Also, in reading the book, and feeling the angst of "what's wrong with me" throughout - as an outsider, my strongest urge is to say "Nothing is wrong with you! You're not insane, you took acid." Relationships are confusing and weird and there's a steep learning curve. Parents can be remote and punishing. Life is messy. Welcome to being human.

Just wanted to post a short follow-up after reading the full book. I think I'm reacting badly to the diagnosis because 1. on the spectrum, I've known people so much more disconnected and 2. I'm identifying with a lot of Mr. Page's "search for a tribe of his own", as I think many intelligent, passionate people do. (spoiler warning) I like the story about the donor who wanted to put Bolero on every program - of course he laughed, it sounds like a joke. And the school administrator who thought Mr. Page was flaunting his contempt while he was trying to hide it. I hear that theme of social anxiety throughout his life, and that self-awareness is precisely what makes me question the diagnosis. The typical Asperger is someone's who so out of touch with the people around him that he/she doesn't notice they're out of step, and doesn't care when it's brought to their attention.

As someone who loves math and the arts, and who saw Tim Page at concerts weekly, read his books, reviews, and weekly chats - I found this confusing and stunning. While I am not questioning the training of the person who made the diagnosis, I am questioning the usefulness of this disorder if someone as "normal" as Tim Page can fall under that umbrella. I'm hardly unimpressed that his personality was not a good fit for managing a symphony - how many of us are? Introversion, obsessiveness to detail, discomfort with lying - this is a psychological disorder? If you think of any professional musician, scientist, inventor, engineer...

The recent discussion with Tim Page was troubling. Widespread misunderstanding re. autism, ASD & Asperger's Syndrome makes it incredibly hard for perfectly healthy but highly able and creative children to find appropriate support. Differences in personality-type and learning style working in conjunction with the psychic abilities of an intense and gifted individual may look like a disorder. A wrong diagnosis, e.g., of autism, can be exceedingly harmful. Yes, AS is real. Yet while admittedly not all details are known, from my perspective Tim's experience & profile seems to reflect the "normality" of a gifted child.

I'm 45 and recently discovered (was shown) I had Asperger's and after an initial rejection it began to explain so much.
It has had a fair share of pitfalls certainly, but it is overall a gift IMHO.
I mean without it I wouldn't be where I am, and where I am is a pretty good place.
And I love the symbolism it has taken on with my passion for listening to/ bowing the US/Mex border wall...:^)
http://www.sonicanta.com
Thanks again for this piece and to Tim for his candor.

Congratulations to Tim for being candid and showing his own son such a fresh way to see a diagnosis, which is after all, just a description in a way of one subtle color of mind.
His candor opens the way for other talented people to accept and celebrate their own differences.