| "...my life has been spent in a perpetual state of | | | | letter he was not aware of that his father had |
| parallel play, alongside, but distinctly apart from, | | | | written on his behalf nine years earlier when he |
| the rest of humanity." With that statement, Tim | | | | had been in 7th grade. The letter had been |
| Page, diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome at the | | | | written with reference to a school discipline |
| age of forty-five, descriptively summarizes his life. | | | | problem and the punishment imposed on Tim. In |
| In this autobiographical account, Mr. Page writes of | | | | reading the letter Tim became emotional as he |
| growing up, all the time deeply feeling and realizing | | | | realized and acutely sensed his father's love. He |
| he was different. People said he was a genius | | | | states he wishes his father could have |
| because he could memorize maps, knew all the | | | | communicated "such tender emotions" to him at |
| bus routes and memorized parts of the World | | | | the time of the incident. |
| Book Encyclopedia. He spent hours drawing | | | | Mr. Page vividly relates the turmoil and turbulence |
| detailed maps of make-believe cities and writing | | | | experienced and felt during his high school years, |
| stories without happy endings. He related to and | | | | finally resulting in dropping out. Eventually, through |
| cared for inanimate objects; his stuffed animals | | | | the dedication and help of a music instructor Tim |
| were his best friends. | | | | was able to successfully move on with his life. |
| Throughout his life Tim Page felt self-conscious. | | | | Now in his fifties, Tim Page continues to view |
| He felt he did not fit in. He could not easily or | | | | himself as "strange." As he looked back through |
| effectively relate socially to his classmates; he | | | | the years when writing his life's story, he realized |
| could not establish connections. Tim felt much | | | | life for him was "isolated, unhappy, and conflicted." |
| more comfortable being around adults or younger | | | | Mr. Page's autobiographical portrayal adds to the |
| children. | | | | minute, but expanding number of detailed |
| At a very early age he became obsessed with | | | | narratives describing life for individuals with an |
| music which led him to becoming a music critic for | | | | Asperger's Syndrome diagnosis. This well-written |
| several newspapers and eventually leading to a | | | | and fascinating autobiography adds to the |
| Pulitzer Prize in 1997. Also at an early age he | | | | increasingly deeper and wider knowledge base of |
| became obsessed with silent films. That obsession | | | | Asperger's Syndrome, a specific neurological |
| led to researching the lives of actors and | | | | difference in some human beings. |
| actresses and writing creative stories with | | | | This informative book is highly recommended |
| invented actors and actresses. In the sixth grade | | | | reading for anyone with a diagnosis of Asperger's |
| Tim bought some 8mm film, borrowed his | | | | Syndrome, for families with an individual who |
| father's home-movie camera, wrote scripts and | | | | carries such a diagnosis, for acquaintances of |
| directed movies with the neighborhood kids. | | | | people so diagnosed and for other people |
| Growing up, Tim felt distanced from and not very | | | | interested in further understanding the lives of |
| close to his father. But in packing his father's files | | | | people diagnosed with the neurological difference, |
| when the family decided to move, Tim read the | | | | Asperger's Syndrome. |
| contents of some of the files and discovered a | | | | |