Chris's review of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time > Likes and Comments
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Ha! I didn't read the book, listened to the audiobook so fortunately was spared the words in bold and diagrams (?!!). I really enjoyed the audio version, guess that was the better format, eh?
This review isn't funny, it's crap. It has almost nothing to do with the book, and what does, doesn't make sense. The Curious Incident is a realistic story from an autistic boy's point of view - the author works with people like that so he should know, right?
If you didn't like the book, fine. But don't make fun of autistic people just because you don't understand them and you're "tired of hearing about them." It's sick.
Wow, what a lot of words just to say you didn't like the book. Why even bother? It just makes you look like an ass.
Helen and Katryn, you missed the point: Chris is releasing some of the frustrated writer in him. He might even have liked The Curious Incident..., but good reviews are good in only one way, while bad reviews allow you to be creative
Then maybe Chris should get a blog, if he wants to rant and rave about the randomest things in creation. Goodreads is for posting your opinion on the book, but what do inbred children and his trip to the Midwest have to do with ANYTHING?
(gasp!)
I mean I didn't like it that much either, but don't murder the book! Whatever made you say such horrible things (and don't tell me to read the book again because I love myself and would like to spare myself from torture)? Your review was knee-slapping funny though.
The only thing more depressing than this review are all the comments proclaiming it to be hysterically funny.
Essentially Chris' beef with the book is that it's about an Autistic boy and it is evident that Chris really doesn't like the disabled.
What a stand up guy he obviously is.
From the ever so rebellious profile image depicting him lighting up to his plagiaristic account of the camp-site denizens, Chris has himself down as a latter day Bill Hicks. However Hicks used abrasion as the delivery tool of a searing observation on the injustices of modern life. He was never simply obnoxious for a cheap laugh.
I think Chris needs to grow up a little bit.
Hey Matt,
I just wanted to post a quick 'thank you', as your comment alerted me that my profile image isn't nearly as effective as conveying the badass-rebel image I ordinarily exude in person. Sure, in the photo I'm lighting a smoke, and we all know how wicked-killer hardcore that is, but I unfortunately had to 'crop' the image prior to uploading, and what you are missing out on are not only my two kickass tattoos (one is a barbed-wire band around my neck, the other is the resulting hybrid of the Hebrew and Chinese characters for the phrase 'against the grain') but also the awesome "Che" shirt that I'm wearing, which I purchased en route to a totally off-the-chain Rage Against The Machine concert (and I exceeded the speed limit and neglected using my turn signals during that entire drive)!
You also reminded me I need to give credit for the source material that I pilfer all my reviews from. I had to Google Bill Hicks to find out who the hell he was, but after doing so, realized that I did indeed borrow heavily from him in this ridiculously lame waste of time/review. I'd like to thank the late, great George Carlin, from whom I stole word-for-word my review of "The Great Gatsby", Bill Cosby, who I blatantly ripped off in my review of "The Thorn Birds", and Sam Kinison, whom I slavishly emulated in my review of "Les Miserables" (in which I rant "Leper Whore!" whenever I reference the vixen Eponine). A chance encounter with your mother at the nearby Motel 6 allowed my to quote her verbatim in my review of "Infinite Jest" when I plagiaristically stated "my, god it's so big and thick and good!"
As far as growing up goes; I'm undertaking that magnificent transformation one day at a time. However, as I've actually never posted a comment on someone else's review simply to lambaste the reviewer and the collective taste of those who might have liked it, I'm hesitant to take your advice. Then again, if your post is a review of my review........ hmmm, now this is really presenting a quandary for me.
Kathryn,
Thanks for your comment.
About my last response to Chris. I actually found his reply very funny and responded in kind.
It was a joke. I'm sure when he reads it he will appreciate it.
M
I actually really hated his comments. He said more about himself than the book and that is not why I was reading the reviews. He seems like a really irritating person and very full of himself. I had trouble with the book too, but I know a kid with Asperger's and I was impressed with the accuracy of the author's portrayal.
Ginnie, I looked at the review that you suggested and I understand what you mean. However, from the research that I have done on Asperger's Syndrome, the effects of which vary with each case, it was obvious that Mark Haddon had gathered much of the same information that I had. Keep in mind Mark Haddon is not autistic so it is impossible for him to know exactly what happens in an autistic mind. This book is perhaps not the best book for autistic people but it does help non-autistic people to understand some of the differences. It is very difficult because the autistic and non-autistic mind function very differently. A non-autistic cannot put themselves into the thought process of an autistic. It is just not possible. I applaud Mark Haddon for trying, even if the only result was to bring further autistic awareness.
