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The Rosie Project: A Novel Mass Market Paperback – March 30, 2021

4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 77,078 ratings

The international bestselling romantic comedy “bursting with warmth, emotional depth, and…humor,” (Entertainment Weekly) featuring the oddly charming, socially challenged genetics professor, Don, as he seeks true love.

The art of love is never a science: Meet Don Tillman, a brilliant yet socially inept professor of genetics, who’s decided it’s time he found a wife. In the orderly, evidence-based manner with which Don approaches all things, he designs the Wife Project to find his perfect partner: a sixteen-page, scientifically valid survey to filter out the drinkers, the smokers, the late arrivers.

Rosie Jarman possesses all these qualities. Don easily disqualifies her as a candidate for The Wife Project (even if she is “quite intelligent for a barmaid”). But Don is intrigued by Rosie’s own quest to identify her biological father. When an unlikely relationship develops as they collaborate on The Father Project, Don is forced to confront the spontaneous whirlwind that is Rosie―and the realization that, despite your best scientific efforts, you don’t find love, it finds you.

Arrestingly endearing and entirely unconventional, Graeme Simsion’s distinctive debut “navigates the choppy waters of adult relationships, both romantic and platonic, with a fresh take” (
USA TODAY). “Filled with humor and plenty of heart, The Rosie Project is a delightful reminder that all of us, no matter how we’re wired, just want to fit in” (Chicago Tribune).
"All the Little Raindrops: A Novel" by Mia Sheridan for $10.39
The chilling story of the abduction of two teenagers, their escape, and the dark secrets that, years later, bring them back to the scene of the crime. | Learn more
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Graeme Simsion is the internationally bestselling author of The Rosie Project, The Rosie Effect, and The Rosie Result, featuring Professor Don Tillman, as well as The Best of Adam Sharp and, with Anne Buist, Two Steps Forward. Graeme lives in Australia.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Chapter One One
I may have found a solution to the Wife Problem. As with so many scientific breakthroughs, the answer was obvious in retrospect. But had it not been for a series of unscheduled events, it is unlikely I would have discovered it.

The sequence was initiated by Gene’s insisting I give a lecture on Asperger’s syndrome that he had previously agreed to deliver himself. The timing was extremely annoying. The preparation could be time-shared with lunch consumption, but on the designated evening I had scheduled ninety-four minutes to clean my bathroom. I was faced with a choice of three options, none of them satisfactory.
  1. Cleaning the bathroom after the lecture, resulting in loss of sleep with a consequent reduction in mental and physical performance.
  2. Rescheduling the cleaning until the following Tuesday, resulting in an eight-day period of compromised bathroom hygiene and consequent risk of disease.
  3. Refusing to deliver the lecture, resulting in damage to my friendship with Gene.

I presented the dilemma to Gene, who, as usual, had an alternative solution.

“Don, I’ll pay for someone to clean your bathroom.”

I explained to Gene—again—that all cleaners, with the possible exception of the Hungarian woman with the short skirt, made errors. Short-Skirt Woman, who had been Gene’s cleaner, had disappeared following some problem with Gene and Claudia.

“I’ll give you Eva’s mobile number. Just don’t mention me.”

“What if she asks? How can I answer without mentioning you?”

“Just say you’re contacting her because she’s the only cleaner who does it properly. And if she mentions me, say nothing.”

This was an excellent outcome, and an illustration of Gene’s ability to find solutions to social problems. Eva would enjoy having her competence recognized and might even be suitable for a permanent role, which would free up an average of 316 minutes per week in my schedule.

Gene’s lecture problem had arisen because he had an opportunity to have sex with a Chilean academic who was visiting Melbourne for a conference. Gene has a project to have sex with women of as many different nationalities as possible. As a professor of psychology, he is extremely interested in human sexual attraction, which he believes is largely genetically determined.

