[simpleazon-link asin=”1476729093″ locale=”us”]The Rosie Project: A Novel[/simpleazon-link] by Graeme Simsion

My review: 5 of 5 stars

Delightful, astute and uproariously funny! Don Tillman, professor of genetics, soars as a socially inept scientist in search of a wife. He approaches the job scientifically and soon discovers that love is more art than science. His adherence to routine and his need to approach life logically are recipes for misunderstandings and missteps that are often hysterical. Tillman’s clinical narration of the Wife Project and subsequent events results in deadpan delivery that hits the comic bull’s-eye. The author manages to be humorous as well as insightful and intelligent in the writing of The Rosie Project. Don is a gem of a man, and Rosie is the real deal. I fell in love with them both. Recommended for fans of romantic comedy and The Big Bang Theory.

Our book club chose The Rosie Project to discuss this month. The questions led to lively conversation about bad dates and how we see ourselves in general. Some participants shared personal experiences with students or relatives with Asperger’s Syndrome. Most readers enjoyed the book, but a couple were put off by the science and clinical narration. The Rosie Project proved to be an excellent book club choice.

*Contains language that may be offensive to some readers.

Quotes:

“In the animal kingdom, I would succeed in reproducing” (p. 3).

“Humans often fail to see what is close to them and obvious to others” (p. 82).

“Of course I was depressed: I lacked friends, sex, and a social life, because I was incompatible with other people” (p. 183).

“Emotions have their own logic” (p. 186).

“Love is a powerful feeling for another person, often defying logic” (p. 280).

For Book Clubs:

Reading Group Guide by Graeme Simsion (includes a link to an online Asperger’s test)
Reading Group Guide by Simon and Schuster (includes a Q & A with Graeme Simsion)