"Look me in the eye..."

I've just finished reading John Elder Robison's "Look Me in the Eye-My Life with Asperger's". It's a great read, highly recommended to me by several friends, and now I can add my endorsement. Aside from the obvious reason why I would enjoy this book, there's the fact that it's just plain full of good stories. It reminded me so much of another memoir that I totally enjoyed and recommend to people all the time- "Angela's Ashes". These two books have so much in common- both written by born storytellers who had not only the material to draw from, but also the rare gift of putting words down on paper in an entertaining way. Both men grew up in less than optimal circumstances, yet refrained from telling their stories from the postition of the victim. The events of their lives were told in matter-of-fact detail, no excuses or pandering for sympathy. Both wrote with humor about situations that might have come off as heartbreaking and depressing if left to less capable writers. I tend to admire people who are dealt difficult circumstances, yet rise above them and become exceptional at what they set out to do (or fall into!) It's the old "lemons-to-lemonade" adage. One thing I've come to believe is that a lot of times, until you are tested in life, you haven't had a chance to prove what you can do. If things just go along at a leisurely pace, nothing too bad happens, days pass pretty much like each other, you are never given the chance to really shine, to really make a difference. I know, and have often said, that I wouldn't be 1/2 the person I am right now if I didn't have the challenges that we have. Reading the experiences of John Elder Robison and Frank McCourt make me feel more determined to succeed. Inspirational, without being sentimental or sappy. That's what I'd call those books.