This belief is consistent with Gene’s background as a geneticist. Sixty-eight days after Gene hired me as a postdoctoral researcher, he was promoted to head of the Psychology Department, a highly controversial appointment that was intended to establish the university as the Australian leader in evolutionary psychology and increase its public profile.

During the time we worked concurrently in the Genetics Department, we had numerous interesting discussions, and these continued after his change of position. I would have been satisfied with our relationship for this reason alone, but Gene also invited me to dinner at his house and performed other friendship rituals, resulting in a social relationship. His wife, Claudia, who is a clinical psychologist, is now also a friend. Making a total of two.

Gene and Claudia tried for a while to assist me with the Wife Problem. Unfortunately, their approach was based on the traditional dating paradigm, which I had previously abandoned on the basis that the probability of success did not justify the effort and negative experiences. I am thirty-nine years old, tall, fit, and intelligent, with a relatively high status and above-average income as an associate professor. Logically, I should be attractive to a wide range of women. In the animal kingdom, I would succeed in reproducing.

However, there is something about me that women find unappealing. I have never found it easy to make friends, and it seems that the deficiencies that caused this problem have also affected my attempts at romantic relationships. The Apricot Ice Cream Disaster is a good example.

Claudia had introduced me to one of her many friends. Elizabeth was a highly intelligent computer scientist, with a vision problem that had been corrected with glasses. I mention the glasses because Claudia showed me a photograph and asked me if I was okay with them. An incredible question! From a psychologist! In evaluating Elizabeth’s suitability as a potential partner—someone to provide intellectual stimulation, to share activities with, perhaps even to breed with—Claudia’s first concern was my reaction to her choice of glasses frames, which was probably not even her own but the result of advice from an optometrist. This is the world I have to live in. Then Claudia told me, as though it was a problem, “She has very firm ideas.”

“Are they evidence-based?”

“I guess so,” Claudia said.

Perfect. She could have been describing me.

We met at a Thai restaurant. Restaurants are minefields for the socially inept, and I was nervous as always in these situations. But we got off to an excellent start when we both arrived at exactly 7:00 p.m. as arranged. Poor synchronization is a huge waste of time.

We survived the meal without her criticizing me for any social errors. It is difficult to conduct a conversation while wondering whether you are looking at the correct body part, but I locked on to her bespectacled eyes, as recommended by Gene. This resulted in some inaccuracy in the eating process, which she did not seem to notice. On the contrary, we had a highly productive discussion about simulation algorithms. She was so interesting! I could already see the possibility of a permanent relationship.

The waiter brought the dessert menus and Elizabeth said, “I don’t like Asian desserts.”

This was almost certainly an unsound generalization, based on limited experience, and perhaps I should have recognized it as a warning sign. But it provided me with an opportunity for a creative suggestion.

“We could get an ice cream across the road.”

“Great idea. As long as they’ve got apricot.”

I assessed that I was progressing well at this point and did not think the apricot preference would be a problem. I was wrong. The ice-cream parlor had a vast selection of flavors, but they had exhausted their supply of apricot. I ordered a chocolate chili and licorice double cone for myself and asked Elizabeth to nominate her second preference.

“If they haven’t got apricot, I’ll pass.”

I couldn’t believe it. All ice cream tastes essentially the same, owing to chilling of the taste buds. This is especially true of fruit flavors. I suggested mango.

“No thanks, I’m fine.”

I explained the physiology of taste bud chilling in some detail. I predicted that if I purchased a mango and a peach ice cream, she would be incapable of differentiating. And, by extension, either would be equivalent to apricot.

“They’re completely different,” she said. “If you can’t tell mango from peach, that’s your problem.”

Now we had a simple objective disagreement that could readily be resolved experimentally. I ordered a minimum-size ice cream in each of the two flavors. But by the time the serving person had prepared them, and I turned to ask Elizabeth to close her eyes for the experiment, she had gone. So much for “evidence-based.” And for computer “scientist.”

