his own experience and what he finds most comfortable, but this is a basically a memoir with Asperger’s as one element of his life. I can highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to understand someone in there life with Asperger's--or just plain "quirky"--better. It's not a lecture, it's not a "how-to;" it's a well-known music journalist's memoir. It's light; it's random (Page's "omissions" don't bother me at all, as they have some other readers); it's a quick read. But to me, the parent of an Aspie, it's an invaluable, adult-perspective look inside the way my son's brain may tick. Everyone is different--I know that; but I see a lot of my son in Page's writing. To have these candid writings by someone who has found his niche using the strengths given to him by Asperger's, is a gift. The book may not interest anyone not directly affected by the autism spectrum in some way, but who isn't really?
What do You think about Parallel Play (2009)?
Heard a great interview with Tim Page on NPR and now I've got to read his book
—Rose
An interesting and movingly written account of a life with Asperger's.
—Dammy
On hold because it sounds interesting but fails to hold my attention
—cwood2
