Mozart and the Whale: An Asperger's Love Story

An unforgettable love story and the incredible chronicle of a musical genius and a mathematical prodigy who share a diagnosis of Asperger's syndrome. When Jerry and Mary Newport met, the connection was instant. A musical genius and a mathematical wonder, the two shared astronomic IQs, but they also shared something else--they both were diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome, a form of autism that affects millions of Americans and makes social contact painfully unbearable. When Jerry and Mary married, they were catapulted into the limelight. They appeared on 60 Minutes and soon were known as "superstars in the world of autism," shining examples of two people who refused to give up in the face of their mutual challenge. But just when it appeared that their lives would enjoy a fairy-tale ending, their marriage fell apart. The Hollywood feeding frenzy was too much to handle, and they divorced. After heartbreaking years of soul searching, Jerry and Mary remarried. Today, with their union stronger than ever, they have dedicated themselves to helping countless other people with Asperger's and autism lead lives of dignity.… (more)

User reviews

LibraryThing member spacepotatoes

"Ours definitely isn't a black-and-white love story. It's one that constantly explodes with all the colours in the spectrum. It's brilliant, complex, and filled with the promise that real love truly does conquer all."

The above quote is Mary Newport’s description of her relationship with husband

Jerry, but it applies equally well to the book. Their story, told with (sometimes brutal) honesty, covers the full spectrum of emotions: funny, sad, frustrating, trying, rewarding. Both were born with Asperger’s syndrome, a form of autism that makes social interaction a real challenge. Both grew up feeling terribly alone and different from their peers, and both dealt with this in often self-destructive ways. The book chronicles each of their childhoods, early adult lives, and their lives together from both of their perspectives.

Their story is an incredible one and I found myself completely immersed in it as I was reading; I didn’t want to put the book down, especially when I was in the middle of one of Mary’s parts. Both sides of the story are well written, with the help of Johnny Dodd. Some parts made me laugh out loud while others just broke my heart.

I just went through teacher’s college, where everyone is now required to take an intro course for special education, at least in Canada. We learn about autistic spectrum disorders and their various signs, and we learn strategies for working with kids at different points on the spectrum. Reading about Jerry and Mary’s childhood experiences in the 50s and 60s really highlighted how much our mentality about these disorders and people who are affected by them have shifted. I couldn’t help but wonder how different their stories would turn out if they had grown up within the last 10 years or so.

Overall: a bit repetitive at times, but still a fascinating and eye-opening story.

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LibraryThing member SqueakyChu

What should have been an interesting story about a man and a woman with Asperger's syndrome didn't work for me. I found myself getting bored with the story and wanting it to end. I completely stopped reading it and, only later, forced myself to finish this book. It seemed to be unusually long and

drawn out, perhaps because the story was told in the alternating voices of both Jerry and Mary. I'd have preferred the story be told only once, although I realized the book was set up this way to give the perspectives of both people.

Aditionally, I don't feel as if I learned that much about Asperger's sydrome from this book. These two characters had too many comorbidities, especially Mary, for me to determine what it would be like to live with a diagnosis of Asperger's. I would have liked some more concrete information about the sydrome or at least to have been given some guidelines as to what I could do to be helpful and friendly to anyone I encounter with it. Obviously my writing a negative review about the Newports' book doesn't help.

I'm glad that Jerry and Mary met and are happy together. As for a book with more insight into autism and savant syndrome, I highly suggest reading Born on a Blue Day by Daniel Tammet.

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LibraryThing member Clara53

Quite an eye-opener about Asperger's Syndrome.... Events that defy logic. If I didn't know better (it's a memoir!) I would have thought half of this stuff was made up... A lot of the awful things would probably not have happened if the two people who wrote the book were diagnosed with this syndrome

in early childhood. The book is a poignant indicator of that. Naturally, it was impossible to describe two lives in detail in just one volume of a book - so there is a lot of skipping and some unclear years. Some things are questionable, too: Mary blamed her parents for rough treatment but they kept coming through for her in many ways over the years, as she herself admits. As for Jerry, usually people with explosive temper don't acknowledge it - so it's sounded a bit unrealistic that he did.

As for the writer who helped the two narrate their story, assuming it's his style - it was catchy for sure, but too many cliches, truisms, and overused phrasing. You can see a popular magazines' writer in that. But aside from that - Asperger's Syndrome was discussed in an honest way. And that is what matters here.

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