Afterward, Claudia advised me that I should have abandoned the experiment prior to Elizabeth’s leaving. Obviously. But at what point? Where was the signal? These are the subtleties I fail to see. But I also fail to see why heightened sensitivity to obscure cues about ice-cream flavors should be a prerequisite for being someone’s partner. It seems reasonable to assume that some women do not require this. Unfortunately, the process of finding them is impossibly inefficient. The Apricot Ice Cream Disaster had cost a whole evening of my life, compensated for only by the information about simulation algorithms.

Two lunchtimes were sufficient to research and prepare my lecture on Asperger’s syndrome, without sacrificing nourishment, thanks to the provision of Wi-Fi in the medical library café. I had no previous knowledge of autism spectrum disorders, as they were outside my specialty. The subject was fascinating. It seemed appropriate to focus on the genetic aspects of the syndrome, which might be unfamiliar to my audience. Most diseases have some basis in our DNA, though in many cases we have yet to discover it. My own work focuses on genetic predisposition to cirrhosis of the liver. Much of my working time is devoted to getting mice drunk.

Naturally, the books and research papers described the symptoms of Asperger’s syndrome, and I formed a provisional conclusion that most of these were simply variations in human brain function that had been inappropriately medicalized because they did not fit social norms—
constructed social norms—that reflected the most common human configurations rather than the full range.

The lecture was scheduled for 7:00 p.m. at an inner-suburban school. I estimated the cycle ride at twelve minutes and allowed three minutes to boot my computer and connect it to the projector.

I arrived on schedule at 6:57 p.m., having let Eva, the short-skirted cleaner, into my apartment twenty-seven minutes earlier. There were approximately twenty-five people milling around the door and the front of the classroom, but I immediately recognized Julie, the convenor, from Gene’s description: “blonde with big tits.” In fact, her breasts were probably no more than one and a half standard deviations from the mean size for her body weight and hardly a remarkable identifying feature. It was more a question of elevation and exposure, as a result of her choice of costume, which seemed perfectly practical for a hot January evening.

I may have spent too long verifying her identity, as she looked at me strangely.

“You must be Julie,” I said.

“Can I help you?”

Good. A practical person. “Yes, direct me to the VGA cable. Please.”

“Oh,” she said. “You must be Professor Tillman. I’m so glad you could make it.”

She extended her hand but I waved it away. “The VGA cable, please. It’s six fifty-eight.”

“Relax,” she said. “We never start before seven fifteen. Would you like a coffee?”

Why do people value others’ time so little? Now we would have the inevitable small talk. I could have spent fifteen minutes at home practicing aikido.

I had been focusing on Julie and the screen at the front of the room. Now I looked around and realized that I had failed to observe nineteen people. They were children, predominantly male, sitting at desks. Presumably these were the victims of Asperger’s syndrome. Almost all the literature focuses on children.

Despite their affliction, they were making better use of their time than their parents, who were chattering aimlessly. Most were operating portable computing devices. I guessed their ages as between eight and thirteen. I hoped they had been paying attention in their science classes, as my material assumed a working knowledge of organic chemistry and the structure of DNA.

I realized that I had failed to reply to the coffee question.

“No.”

Unfortunately, because of the delay, Julie had forgotten the question. “No coffee,” I explained. “I never drink coffee after three forty-eight p.m. It interferes with sleep. Caffeine has a half-life of three to four hours, so it’s irresponsible serving coffee at seven p.m. unless people are planning to stay awake until after midnight. Which doesn’t allow adequate sleep if they have a conventional job.” I was trying to make use of the waiting time by offering practical advice, but it seemed that she preferred to discuss trivia.

“Is Gene all right?” she asked. It was obviously a variant on that most common of formulaic interactions, “How are you?”

“He’s fine, thank you,” I said, adapting the conventional reply to the third-person form.

“Oh. I thought he was ill.”

“Gene is in excellent health except for being six kilograms overweight. We went for a run this morning. He has a date tonight, and he wouldn’t be able to go out if he was ill.”