I still really hated Chris' review.
Matt's a square bear and he needs to move out of his Mommy's house, no matter how good her grilled cheese sandwiches are.
Wow! I hated the book too! However, not to the point that I would write an overly verbose review primarily chronicling my adventures in camping and then grudge fucking my girlfriend afterwards (I hope she dumped you).
You're a pretty good writer, albeit a bit pompous and pretentious. And what's up with your profile photo? Why are you wearing two pairs of glasses?
I couldn't make it past paragraph 3 of Chris's review. However, I have enjoyed reading all of these comments. Thanks for the entertainment everybody!
Chris is quite dense. The book isn't funny, but it is moving and enlightening. Maybe Chris can't read?
Wow Dude, Seriously twisted views! Obviously you want to be a writer and you have some skill with words but I have a feeling you are pretty self-absorbed. do you also hate the blind, crippled and deaf? Lighten up and bit and you might enjoy life more. Better yet, take out your frustrations by taking your hand at writing a book yourself. Maybe on one of your camping trips.
Chris, the circumference of your neck looks to be close to that of a redwood tree. I'm not sure what this means, but I thought I should tell you. Oh, and I entertained your mother last night. (It was my turn.) Over Starbuck's Via Instant Coffee and Pepperidge Farm Chessmen cookies, we discussed your tendency to misdirect your obvious comedic gifts into cruel, pointless reviews of books about disabled people. I mean, who is bold enough to use a word like 'smegma'? You, Chris, and you can grow beyond the comment threads of GoodReads. You're special.
I found your review very witty and entertaining, though I must say I skimmed some parts since it's a bit long. You actually made it sound appealing to me
Lastly, this autistic kid is walking around with a knife throughout the book and ceaselessly contemplating shanking strangers with it.
Was what caught my eye and made me determined to read this book. The paragraph that's in is my fave from the review. Anyway I hope you keep reviewing more books.
I really agree -- the book was awful, and I can't understand who this guy slept with to get the book as much hype as it had.
Oh man I usually really enjoy your reviews Chris but this one really cut me up. Speaking from personal experience, my daughter is autistic, I'm pretty fucking sure that she hates the shit that she has to do to try and function in the world too and I'm also pretty solid on the fact that I'm glad I didnt drown her at birth...your "simple minded slander" about those with autism goes beyond the bounds of a book review and only contributes to the prejudices that they have to put up with on a daily basis. If you don't like the book, fine but did you really need to take that extra step and air your ignorance and negative views about those with autism too?
I am subjected to someone groaning in close proximity to me for hours on a daily basis...and I can tell you that that shit is a hell of a lot cooler than your sad ignorance.
hey! I have one request. I see that you are deepened in the book, and you do good you know. Asked if you would like to write me a short essay on the relationship between C and his father. And relationship between C and his mother. You made me a really big favor, because I have school in another bunch of stuff. And my English is very bad! Please reply me! Thank you! Pia
I thought the review was 'honest'. This is a book I liked - mind you, I wouldn't want to read a whole series of books that go on about the topic.
But Chris's review is a riot - hats off to you Chris.
I'm gonna' ask you to be one of my 'friends' . . .
Chris seems like the type who'd dump a quadriplegic from his wheelchair into the pool and say, "Swim, you pansy! You're not really paralyzed!"
As the parent of an autistic child, I'm also glad you aren't one of my child's schoolmates. You would have probably been one of those assholes who pushes him in the halls just to get a reaction and calls him "freak" and "weirdo" because you refuse to exercise any comnpassion or understanding so you can write a salacious, ignorant, insensitive review of a book that was supposed to foster awareness. Simply put,you didn't like it because you didn't get it. And if you did "get it," you were uncomfortable with the truth of it because you probably were one of those assholes in sixth grade who pushed disabled kids around and called them "freak" and "weirdo." Some things just aren't funny. Your review is at the top of the list.
