Don Tillman had his life in order. He was good at his job as Professor of Genetics; in fact, some would describe him as brilliant. He has two friends so far – Gene, a colleague at the university, and Gene’s wife, Claudia. He is working on increasing that number. He had a routine. But Don felt it was time to take the next step in the progression of his life. He decided he needed a wife.
To that end, Don set out to find the perfect candidate in a logical and organized manner. He created a list of the requirements - qualities he found essential in any candidate to be considered. He even circulated a questionnaire based on that list, then waited for the applicants to respond. But, for some reason, few did.
Enter Rosie who was quickly eliminated as a candidate. She was disorganized, impulsive, and worked at a bar. Clearly, she did not meet Don’s high standards. Plus, she was a vegetarian – AND she smoked! Rosie introduced chaos into Don Tillman’s well-ordered life!
Don has always known he was different. That didn’t bother him all that much. He had good coping skills and a busy schedule. In his quest for a wife, as with any other endeavor in his life, Don relied on his intelligence and logic. These two attributes rarely failed him.
The Rosie Project is at times touching, often hilarious and an insightful peek into the mind of one who might be considered to be highly functional autistic, sometimes referred to as Aspberger’s Disorder. As Don assists Rosie in her own personal “project” – that of learning the identity of her biological father – he finds himself engaged and happy, possibly for the first time in his life. He discovered that life when Rosie is around is more interesting. He takes risks and interacts with people in unusual ways ... one might even say 'normal' ways. He doesn’t understand this, but is determined to figure it out – in a logical and orderly manner, of course.
Watching the relationship develop between these two individuals is a joy. They make you laugh and at times cringe even while you are fully aware this cannot possibly work. Or can it? I love Don’s sincerity and his courage in recognizing his need to change and his efforts at self-improvement. Rosie is an open book and mind, and very accepting of Don’s quirkiness – as long as it’s as a friend.
I read this book as a participant in a study b Simon & Schuster and Jellybooks. I never expected to find it so utterly enjoyable. Charming is the word I would use. The Rosie Project now has a sequel which I fully intend to buy and read.
