Retarded

The trouble with this word is that is has so much baggage. It is a very offensive word now mostly because it has been used derogatorily towards people whose brains function differently, a thing which few find appealing. The word means "slow", if you retard your progress, you slow it down. However, if you are freaking retarded, you freak in a very slow manner. I am afraid I have digressed too much already. Our hero in this book, however is not retarded, his mind works incredibly fast, however it works very differently.

Well since I missed book club I thought I would comment on the book in written form (If I could upload a snack tray of veggies to feel fully a participant, I would). I found the book to be an entirely delightful and engaging read. It was a more-accessible "Sound and the Fury". I read the book quickly and enjoyed it, yet something itched the back of my head. I think the greatest thing that comes from a book like this is an increased empathy for the autistic, however, in the end I didn't find that there was an overarching theme of any depth. Once the author described how he can use similie but not metaphor, I found him too willing to engage in similie while my experience with the autistic made me feel that there was a general aversion towards anything beyond the straight forward and understandable. I also had a little difficulty in making the leap for the narrator to also be an atheist which requires some ideological thinking beyond pure logic (which betrays the authors ideology and I thought weakens the story). When dealing with death most autistic-type persons have difficulty in dealing with it in the abstract.

In the end I think I would recommend this book as a pretty good airport read, beyond the pablum of the pop novels but not quite the literature that begs for in-depth critique.

So now I will stop with my academic posturing and get back to work.