Since when does a review of anything (book, film, etc.) need to be "sensitive"? Plus, this is is his OPINION. I've read several reviews elsewhere by people diagnosed with Asperger's and other spectrum disorders who say this book is extremely stereotypical and inaccurate. I suppose they must be ignorant and insensitive, as well. Anyway, hilarious review.
What a shame that even people who disagree with this reviewer's opinion, like his review. I'm honor bound to respect his right to his opinion but, c'mon, the review itself sucks. It proves only that he's comical. It doesn't even give evidence that he read the book.
"This book sucks and now look at a lot of funny ways I can say it," does not constitute a meaningful review. You're funny, Chris, but if you believe the stuff you write, you are an asshole.
It's beyond extremely stereotypical and inaccurate. It is probably the ONLY Asperger's related book in existence that has genuinely offended me, and I've read nearly all of them. I thought this review was pretty funny.
The author of Curious Incident admits on his website he knows very little about Aspergers and that this book is a "novel". I read this book with an open mind and therefore I found parts of it really funny and it made me laugh, so I liked it for that reason. (I hated all the bad language in it though - unnecessary and detracted from the enjoyment of the book). Each to his own and "vive la difference!"
"The author of Curious Incident admits on his website he knows very little about Aspergers..."
THEN HE SHOULDN'T HAVE WRITTEN THE BOOK. I'm sorry, but why would you write a book about a mental disorder that you know nothing about and further those harmful stereotypes? "Write what you know" doesn't mean "write about stereotypes you think are true."
Actually Kimmy I tend to agree with you in some ways. I was a little disappointed when I learnt that he knew little of the condition, but then he did admit it was a novel about "difference", so on this admission I let it pass. This is what the author wrote on his website on 16 July 2009:
"16/07/09 01:34pm asperger's & autism
unsurprisingly, i'm often asked to talk about asperger’s and autism or to become involved with organisations who work on behalf of people with asperger’s and autism, many of whom do wonderful work. but i always decline, for two reasons:
1) i know very little about the subject. i did no research for curious incident (other than photographing the interiors of swindon and paddington stations). i’d read oliver sacks’s essay about temple grandin and a handful of newspaper and magazine articles about, or by, people with asperger’s and autism. i deliberately didn’t add to this list. imagination always trumps research. i thought that if i could make Christopher real to me then he’d be real to readers. i gave him some rules to live by and some character traits and opinions, all of which i borrowed from people i know, none of whom would be labelled as having a disability. judging by the reaction, it seems to have worked.
2) curious incident is not a book about asperger’s. it’s a novel whose central character describes himself as ‘a mathematician with some behavioural difficulties’. indeed he never uses the words ‘asperger’s’ or ‘autism’ (i slightly regret that fact that the word ‘asperger’s’ was used on the cover). if anything it’s a novel about difference, about being an outsider, about seeing the world in a surprising and revealing way. it’s as much a novel about us as it is about christopher.
labels say nothing about a person. they say only how the rest of us categorise that person. good literature is always about peeling labels off. and treating real people with dignity is always about peeling the labels off. a diagnosis may lead to practical help. but genuinely understanding another human being involves talking and listening to them and finding out what makes them an individual, not what makes them part of a group.
i passionately believe this and i’ve said it repeatedly in many different forms. to become a spokesperson for those with asperger’s or autism, or to present myself as some kind of expert in the field, would completely undermine this, and make me look like a fool into the bargain. i would much rather spend my time writing more novels, standing up for difference and trying to understand outsiders who see the world in surprising and revealing ways"
http://www.markhaddon.com/aspergers-a...
I found his websdite a little odd and I think maybe Mark Haddon is an odd sort himself, though i have to admit I haven't read a lot of his blog, but the little Id id read I thought he had a very "different" worldview himself!
I see what you mean now. It doesn't make me any less irritated that I know of so many people who think this book is all they need to read to become an "instant expert" on Asperger Syndrome, and so I will probably never be able to re-approach the book with an open mind, but it makes more sense.
Nobody gives a damn about your trip, dumbass. I'm gonna do you a favor and tell you that you're a prejudiced piece of shit. I hope this spares you the humiliation of walking around under the assumption that you're funny. Kind of like Michael Scott in The Office. If you've never seen the show, I suggest you watch and learn from your fictional counterpart.
Kate wrote: "Since when does a review of anything (book, film, etc.) need to be "sensitive"? Plus, this is is his OPINION. I've read several reviews elsewhere by people diagnosed with Asperger's and other spect..."