Julie seemed unimpressed, and in reviewing the interaction later, I realized that Gene must have lied to her about his reason for not being present. This was presumably to protect Julie from feeling that her lecture was unimportant to Gene and to provide a justification for a less prestigious speaker being sent as a substitute. It seems hardly possible to analyze such a complex situation involving deceit and supposition of another person’s emotional response, and then prepare your own plausible lie, all while someone is waiting for you to reply to a question. Yet that is exactly what people expect you to be able to do.

Eventually, I set up my computer and we got started,
eighteen minutes late. I would need to speak forty-three percent faster to finish on schedule at 8:00 p.m.—a virtually impossible performance goal. We were going to finish late, and my schedule for the rest of the night would be thrown out.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ S&S/ Marysue Rucci Books (March 30, 2021)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Mass Market Paperback ‏ : ‎ 384 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1982172932
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1982172930
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 7 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 4.13 x 0.9 x 7.5 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 77,078 ratings

About the author

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Graeme Simsion
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Graeme Simsion is a former IT consultant and the author of two nonfiction books on database design who decided, at the age of fifty, to turn his hand to fiction. His first novel, The Rosie Project, was published in 2013, followed by sequels The Rosie Effect and The Rosie Result. The books have sold some 5 million copies in 40 languages. Graeme's other international bestsellers include The Best of Adam Sharp and Two Steps Forward (sequel Two Steps Onward) written with his wife, Anne Buist. The Novel Project is a step-by-step guide to writing. His latest book is Creative Differences and Other Stories; the title story is a novella about a writing couple. Graeme lives in Australia and is a frequent speaker at book events and writing seminars.

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4.3 out of 5 stars
77,078 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find The Rosie Project an enjoyable and engaging read with humor that makes them laugh out loud. They appreciate the easy-to-read writing style that is suitable for anyone. Readers describe the book as a romantic comedy that balances romance, comedy, and pathos beautifully. They find the characters likable and relatable, with sympathetic side characters. Overall, customers describe the story as heartwarming, insightful, and life-affirming.

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6,438 customers mention "Enjoyment"6,438 positive0 negative

Customers enjoyed the book. They found it entertaining and easy to read, with engaging characters. The quest to find the father was interesting and not too time-consuming. The book had its own charm and sweetness, with Don becoming more social and coming out of his academic bubble being fun.

"...the crafting, The Rosie Project tells the extraordinary and delightfully absurd tale of Associate Professor Don Tillman, a geneticist who, despite..." Read more

"...However, overall, this is a great summer read. It's a perfect follow-up if you've just read something really intense or heavy...." Read more

"...I will not give away spoilers but it really is great to see Rosie take to Don and Don take to Rosie and to be with them as they have their..." Read more

"...This is a story that is a stark, gorgeously-rendered reminder of what it means to be human, of the beauty and pain that make up life in equal measure..." Read more

3,545 customers mention "Humor"3,441 positive104 negative

Customers enjoy the book's humor. They find it witty, humorous, and entertaining. Readers appreciate the scientist's and student's quirky behavior. The book is described as a delightful read with insightful aphorisms.

"...Filled with wonderful aphorisms and observations, this is a joy to read and I cannot wait to lose myself in the sequel." Read more

"...The Rosie Project is light, humorous and filled with likable characters. Like my review? Check out my blog!" Read more

"...If you like a really good funny book, you will love this book also...." Read more

"...The Rosie Project is a warm, humorous, always honest, occasionally heart-rending tale of love found, nearly lost, and found again between two of the..." Read more

2,933 customers mention "Readability"2,726 positive207 negative

Customers find the writing enjoyable and easy to read. They describe the book as a light read that breaks up serious reading. The hero is likeable and admirable.

