Raising Cubby

A Father and Son's Adventures with Asperger's, Trains, Tractors, and High Explosives

By: John Elder Robison

Narrated by: John Elder Robison

The slyly funny, sweetly moving memoir of an unconventional dad’s relationship with his equally offbeat son - complete with fast cars, tall tales, homemade explosives, and a whole lot of fun and trouble

Misfit, truant, delinquent. John Robison was never a model child, and he wasn’t a model dad either. Diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome at the age of 40, he approached fatherhood as a series of logic puzzles and practical jokes. When his son, Cubby, asked, “Where did I come from?” John said he’d bought him at the Kid Store and that the salesman had cheated him by promising Cubby would “do all chores”. He read electrical engineering manuals to Cubby at bedtime. He told Cubby that wizards turned children into stone when they misbehaved.

Still, John got the basics right. He made sure Cubby never drank diesel fuel at the automobile repair shop he owns. And he gave him a life of adventure: By the time Cubby was 10, he’d steered a Coast Guard cutter, driven a freight locomotive, and run an antique Rolls Royce into a fence.

The one thing John couldn’t figure out was what to do when school authorities decided that Cubby was dumb and stubborn - the very same thing he had been told as a child. Did Cubby have Asperger’s too? The answer was unclear. One thing was clear, though: By the time he turned 17, Cubby had become a brilliant chemist - smart enough to make military-grade explosives and bring state and federal agents calling. Afterward, with Cubby facing up to 60 years in prison, both father and son were forced to take stock of their lives, finally coming to terms with being “on the spectrum” as both a challenge and a unique gift.

By turns tender, suspenseful, and hilarious, this is more than just the story of raising Cubby. It’s the story of a father and son who grow up together.

©2013 John Elder Robison (P)2013 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"Robison's third book starts with a bang--his description of the 'malicious explosion' created by his teenage Cubby that has the boy, who has Asperger's syndrome, looking at 60 years in prison, is as disconcerting as it is captivating....With the ensuing investigation and trial, Cubby and the author are drawn into a crazy world that threatens to tear apart their already delicate lives." ( Publishers Weekly)

"Funny and moving...A warmhearted, appealing account by a masterful storyteller." ( Kirkus Reviews)

"John Elder Robison is one of my autism super heroes because he bravely brings humor and humility to the heart and soul of the taboo and unexpected corners of life lived with autism. His new book, Raising Cubby, is more than a memoir about a father and son bound by their Asperger syndrome. It’s a story that reminds us how precious and precarious the parent child relationship is and how beautiful our lives can be when we are share that ride together. Raising Cubby is Robison’s best work yet.” (Liane Holliday-Willey, coauthor of Pretending to Be Normal: Living with Asperger Syndrome)

John Robison

John's passion, honesty and concerns for his son, family and those who have Asperges Syndrom. His shared life experiences and insight of our countries enforcement and judicial system is an eye opener for those yet to experience it.

Enlightened

Great story with real life events along with the challenge of asbergers syndrome interwoven in a family'

Outstanding.

This is an excellent book. Great story line. Very motivational to get involved on a larger scale.

Great book

Surprisingly fun to listen too and gives good insight to understanding my son better than before.

Wow. Just wow. So educational in story form.

If you could sum up Raising Cubby in three words, what would they be?

Poignant. Educational. Moving.

What other book might you compare Raising Cubby to and why?

None. This book has it all.

Which scene was your favorite?

Any and all. I couldn't stop listening and marveling over how deeply this family feels and absorbs information.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes. I just hated arriving at my destinations. Just hated it.

Any additional comments?

This book was interesting in that I learned about the way that 'Aspergians' think, how smart they are, and the quality traits they have. I was hooked immediately and up until the very end...even throughout the credits and acknowledgments. I learned about each person when it was explained to me, what role they had in the writing of the book. That in itself was a learning experience as far as the way that people with Aspergers think in full detail.