If I'd read a book with a black protagonist and wrote a review saying, "You know what, I really can't fucking stand black people. They're so annoying." Would that count as an okay "opinion" too? No, of course not. Shut the fuck up and stop promoting hatred of handicapped people.
You are a insulting overbearing idiot and I hope that you read a lot because that might be our only good quality.
NEWSFLASH: I think that and I'm 11 years old.
Chris review truly sucks. It deserves a one star rating. As a novel and knowing almost nothing about Asperger I was able to enjoy the book on its own right. I feel the reviewer is just blowing his own horn in the expense of putting something down.
Chris wrote: "Hey Matt,
I just wanted to post a quick 'thank you', as your comment alerted me that my profile image isn't nearly as effective as conveying the badass-rebel image I ordinarily exude in person. ..."
this reply was really funny! But your review was actually long and eye-rolling. Try it more like this and don't veer off course so much, you can be so funny when you're not boring!
Wow, 2 years later and still some response evoked from this review! I have an autistic son and I still found this review to be hilarious. Why? Because I guess I choose to believe that Chris is just funny in a literary Daniel Tosh kind of way. Having an autistic son can be tough at times and also extremely rewarding but I can't expect people who aren't in the same position to fully feel that. The drowning of kids part - probably not so funny - but I'm just not thinking he'd actually do that, so just take it with a grain of salt. Truthfully, I wonder what did happen with autistic children 200 years ago. I wonder what happens to them today if their parents don't have the ability to properly deal with the situation.
So I read this book before we knew that my son has autism but when we knew that there were some parallels with the book. I enjoyed the book to a degree but had some issues with it. Much like this review, I would hope people aren't reading this book and thinking, ok, so Autistic kids, or kids with Aspergers anyway are really good at math and extremely violent. Because you see, when some people write books (see Jodi Piccoult's House Rules) they are thinking about what can make a plot interesting, the what ifs in society and what will fire people up? A lot people aren't going to read a book about what a typical family would autism would go through. Apparently if you add a little bit of murder mystery to the mix you can get a really good fan base.
So, I laughed when I read this. I laughed when I read all the responses. Too bad I had to write one that had no humor in it.
You are an ignorant peice of shit, who has nothing better to do than insult a book without even knwowing what it was awarded with. I hope your life is as misrable as you sound.
My reaction to this pointless review?
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...
When I read a book review I don't want to hear all about the writer's life story. As nice as your real life stories might be, I honestly couldn't give a hoot about where you read the book or where you plan to burn it. Short and sweet are two characteristics I like in my book reviews for a reason. If you must, must share a real life story, make sure it's at least relevant to the book you're talking about (Keep your rants at livejournal children!).
In MY opinion (haha!) Chris should follow his own advice to the parents of autistic children and find something better to do than vomit his piggish, prejudiced views about disabled people and red necks on the internet. Writing reviews which don't bore his reader to death would be nice too.
Alec wrote: "You are an ignorant peice of shit, who has nothing better to do than insult a book without even knwowing what it was awarded with. I hope your life is as misrable as you sound."
If he's as obnoxious as he is on the internet, I'm sure it is.
To start with, YOU ARE A COMPLETE MORON.
This was a fantastic book that explored the world of someone with Autism and you decided to make a joke out of it. Your review had almost nothing to do with the book and spent the majority of your idiotic slur talking about your hick friends and tornadoes. No one cares about you or your pathetic life. Anyone who found your review funny is an idiot like you.
Great book. You are a sad excuse for a human being.
Enough said.
Suck me loser.
Gods! I'm only on page 37 but even I can tell from just that amount of pages that you completely did not grasp the concept of ASPGERGER'S SYNDROME.
You talk about the boy narrating talking about the same things repetitively and the games that he liked and, yes, that may have annoyed you. OK, that's you point of view (even though I disagree with it) but your annoyance towards that shouldn't allow you to say that the whole book wasn't good.
In fact, some of the things that you just told me were in fact SYMPTOMNS of ASPERGER'S SYNDROME which is what the book is BASED ON!
So, actually, I think you had a perfect grasp on the book.
Ha ha. You just gave reasons why it sucessfully delivered the character of a person with Asperger's. LOL!
