John Elder Robison

The story of John Elder Robison is one of Maya’s favorite episodes and it’s also a top choice in our listener favorites series. John is a gifted sound engineer whose rare ability to understand machines propelled him to work with the likes of Kiss and Diana Ross. But the one thing he always felt was lacking was his ability to understand people emotionally. In an effort to see if he could change that, he volunteered to participate in an experimental brain study.  If you enjoyed this episode, Maya suggests you check out this one next: “Life After Escaping Captivity” We’ll be back with new episodes in the fall. In the meantime, you can connect with Maya on instagram @DrMayaShanker. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A man with Asperger's finds solace with machines. A young girl and her classmates stand up against a teacher. A vegetarian goes on a hunting trip with his father. Stories of outsiders and discomfort.