"...that explores love, friendship, ethics, compatibility, trust, communication and the lengths humans will go to in order to find, rebuff and recognise..." Read more

"...However, overall, this is a great summer read. It's a perfect follow-up if you've just read something really intense or heavy...." Read more

"...But it does not push the romance in your face which makes it good for anyone to read...." Read more

"...book with the main charcter, an unlikely hero, both likeable and admirable...." Read more

2,434 customers mention "Romance"2,280 positive154 negative

Customers enjoy the book's romantic story. They find it well-balanced with humor and pathos, making it feel like watching a romantic comedy. The book is described as sweet and almost wistful, with deeper emotions like bitterness, regret, and sympathy. Readers appreciate the first-person narration, which makes the story interesting. They love the evolving relationship and all its highs and lows.

"...this novel balances romance, comedy and pathos beautifully...." Read more

"...This was better than any romantic movie I have ever seen and sweeter than my coffee with cream and tons of sugar...." Read more

"...Simsion's debut is as much a love letter to life as it is a beautifully-crafted romance between an atypical hero and his maddeningly wrong "perfect"..." Read more

"The Rosie Project was one of those books that had an intriguing story concept which in theory would make it seem like a very enjoyable read...." Read more

1,862 customers mention "Character development"1,746 positive116 negative

Customers find the characters likable and sympathetic. They enjoy the fast-paced story that intertwines the two main characters' issues. The empathy for the main character develops humorous situations. It's a classic clash of extreme personalities with an endearing leading man.

"...The Rosie Project is light, humorous and filled with likable characters. Like my review? Check out my blog!" Read more

"...lens -- and finding in their relationship and polar opposites personalities a connection, validation, and support that complements one to the other...." Read more

"...They are both appealing characters, wise in many ways and kind to others even though they struggle with experiencing emotions...." Read more

"...the book was a sweet love story that had an endearing and charming leading man...." Read more

1,444 customers mention "Heartwarming story"1,416 positive28 negative

Customers find the story insightful and heartwarming. They describe it as an uplifting, life-affirming romance with a unique perspective. The book helps readers understand social misunderstandings and is thought-provoking.

"...A charming, life-affirming, hope-filled romance, Simsion's debut is as much a love letter to life as it is a beautifully-crafted romance between an..." Read more

"...They are both appealing characters, wise in many ways and kind to others even though they struggle with experiencing emotions...." Read more

"...that made me laugh, and sometimes cry and looked at love, personal relationships and self-discovery in a very different way...." Read more

"...n't like him for several reasons, but this book helped me understand the social misunderstandings he has and why my husband has remained his closest..." Read more

697 customers mention "Insight"679 positive18 negative

Customers appreciate the book's insights. They find the main character knowledgeable and engaging, allowing readers to gain a deeper understanding of autism and people with it. The book provides an interesting look at Asperger's Syndrome, personal relationships, and self-discovery in a different way.

"...Filled with wonderful aphorisms and observations, this is a joy to read and I cannot wait to lose myself in the sequel." Read more

"...capture well the characteristics, behaviour and perspective of people with this condition...." Read more

"...cry and looked at love, personal relationships and self-discovery in a very different way...." Read more

"...Project is a tremendously enjoyable book that makes those facts immensely compelling." Read more

655 customers mention "Story complexity"445 positive210 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the story complexity. Some find it relatable and interesting from start to finish, while others feel some plot points are predictable and the story isn't unique.

"...he detonates explosives all too often, he composes a detailed, scientifically sound and hilarious (to the reader) questionnaire, which he submits to..." Read more

"...This is the rare story that hits all the beats of the format -- from the "meet cute" (here, the infamous Jacket Incident) through the resolution/..." Read more

"I enjoyed the writing very much. The plot was silly - downright ridiculous but it worked due to the writing...." Read more

"...Nenertheless, I found that this novel seems to really capture well the characteristics, behaviour and perspective of people with this condition...." Read more