:)
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Ha! I didn't read the book, listened to the audiobook so fortunately was spared the words in bold and diagrams (?!!). I really enjoyed the audio version, guess that was the better format, eh?
That was a brilliant review. I don't normally read reviews that ramble on quite that long, but that was seriously entertaining.
This review isn't funny, it's crap. It has almost nothing to do with the book, and what does, doesn't make sense. The Curious Incident is a realistic story from an autistic boy's point of view - the author works with people like that so he should know, right?If you didn't like the book, fine. But don't make fun of autistic people just because you don't understand them and you're "tired of hearing about them." It's sick.
Wow, what a lot of words just to say you didn't like the book. Why even bother? It just makes you look like an ass.
Helen and Katryn, you missed the point: Chris is releasing some of the frustrated writer in him. He might even have liked The Curious Incident..., but good reviews are good in only one way, while bad reviews allow you to be creative
Then maybe Chris should get a blog, if he wants to rant and rave about the randomest things in creation. Goodreads is for posting your opinion on the book, but what do inbred children and his trip to the Midwest have to do with ANYTHING?
(gasp!)I mean I didn't like it that much either, but don't murder the book! Whatever made you say such horrible things (and don't tell me to read the book again because I love myself and would like to spare myself from torture)? Your review was knee-slapping funny though.
The only thing more depressing than this review are all the comments proclaiming it to be hysterically funny.Essentially Chris' beef with the book is that it's about an Autistic boy and it is evident that Chris really doesn't like the disabled.
What a stand up guy he obviously is.
From the ever so rebellious profile image depicting him lighting up to his plagiaristic account of the camp-site denizens, Chris has himself down as a latter day Bill Hicks. However Hicks used abrasion as the delivery tool of a searing observation on the injustices of modern life. He was never simply obnoxious for a cheap laugh.
I think Chris needs to grow up a little bit.
Hey Matt,I just wanted to post a quick 'thank you', as your comment alerted me that my profile image isn't nearly as effective as conveying the badass-rebel image I ordinarily exude in person. Sure, in the photo I'm lighting a smoke, and we all know how wicked-killer hardcore that is, but I unfortunately had to 'crop' the image prior to uploading, and what you are missing out on are not only my two kickass tattoos (one is a barbed-wire band around my neck, the other is the resulting hybrid of the Hebrew and Chinese characters for the phrase 'against the grain') but also the awesome "Che" shirt that I'm wearing, which I purchased en route to a totally off-the-chain Rage Against The Machine concert (and I exceeded the speed limit and neglected using my turn signals during that entire drive)!
You also reminded me I need to give credit for the source material that I pilfer all my reviews from. I had to Google Bill Hicks to find out who the hell he was, but after doing so, realized that I did indeed borrow heavily from him in this ridiculously lame waste of time/review. I'd like to thank the late, great George Carlin, from whom I stole word-for-word my review of "The Great Gatsby", Bill Cosby, who I blatantly ripped off in my review of "The Thorn Birds", and Sam Kinison, whom I slavishly emulated in my review of "Les Miserables" (in which I rant "Leper Whore!" whenever I reference the vixen Eponine). A chance encounter with your mother at the nearby Motel 6 allowed my to quote her verbatim in my review of "Infinite Jest" when I plagiaristically stated "my, god it's so big and thick and good!"
As far as growing up goes; I'm undertaking that magnificent transformation one day at a time. However, as I've actually never posted a comment on someone else's review simply to lambaste the reviewer and the collective taste of those who might have liked it, I'm hesitant to take your advice. Then again, if your post is a review of my review........ hmmm, now this is really presenting a quandary for me.
Kathryn,Thanks for your comment.
About my last response to Chris. I actually found his reply very funny and responded in kind.
It was a joke. I'm sure when he reads it he will appreciate it.
M
I actually really hated his comments. He said more about himself than the book and that is not why I was reading the reviews. He seems like a really irritating person and very full of himself. I had trouble with the book too, but I know a kid with Asperger's and I was impressed with the accuracy of the author's portrayal.
