It is the end of April and still rather cool outside but there is a hint of Spring and Janet and her family have opened the pool! In attendance this month are Beth, Carla, Colette, Jane, Janet, Jolene, Linda, Michèle and Shirley. Our book this month is Beth's choice The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion. Janet has some lovely cheese and dips and vegetables, very nice. We were also treated to a lovely tarte aux pommes et pâte d'amande made by Janet's daughter Julia.
Graeme Simsion, the author is an Australian who has written mainly screen plays, The Rosie Project is his first novel. Beth chose the book because of her familiarity with Asperger's Syndrome. She is not the only member of our Bookclub who knows someone with this syndrome.
The novel is about a professor of genetics Don Tillman, who by the description of his life and how he lives it has evidently Asperger's. He decides to find a woman to marry and to ensure she meets all the requirements that suit him, he creates a questionnaire for the Wife Project. One of his friends refers him to Rosie who is looking for her biological father. As a geneticist, he is intrigued and creates the Rosie Project. The book has several very funny situations and scenes and as the two projects evolve the plot changes and the two projects intersect. It is funny, witty and we find Don endearing. We want him to suceed and find someone with whom to share his life.
Those who are familiar with Asperger's Syndrome thought that Don had very identifiable traits but was also highly functional. He was, for example, able to step back and analyze why Rosie refused his mariage proposal and he is able to analyze his own emotions.
Beth suggested another book about Asperger's Syndrome, The Journal of Best Practices by David Finch who suffers from Asperger's. He describes the problems it has caused in his family and marriage and works hard to try to keep his marriage together.
All of us found the book very enjoyable. Any book that can get you to laugh out loud and read sections of it to others is worth reading. Thank you Beth.