Lovable, and great for book clubs!
5 out of 5 stars
Lovable, and great for book clubs!
This was my book club's book choice. I have to say if you are reading it yourself or with others, it is such an enjoyable read. The main character will have you laughing and even possibly thinking differently.
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on November 17, 2015
    The Rosie Project was not what I expected at all. Having heard about this novel from numerous sources, I’m not sure what I did expect, only that after reading an interview with Graeme Simsion and his wife (the author, Anne Buist), I knew I simply had to read it – and I’m so glad I did.
    Originally written as a screenplay and five years in the crafting, The Rosie Project tells the extraordinary and delightfully absurd tale of Associate Professor Don Tillman, a geneticist who, despite his eidetic memory and OCD mannerisms, is unable to understand he clearly has Aspergers. Unlucky in love – well, in anything to do with women – and recognising he’s at least socially challenged, Don decides to embark on what he calls “The Wife Project” – something that makes perfect sense to him. Rather than continue to navigate a dating minefield where he detonates explosives all too often, he composes a detailed, scientifically sound and hilarious (to the reader) questionnaire, which he submits to dating websites and hands to almost any woman he encounters in order to find himself someone of the opposite sex with whom he’ll be compatible.
    Viewing the world through his own unique prism (eg. as soon as he sets eyes on a person he is able to assess their BMI), with no fashion sense and finding it difficult to deviate from the rigid self-imposed timetable by which he governs his life – professional and personal – Don is astonishingly charming and funny. Unconstrained by factors that bother all too many of us, the superficialities we deem important such as appearances, Don evaluates folk by different but significant criteria. I haven’t laughed out loud so often while reading a book in such a long time. Nor have a winced, felt my heart squeezed or rooted for a brilliant underdog quite the way I have Don Tillman.
    Evoking the world of someone with Aspergers as well as the politics and egos of academia with ease (having spent twenty plus years in the academy, I know Simsion captures it all too well), this novel balances romance, comedy and pathos beautifully. Don’s efforts to uncover a wife are heart-wrenchingly naïve, gauche, painful and belly-achingly funny.
    Likewise, the character of Rosie is as pragmatic and earthy as Don is impractical (for all his seeming sense). What he lacks in EQ, Rosie more than makes up for and their adventures together are a charming quest that explores love, friendship, ethics, compatibility, trust, communication and the lengths humans will go to in order to find, rebuff and recognise love.
    Filled with wonderful aphorisms and observations, this is a joy to read and I cannot wait to lose myself in the sequel.
    6 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on June 2, 2014
    Sometimes, you just need to read a story that's sweet and makes you feel good. Graeme SImsion's story of an autistic man on the hunt for love, The Rosie Project, left me feeling happy. This is not to say that the story is overly simplistic or unrealistic. In fact, the complications that our protagonist, Don Tillman, faces makes him an endearing character and his victories even more sweet.

    Don is nearly forty and he has never found love. He has a successful career as a tenured genetics professor at a University in Australia and he enjoys his highly routine life. He knows that he would like to also have a relationship, but he is not sure how a girlfriend will fit into his world. Don decides to be systematic about it and sets up a very detailed questionnaire to find a prospective mate.

    Don's best friend, Gene ( a philandering womanizer), sets Don up on a blind date, with Rosie, whom Don is under the assumption has passed his ridged questionnaire. Rosie turns out to be the opposite of most of the things that he thought that he wanted and conversely, she is absolutely perfect for him. Naturally, it's not as easy as it sounds, as Don's Aspergers Syndrome hinders his ability to communicate and to pick up on Rosie's emotional cues. Free-spirited Rosie does her best to push Don outside of his comfort zone, trying to get him to let loose from his regimented lifestyle.

    This is not a straight forward love story, in fact, the romance is only part of the plot. Rosie has enlisted Don to help her use genetics to find the identity of her father, a man with whom her mom had a one-night stand with back in college. Rosie and Don travel to America in efforts to solve the mystery.