Ginnie, I looked at the review that you suggested and I understand what you mean. However, from the research that I have done on Asperger's Syndrome, the effects of which vary with each case, it was obvious that Mark Haddon had gathered much of the same information that I had. Keep in mind Mark Haddon is not autistic so it is impossible for him to know exactly what happens in an autistic mind. This book is perhaps not the best book for autistic people but it does help non-autistic people to understand some of the differences. It is very difficult because the autistic and non-autistic mind function very differently. A non-autistic cannot put themselves into the thought process of an autistic. It is just not possible. I applaud Mark Haddon for trying, even if the only result was to bring further autistic awareness.I still really hated Chris' review.
Matt's a square bear and he needs to move out of his Mommy's house, no matter how good her grilled cheese sandwiches are.
Wow! I hated the book too! However, not to the point that I would write an overly verbose review primarily chronicling my adventures in camping and then grudge fucking my girlfriend afterwards (I hope she dumped you).You're a pretty good writer, albeit a bit pompous and pretentious. And what's up with your profile photo? Why are you wearing two pairs of glasses?
I couldn't make it past paragraph 3 of Chris's review. However, I have enjoyed reading all of these comments. Thanks for the entertainment everybody!
Chris is quite dense. The book isn't funny, but it is moving and enlightening. Maybe Chris can't read?
Wow Dude, Seriously twisted views! Obviously you want to be a writer and you have some skill with words but I have a feeling you are pretty self-absorbed. do you also hate the blind, crippled and deaf? Lighten up and bit and you might enjoy life more. Better yet, take out your frustrations by taking your hand at writing a book yourself. Maybe on one of your camping trips.
Chris, the circumference of your neck looks to be close to that of a redwood tree. I'm not sure what this means, but I thought I should tell you. Oh, and I entertained your mother last night. (It was my turn.) Over Starbuck's Via Instant Coffee and Pepperidge Farm Chessmen cookies, we discussed your tendency to misdirect your obvious comedic gifts into cruel, pointless reviews of books about disabled people. I mean, who is bold enough to use a word like 'smegma'? You, Chris, and you can grow beyond the comment threads of GoodReads. You're special.
I found your review very witty and entertaining, though I must say I skimmed some parts since it's a bit long. You actually made it sound appealing to me Lastly, this autistic kid is walking around with a knife throughout the book and ceaselessly contemplating shanking strangers with it.
Was what caught my eye and made me determined to read this book. The paragraph that's in is my fave from the review. Anyway I hope you keep reviewing more books.
I really agree -- the book was awful, and I can't understand who this guy slept with to get the book as much hype as it had.
Oh man I usually really enjoy your reviews Chris but this one really cut me up. Speaking from personal experience, my daughter is autistic, I'm pretty fucking sure that she hates the shit that she has to do to try and function in the world too and I'm also pretty solid on the fact that I'm glad I didnt drown her at birth...your "simple minded slander" about those with autism goes beyond the bounds of a book review and only contributes to the prejudices that they have to put up with on a daily basis. If you don't like the book, fine but did you really need to take that extra step and air your ignorance and negative views about those with autism too?I am subjected to someone groaning in close proximity to me for hours on a daily basis...and I can tell you that that shit is a hell of a lot cooler than your sad ignorance.
hey! I have one request. I see that you are deepened in the book, and you do good you know. Asked if you would like to write me a short essay on the relationship between C and his father. And relationship between C and his mother. You made me a really big favor, because I have school in another bunch of stuff. And my English is very bad! Please reply me! Thank you! Pia
I thought the review was 'honest'. This is a book I liked - mind you, I wouldn't want to read a whole series of books that go on about the topic.But Chris's review is a riot - hats off to you Chris.
I'm gonna' ask you to be one of my 'friends' . . .
Chris seems like the type who'd dump a quadriplegic from his wheelchair into the pool and say, "Swim, you pansy! You're not really paralyzed!" As the parent of an autistic child, I'm also glad you aren't one of my child's schoolmates. You would have probably been one of those assholes who pushes him in the halls just to get a reaction and calls him "freak" and "weirdo" because you refuse to exercise any comnpassion or understanding so you can write a salacious, ignorant, insensitive review of a book that was supposed to foster awareness. Simply put,you didn't like it because you didn't get it. And if you did "get it," you were uncomfortable with the truth of it because you probably were one of those assholes in sixth grade who pushed disabled kids around and called them "freak" and "weirdo." Some things just aren't funny. Your review is at the top of the list.
