John Robison longed to connect with other people, but by the time he was a teenager, his odd habits had earned him the label "social deviant." No guidance came from his mother, who conversed with light fixtures, or his father, who spent evenings drunk. No wonder he gravitated to machines, which could be counted on. His savant-like ability to visualize electronic circuits landed him a gig with KISS, for whom he created their legendary fire-breathing guitars. Later, he drifted into a "real" job, as an engineer for a major toy company. But the higher Robison rose, the more he had to pretend to be "normal" and do what he simply couldn't: communicate. It was not until he was forty that an insightful therapist told him he had the form of autism called Asperger's syndrome. That understanding transformed the way Robison saw himself--and the world.--From publisher description.

A little misfit -- A permanent playmate -- Empathy -- A trickster is born -- I find a Porsche -- The nightmare years -- Assembly required -- The dogs begin to fear me -- I drop out of high school -- Collecting the trash -- The flaming washtub -- I'm in prison with the band -- The big time -- The first smoking guitar -- The ferry to Detroit -- One with the machine -- Rock and roll all night -- A real job -- A visit from management -- Logic vs. small talk -- Being young executives -- Becoming normal -- I get a bear cub -- A diagnosis at forty -- Montagoonians -- Units one through three -- Married life -- Winning at basketball -- My life as a train.