Rating: 
Summary: Five Red Cars
Review: This book has a brilliantly captivating opening. A boy finds his neighbour's dog dead with a pitchfork in it. Who killed the dog? He holds the dog to show his sympathy... then the neighbour shows up and asks what he'd done to the dog. "The dog is dead," is all he can say. The boy is autistic... his ability to express himself and read others is very poor. Throughout you are trapped in his viewpoint screaming to get out and give him a hand. You want to guide him, defend him... even just get him to say he didn't kill the dog! The killing of the dog sets the boy off on an investigation that changes his life. Through his adventure you explore the world of this young Rainman - where 4 read cars mean a great day and 4 yellow cars mean you need to jam your head in the corner of the room and groan. In him we can see normal human quirkiness taken to the extreme. Warning for parents: This is more of an young adult easy reader than a kid's book. The book touches on sex, affairs and divorce plus some of the language is RA. "Let go of the dog," she shouted. "Let go of the f*cking dog for Christ's sake!"
Rating:
Summary: a very good take on asperger's syndrome
Review: Having taught several students with Asperger's Sydnrome in mathematics, I think the author has really hit the nail on the head in his characterizations of Christopher (the main chracter in the book). Fantastic mathematicaly ability, the inability to understand the feelings of others, the aversions to certain colors and other things, the extreme governance and rigidity of their lives by routine, the inability to empathize, trust of only certain individuals, dislike of crowds and being overwhelmed by new situations, dislike of being touched, the belief that everything you say is exactly what you mean (ie the inability to grasp nuance in language) it's all spot on, from my experience. Definitely correct. The book itself- with chapters numbered as primes, which I thought was very cool- deals with a minor but ultimately significant event in Christopher's life as he chooses to investigate the murder of Wellington, Mrs Shears dog. It is through this that he learns some things that will change his life. Christopher's world is a small, regulated one full of things he is compelled to remember and routines he must follow to keep himself safe; enriched by his love of mathematics, computers and physics- its the notion of rules and order, structure and predictability, not messy humanity for all its failings, foibles, idiosyncracies and inconsistencies. At times it overwhelms him, even the street he lives on and the school he attends. In Mathematics he is safe. It is what he understands and can relate to, not people. The story is told in first person and thoroughly believable, particularly if you've had any experience with Asperger's kids. The author has captured and realized Christpher's character so unbelievably well. He is one of the best characterizations I have ever read. Truly it was engrossing, believable, tragic at times, difficult, funny, different, and always fascinating and brilliant, of course. If you've met any Asperber's kids, you'll know what I mean. There is a little coarse language in the book, particuarly from characters interacting with Christopher. Even the C-word gets mention, so you might bear this is mind if letting a younger reader read the book. The book is set in Swindon, in England so there are a few oddities that might challenge some readers- the idea of A-levels being the major one, English street society (think coronnation street the TV show) being another. Personally I found them as more color and texture than anything to be head-shaking at or alienated from because I am not english. So do yourself a favor and read this book. It is a truly worthy and remarkable peice of work. Don't look at it as some profound earth-moving peice of literature, but rather a thoroghly engrossing and insightful journey into the world of a teenager with Asperger's Syndrome. Only complaint: the journey is far too short. Also the character is NOTHING like Adrian Mole- a somewhat offensive and ridiculous characterization, dismissing the character is this book as such. The reviewer who posted that is obviously as the british would say 'a prat' and 'a twit'. In all, defintely 5 stars. A great book. Do yourself a favor and read it. The only time you'll be disappointed is when you come to the end: that it's over!
Rating:
Summary: Blow-out, mind-boggling, and all-round great stuff
Review: Ever had a friend or relative that could come up with the formula for cold fusion but couldn't tie their shoes? Then you'll want to read THE CURIOUS INCIDENT by Mark Haddon. It's a book that shows us the world through the eyes of an autistic fifteen-year-old. When a neighbor's poodle is found impaled on a pitch fork (hence the upsidedown dog on the cover, sans pitch fork), young Christopher (the main character in this book) must know why. But the route he chooses to take is rather odd--a sort of Rube Goldberg method to finding out what happened. On one hand, Christopher's choice of tools and insights make perfect sense, but looked at more closely, they're almost insane. Herein lies the problem with the autistic mind. And who is to say who's really "off" here when it comes to rationalization? What part of us, as a society that is rational, has learned this (correctly or incorrectly) and what part is instinct? Haddon does a wonderful job of taking inside the head of this gifted yet limited young man, and showing us what makes him tick. Another great read that does this is a book called "The Bark of the Dogwood--A Tour of Southern Homes and Gardens." Enjoy.
Rating: 
Summary: Great Insight into the mind of an Autistic person
Review: I am in a book club and searched long and hard for something different for my book club offering: Mark Haddon's The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time. I chose the book as it promised great insight into the mind of an autistic person... and understanding often offers tolerance... and even compassion of other's differences... The book also promised a murder-mystery plot and humor. I was disappointed that we found out "who done it" way too early in the book. But a new plot was offered in it's place. The outcome was somewhat more predictable than the first plot. But it increased my awareness of the struggles parents of autistic children might go through--again offering "outsiders" a chance to be more compassionate to someone we know in such circumstances. I didn't particularly find the book very funny even though other reviews said it was. Would I still choose it knowing what I know now? Yes! And that's because it was written as if a 15-year old autistic boy wrote it making it an entertaining, enlightning and an easy read. I could have done without all of the "math problems," but would highly recommend it to anyone who loves a good math challenge or someone who would benefit from understanding the mind and emotions of an autistic child (or adult) without having to read a boring, factual, medical book! I even learned a few, new, interesting tidbits that may benefit me the next time I play a trivia game.