Since when does a review of anything (book, film, etc.) need to be "sensitive"? Plus, this is is his OPINION. I've read several reviews elsewhere by people diagnosed with Asperger's and other spectrum disorders who say this book is extremely stereotypical and inaccurate. I suppose they must be ignorant and insensitive, as well. Anyway, hilarious review.
What a shame that even people who disagree with this reviewer's opinion, like his review. I'm honor bound to respect his right to his opinion but, c'mon, the review itself sucks. It proves only that he's comical. It doesn't even give evidence that he read the book."This book sucks and now look at a lot of funny ways I can say it," does not constitute a meaningful review. You're funny, Chris, but if you believe the stuff you write, you are an asshole.
It's beyond extremely stereotypical and inaccurate. It is probably the ONLY Asperger's related book in existence that has genuinely offended me, and I've read nearly all of them. I thought this review was pretty funny.
The author of Curious Incident admits on his website he knows very little about Aspergers and that this book is a "novel". I read this book with an open mind and therefore I found parts of it really funny and it made me laugh, so I liked it for that reason. (I hated all the bad language in it though - unnecessary and detracted from the enjoyment of the book). Each to his own and "vive la difference!"
"The author of Curious Incident admits on his website he knows very little about Aspergers..."THEN HE SHOULDN'T HAVE WRITTEN THE BOOK. I'm sorry, but why would you write a book about a mental disorder that you know nothing about and further those harmful stereotypes? "Write what you know" doesn't mean "write about stereotypes you think are true."
Actually Kimmy I tend to agree with you in some ways. I was a little disappointed when I learnt that he knew little of the condition, but then he did admit it was a novel about "difference", so on this admission I let it pass. This is what the author wrote on his website on 16 July 2009:"16/07/09 01:34pm asperger's & autism
unsurprisingly, i'm often asked to talk about asperger’s and autism or to become involved with organisations who work on behalf of people with asperger’s and autism, many of whom do wonderful work. but i always decline, for two reasons:
1) i know very little about the subject. i did no research for curious incident (other than photographing the interiors of swindon and paddington stations). i’d read oliver sacks’s essay about temple grandin and a handful of newspaper and magazine articles about, or by, people with asperger’s and autism. i deliberately didn’t add to this list. imagination always trumps research. i thought that if i could make Christopher real to me then he’d be real to readers. i gave him some rules to live by and some character traits and opinions, all of which i borrowed from people i know, none of whom would be labelled as having a disability. judging by the reaction, it seems to have worked.
2) curious incident is not a book about asperger’s. it’s a novel whose central character describes himself as ‘a mathematician with some behavioural difficulties’. indeed he never uses the words ‘asperger’s’ or ‘autism’ (i slightly regret that fact that the word ‘asperger’s’ was used on the cover). if anything it’s a novel about difference, about being an outsider, about seeing the world in a surprising and revealing way. it’s as much a novel about us as it is about christopher.
labels say nothing about a person. they say only how the rest of us categorise that person. good literature is always about peeling labels off. and treating real people with dignity is always about peeling the labels off. a diagnosis may lead to practical help. but genuinely understanding another human being involves talking and listening to them and finding out what makes them an individual, not what makes them part of a group.
i passionately believe this and i’ve said it repeatedly in many different forms. to become a spokesperson for those with asperger’s or autism, or to present myself as some kind of expert in the field, would completely undermine this, and make me look like a fool into the bargain. i would much rather spend my time writing more novels, standing up for difference and trying to understand outsiders who see the world in surprising and revealing ways"
http://www.markhaddon.com/aspergers-a...
I found his websdite a little odd and I think maybe Mark Haddon is an odd sort himself, though i have to admit I haven't read a lot of his blog, but the little Id id read I thought he had a very "different" worldview himself!
I see what you mean now. It doesn't make me any less irritated that I know of so many people who think this book is all they need to read to become an "instant expert" on Asperger Syndrome, and so I will probably never be able to re-approach the book with an open mind, but it makes more sense.
Nobody gives a damn about your trip, dumbass. I'm gonna do you a favor and tell you that you're a prejudiced piece of shit. I hope this spares you the humiliation of walking around under the assumption that you're funny. Kind of like Michael Scott in The Office. If you've never seen the show, I suggest you watch and learn from your fictional counterpart.
