coyboy carl
2004-09-09 23:36:57 UTC
hello,
i don't recall a book ever being discussed in this newsgroup, so i thought
i'd start one off.
the curious incident of the dog in the nightime
won whitbread book of the year, so i'm sure someone else here must have read
it.
also, it was pretty easy to read, written from the perspective of a 15 year
old autistic boy so the language is highly accessible.
at first, i didn't like it, because of it being written as if it was written
by a 15 year old autistic boy. presumably the author had done his research
and knows a hell of a lot more about autism than me, but still i felt that
there was no way anybody who isn't autistic can write about the innermost
thoughts of someone who is, explaining their behaviour (such as listening to
loud static or not speaking to people and reacting violently when people
speak to him).
it would be like someone who has never been depressed, writing about a kid
who is suicidal. so that kinda bugged me, cos i was comparing it to prozac
nation a little bit.
but once i had finished the book, or shortly afterwards anyway, i began to
think that the book wasn't actually about autism at all. maybe that is how
clever autistic people think, but even if it was, it'd be a crap lesson on
autism seeing how most autistic people *aren't* maths geniuses.
i began to think (or maybe realise) that it was much more a philosophy book,
because of the issues raised in it, about human behaviour, the way we use
words in metaphores which bear no relation to the actual meaning of the
words. the beauty of maths and logic. the vastness of the universe and our
insignificance. the fact that there is as much amazing stuff to be
discovered and looked at in a lump of mud, as there is in the pyramids of
egypt.
i think that the author just used the boy and his little murder mystery
quest as a way to put these thoughts into a story. and i think he did that
very well.
with regards to the story, i really liked the way his school teacher friend
was never (as far as i recall) quoted directly. in fact, his whole school
life was described, rather than transcripted. which was a very effective
way of keeping direction in the book and not drifting from the main plot.
hmm, maybe i'll read it again.
anyone else read it?
anyone have any thoughts?
cc
i don't recall a book ever being discussed in this newsgroup, so i thought
i'd start one off.
the curious incident of the dog in the nightime
won whitbread book of the year, so i'm sure someone else here must have read
it.
also, it was pretty easy to read, written from the perspective of a 15 year
old autistic boy so the language is highly accessible.
at first, i didn't like it, because of it being written as if it was written
by a 15 year old autistic boy. presumably the author had done his research
and knows a hell of a lot more about autism than me, but still i felt that
there was no way anybody who isn't autistic can write about the innermost
thoughts of someone who is, explaining their behaviour (such as listening to
loud static or not speaking to people and reacting violently when people
speak to him).
it would be like someone who has never been depressed, writing about a kid
who is suicidal. so that kinda bugged me, cos i was comparing it to prozac
nation a little bit.
but once i had finished the book, or shortly afterwards anyway, i began to
think that the book wasn't actually about autism at all. maybe that is how
clever autistic people think, but even if it was, it'd be a crap lesson on
autism seeing how most autistic people *aren't* maths geniuses.
i began to think (or maybe realise) that it was much more a philosophy book,
because of the issues raised in it, about human behaviour, the way we use
words in metaphores which bear no relation to the actual meaning of the
words. the beauty of maths and logic. the vastness of the universe and our
insignificance. the fact that there is as much amazing stuff to be
discovered and looked at in a lump of mud, as there is in the pyramids of
egypt.
i think that the author just used the boy and his little murder mystery
quest as a way to put these thoughts into a story. and i think he did that
very well.
with regards to the story, i really liked the way his school teacher friend
was never (as far as i recall) quoted directly. in fact, his whole school
life was described, rather than transcripted. which was a very effective
way of keeping direction in the book and not drifting from the main plot.
hmm, maybe i'll read it again.
anyone else read it?
anyone have any thoughts?
cc