Rating:
Summary: Runs Out of Gas Before the End
Review: This is, for the most part, a daring and successful attempt at writing a story from the perspective of a 15 year old autistic boy. The first two-thirds of the book are fantastic, and the reader comes to care for Christopher and his quest. However, the last third of the novel peters out and becomes predictable and even a little flat; but Haddon deserves four stars for a generally wonderful story
Rating:
Summary: Interesting Look at Another world
Review: Fifteen year-old Christopher Boone, a high-functioning autistic, is the narrator of this quirky tale. When Christopher finds a neighbor's dog impaled on a garden fork, he decides to solve the mystery of the dog's death. While Christopher does not feel much of an emotional connection to most people (including his own father), he feels that the dog's death is heinous murder. In the course of his investigation, he finds out much more than he bargains for. A really interesting look at the thought processes of the autistic. I found myself laughing to keep from crying at some of the situations Christopher gets himself into, and felt great sympathy for his working-class parents who seem more than a little overwhelmed by Christopher's care.
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Summary: ~~From Autistic Eyes~~
Review: What a wonderful read this was! I've had this on my list of "to read" for a while now. It has to be now one of my favorites.
Perhaps because of the unusual plot, or perhaps, the main character, Christopher.
Told from an autistic young man's view of the world, this book is not only great because it's just simply a well-written novel, but such because of the author's wondrous ways of showing us autism in its own spectrum.
My son is three & has some minor autistic behavior, and though I know much about the disorder, this book really helped me to "understand" how an autistic person sees life.
You don't have to have any "need" for reading this. It is truly engrossing, touching, and funny. The characters are uneven slices of a messy, sloppy pie. But they are Christopher's and by golly, he accepts them all graciously & makes them all a world that might not ever reach perfection, but will always see another door opening for them.
Don't pass this one up!
Rating:
Summary: Map of an autistic mind
Review: Fifteen-year-old Christopher Boone can name all the prime numbers up to 2000, can tell there are 60 circles on his teacher's shoes, can figure out it takes exactly 21 minutes to take the bus to school. Christopher has an inquisitive mind, keenness to numbers, unusual intuition of space, but he doesn't like anything yellow or brown. Christopher has Asperger's Syndrome, a condition similar to autism. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, unlike any book of fiction that I have read, deftly, but in very simplistic language that belongs to the voice of an autistic child, maps out Christopher's mind and emotions. When Christopher discovers that his neighbor's dog Wellington has been murdered with a garden fork, he skillfully applies his logical mind to probe the murder. Starting with neighbors on the same street, Christopher makes his inquiries but to no avail. His teacher Sihoban encourages him to keep all the clues that he has produced and discovered in a book which will eventually manifests into a book. When his father interferes at his investigation and locks up his journal, Christopher sets off a chain of events that unveil a shocking truth about his family. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time is after all a book about trust, integrity and reconciliation. It verbalizes the mind of an autistic child and internalizes his thinking, bringing his fear and insecurity to full actuality. The book shows great insight to the meticulously, pristinely set of routines that is built on logic and mathematical equations that governs the protagonist's life. The writing is compulsively simple and unadorned. 2004 (36) © MY
Rating: 
Summary: Terrible- not written well at all
Review: Don't waste your money, it was almost as bad as Life of Pi, someone trying to fill up pages with text, going into detail of things that shouldn't be detailed and then continuing on with the story line. What a waste!, If you want to read well written books I'll suggest: The Kite Runner, The Poisonwood Bible, Lovely Bones all well written- I can tell..no struggle to fill pages.
Rating:
Summary: This Is A Murder Mystery Novel of the Best Kind
Review: We all know or have heard of the trials and tribulations of people who are autistic. Mark Haddon has written an extraordinary book in the voice, thoughts and sense of such a person, Christopher John Francis Boone. Mark Haddon worked with autistic children in another part of his life, and knows first hand, as he has exhibited how they live and communicate. Christopher lives with his father. His mother, he was told died two years previously of heart disease. Christopher's father has immense patience and love for him. Christopher has trouble at times sleeping at night, and he walks in his neighborhood. One night he came across his neighbor's dog who had been killed by a pitchfork. Christopher loves dogs and brings the dog to his mistress. She immediatley thinks he killed the dog, and the police are called. The police touch Christopher, and he cannot, absolutely cannot, stand to be touched, so he hits the police officer. He is arrested and eventually released. His father drives him home and they discuss this event. Christopher tells his father that it is his mission to begin an investigtion into the murder of Wellington, the dead dog. Father, of course, tells Christopher to leave it alone. This begins the mission of Christopher to unwind the drama of the murder. He visits the neighbors to question them. This is a very unsual event; Christopher does not talk to strangers, but this is a special mission, and he completes the task. He talks to one of his teachers at school, Siobhan, about his detective work, and she suggests he write a story about this venture. Christopher moves on and the story takes a strange twist to the city of London. Christopher reveals the humour and sadness that envelopes this story. He is a true hero, and shares his differences with us openly and with matter of fact manner. This is such an unusual story, you will certainly be moved to share this story with friends and family. This is a chance for all of us to understand the life of someone who is different, someone to be admired and cherished. Christopher John Francis Boone is my friend. I have never met him. He is a fictional person, but I love his innocence and vitality. Everything is truth to him, and he speaks that truth to me. prisrob
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