Kate wrote: "Since when does a review of anything (book, film, etc.) need to be "sensitive"? Plus, this is is his OPINION. I've read several reviews elsewhere by people diagnosed with Asperger's and other spect..."If I'd read a book with a black protagonist and wrote a review saying, "You know what, I really can't fucking stand black people. They're so annoying." Would that count as an okay "opinion" too? No, of course not. Shut the fuck up and stop promoting hatred of handicapped people.
You are a insulting overbearing idiot and I hope that you read a lot because that might be our only good quality.NEWSFLASH: I think that and I'm 11 years old.
Chris review truly sucks. It deserves a one star rating. As a novel and knowing almost nothing about Asperger I was able to enjoy the book on its own right. I feel the reviewer is just blowing his own horn in the expense of putting something down.
Chris wrote: "Hey Matt,I just wanted to post a quick 'thank you', as your comment alerted me that my profile image isn't nearly as effective as conveying the badass-rebel image I ordinarily exude in person. ..."
this reply was really funny! But your review was actually long and eye-rolling. Try it more like this and don't veer off course so much, you can be so funny when you're not boring!
Wow, 2 years later and still some response evoked from this review! I have an autistic son and I still found this review to be hilarious. Why? Because I guess I choose to believe that Chris is just funny in a literary Daniel Tosh kind of way. Having an autistic son can be tough at times and also extremely rewarding but I can't expect people who aren't in the same position to fully feel that. The drowning of kids part - probably not so funny - but I'm just not thinking he'd actually do that, so just take it with a grain of salt. Truthfully, I wonder what did happen with autistic children 200 years ago. I wonder what happens to them today if their parents don't have the ability to properly deal with the situation. So I read this book before we knew that my son has autism but when we knew that there were some parallels with the book. I enjoyed the book to a degree but had some issues with it. Much like this review, I would hope people aren't reading this book and thinking, ok, so Autistic kids, or kids with Aspergers anyway are really good at math and extremely violent. Because you see, when some people write books (see Jodi Piccoult's House Rules) they are thinking about what can make a plot interesting, the what ifs in society and what will fire people up? A lot people aren't going to read a book about what a typical family would autism would go through. Apparently if you add a little bit of murder mystery to the mix you can get a really good fan base.
So, I laughed when I read this. I laughed when I read all the responses. Too bad I had to write one that had no humor in it.
You are an ignorant peice of shit, who has nothing better to do than insult a book without even knwowing what it was awarded with. I hope your life is as misrable as you sound.
My reaction to this pointless review? Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...
When I read a book review I don't want to hear all about the writer's life story. As nice as your real life stories might be, I honestly couldn't give a hoot about where you read the book or where you plan to burn it. Short and sweet are two characteristics I like in my book reviews for a reason. If you must, must share a real life story, make sure it's at least relevant to the book you're talking about (Keep your rants at livejournal children!).
In MY opinion (haha!) Chris should follow his own advice to the parents of autistic children and find something better to do than vomit his piggish, prejudiced views about disabled people and red necks on the internet. Writing reviews which don't bore his reader to death would be nice too.
Alec wrote: "You are an ignorant peice of shit, who has nothing better to do than insult a book without even knwowing what it was awarded with. I hope your life is as misrable as you sound."If he's as obnoxious as he is on the internet, I'm sure it is.
To start with, YOU ARE A COMPLETE MORON.This was a fantastic book that explored the world of someone with Autism and you decided to make a joke out of it. Your review had almost nothing to do with the book and spent the majority of your idiotic slur talking about your hick friends and tornadoes. No one cares about you or your pathetic life. Anyone who found your review funny is an idiot like you.
Great book. You are a sad excuse for a human being.
Enough said.
Suck me loser.
Gods! I'm only on page 37 but even I can tell from just that amount of pages that you completely did not grasp the concept of ASPGERGER'S SYNDROME.You talk about the boy narrating talking about the same things repetitively and the games that he liked and, yes, that may have annoyed you. OK, that's you point of view (even though I disagree with it) but your annoyance towards that shouldn't allow you to say that the whole book wasn't good.
In fact, some of the things that you just told me were in fact SYMPTOMNS of ASPERGER'S SYNDROME which is what the book is BASED ON!
So, actually, I think you had a perfect grasp on the book.
Ha ha. You just gave reasons why it sucessfully delivered the character of a person with Asperger's. LOL!
:)
this book is terrible.