The Rosie Project

A Novel

By: Graeme Simsion

Narrated by: Dan O'Grady

Length: 7 hrs and 32 mins

Publisher's summary

An international sensation, this hilarious, feel-good novel is narrated by an oddly charming and socially challenged genetics professor on an unusual quest: to find out if he is capable of true love.

Don Tillman, professor of genetics, has never been on a second date. He is a man who can count all his friends on the fingers of one hand, whose lifelong difficulty with social rituals has convinced him that he is simply not wired for romance. So when an acquaintance informs him that he would make a "wonderful" husband, his first reaction is shock. Yet he must concede to the statistical probability that there is someone for everyone, and he embarks upon The Wife Project. In the orderly, evidence-based manner with which he approaches all things, Don sets out to find the perfect partner. She will be punctual and logical - most definitely not a barmaid, a smoker, a drinker, or a late-arriver.

Yet Rosie Jarman is all these things. She is also beguiling, fiery, intelligent - and on a quest of her own. She is looking for her biological father, a search that a certain DNA expert might be able to help her with. Don's Wife Project takes a back burner to the Father Project and an unlikely relationship blooms, forcing the scientifically minded geneticist to confront the spontaneous whirlwind that is Rosie - and the realization that love is not always what looks good on paper.

The Rosie Project is a moving and hilarious novel for anyone who has ever tenaciously gone after life or love in the face of overwhelming challenges.

A 2018 RUSA “Listen-Alike” for ELEANOR OLIPHANT IS COMPLETELY FINE

©2013 Graeme Simsion (P)2013 Simon & Schuster

Hysterical, witty and an oddly romantic read!

Rating: 4/5 Stars
"The Rosie Project" is a modern romantic comedy written in 2013 by author, Graeme Simsion. Don Tillman is a genetics professor that has a form of Asperger's syndrome which is presented through a series of obsessive compulsive behaviors and poor situational awareness. His current predicament is that he wishes to find a wife. In order to accomplish this, he creates a long survey to give out to women in order to eliminate any unsuitable partners. While working on his "Wife Project" he begins to help a woman named Rosie to find her biological father. According to Don's survey, Rosie is completely opposite of what he is looking for but she may end up being exactly what he needs.
This book had me laughing out loud right from chapter one. I enjoyed the banter between characters and the intelligent snarky (although sometimes misguided) critical thinking from the main character. The main character Don is almost an exact replica of The Big Bang Theory's Sheldon Cooper. Fortunately, I enjoyed the show and consequently this book as well. It was an entertaining, easy read and the main character was charismatic and lovable. Don's inner monologues take the reader through the webs of his understanding of complex social situations which often result it comical circumstances. The one thing that disappointed me about this book to some extent was the ending. No spoilers here, you'll have to read it... however I found the ending to be somewhat unrealistic and that left me somewhat disappointed in Don and his character development. However, I enjoyed the book and the story has stuck with me in a way that can only be represented by the word nostalgia.
Recommendations: If you enjoyed The Big Bang Theory TV show, this book is a must read!

Uproariously funny - laughing out loud fun!

This story was endearing and hilarious all in one go. The characters are delightful and the story is so insightful. Just a tour de force of humor and humanity. Looking forward to another by this great team!

It surprised me

At the beginning you think it's going to be one thing and then you get into it and find out it's something very different. I found myself laughing much more than I had thought I would. The narrator did a great job and it's a very good story. I worked in special education so this was very meaningful for me.

Wonderful story and great narration!

This is totally NOT what I would typically read or listen to and I admit that, even after starting the book, I wasn't immediately convinced I would like it. But the more I listened, the more I found myself laughing out loud. It's so good. I came across this book in an article about books that Bill and Melinda Gates recommend. It's great. Very thoughtfully written and entertaining. Dan O'Grady does a wonderful job narrating it. It's just the kind of book I need to distract me during my hair-raising Atlanta commute.

A gut buster

Original, honest, grammatically correct. I could go on and on but I don’t have time because the sequel download is almost completer and I must see what Rosie and Don and their offbeat supporting characters are doing. Why aren’ there more authors of this caliber?? This novel is 7ish hour of sustained delight.

Hysterical!

I heard about his book from an interview with Bill Gates. He mentioned that his wife bought this book for him, and that he'd enjoyed it. That was enough for the title to land on my "someday" list, where it's stayed for many months.

Why did I wait? This book was hilarious -- a journey through the eyes of someone so different from me, but so well written that I could understand and empathize while laughing hysterically (other people in traffic locally can attest to this).

I highly recommend this book for its new view of the world. Give it a chance. It is well worth your time.

Hysterical!

From the very first sentence, this book had me laughing! The refreshing, unusual perspective of the narrator (Don) comes through as true to life and a realistic portrayal of a high-functioning autistic person.

An unusual romance

A breath of fresh air! The main character remindes me of Data on STNG. I found him to be endearing and sometime hilarious. I hope there's more where this came from!

Original Story

The protagonist in this story was a pleasant surprise. The nature of the character could have made him tedious and yet Simsion was able to make him endearing and extremely likeable. The only flaw that I found was in the secondary character of Rosie herself. I did not feel like we got to know her enough and, as a result, I felt lukewarm about her and about their love affair. However, the story was different and I enjoyed it over all. It was an interesting perspective.

Being human on the spectrum....

a perfect project reflecting the hilarity of human behavior, and overcoming one's idiosyncrasies...loved it!