    What makes this story so compelling is the way in which Simsion has written Don and the care he has taken to create a character living with Aspergers. Don is written in a way that even when he makes a major misstep, you are rooting for him to get it right the next time. He's funny, warm and he just tries so hard to navigate his life. Rosie is equally endearing, as she shows a great deal of patience with Don and is accepting of the way he is. The only changes that she tries to make are in areas where he needs a little push, like getting him to not eat the same meals on the same days every week. She loves him unconditionally.

    Admittedly, there were some plot issues that grew old, especially with the hunt for Rosie's father. The ending felt a little contrived and too neat. However, overall, this is a great summer read. It's a perfect follow-up if you've just read something really intense or heavy. The Rosie Project is light, humorous and filled with likable characters.

    Like my review? Check out my blog!
    4 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • Cliente de Amazon
    5.0 out of 5 stars Un libro que vale la pena leer
    Reviewed in Mexico on June 23, 2020
    Un libro increíble, lo acabé muy rápido porque la historia es muy buena, lo volvería a leer.
  • L. Barreto
    5.0 out of 5 stars So light hearted
    Reviewed in Brazil on April 15, 2020
    Very funny, very entertaining, perfect for taking your mind off daily problems. All The characters are so lovable, It makes me happy that there ia more Don Tillmann and Rosie ahead!
  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Hilarious
    Reviewed in the Netherlands on July 30, 2020
    Super funny. Made me laugh out loud.
  • Anantha Narayan
    5.0 out of 5 stars Heart-warming and funny
    Reviewed in India on June 23, 2020
    I enjoy the occasional romcom movie but I'm not a fan of this genre as far as books are concerned. The Rosie Project is a notable exception, however. It's a delightful read, funny and bitter-sweet.

    The book's opening line, "I may have found the solution to the Wife Problem" is the perfect opening to this heart-warming tale. Don Tillman, who has Asperger's Syndrome, is a 39-year old genetics professor at a reputed Australian University and embarks on a project to find a wife (the Wife Project) with the aid of a sixteen-page questionnaire. In the process, he meets Rosie Jarman, poles apart from himself, who would probably score a zero on his questionnaire and who upends his life. Don and Rosie start spending time together, and despite their misgivings, get attracted towards each other. On the way, Don embarks on the Father Project where he helps Rosie in finding her biological father among 44 doctors in her mother's medical class. He has just two close friends, womanising Gene and his psychologist wife Claudia, who guide him along the way. The book is narrated in the first person, and there are clear differences between Don's version of events and how they actually transpire. This makes the book even more endearing.

    The book is not without its drawbacks. While the book does talk about the challenges faced by Don with his parents, during his childhood and in social settings, it does not really delve into the difficulties faced by a person with Asperger's. Consequently, a reader with a near one with Asperger's could view the book as a trivialisation. Such a reader should be willing to overlook that aspect to enjoy this book -- it's a romcom after all. Also, the book becomes somewhat soppy towards the end. But given the overall breeziness of the book, I was willing to overlook it.

    Simpsion was an information systems consultant with a PhD in data modelling and had co-authored a book on that subject. That background makes The Rosie Project even more remarkable. Overall, it's a feel-good book that leaves you with a smile on your lips, perfect for the current Covid-related environment or for any other time for that matter. An interesting sidenote is that Don Tillman now has his own Twitter account, @ProfDonTillman.

    Pros: Heart-warming and feel-good, funny, a very easy read

    Cons: Some may consider this a trivialisation of Asperger's, a bit soppy at the end
  • Janet B
    5.0 out of 5 stars A QUIRKY CHARACTER YOU WILL LOVE AND KEEP YOU IN STITCHES!
    Reviewed in Canada on April 20, 2014
    "WIFE WANTED. Must be punctual, logical and enjoy travelling by bicycle. No smokers, drinkers, or horoscope readers need apply."

    Don Tillman is 39 years old, tall, fit and an intelligent Genetics Professor. His best friend, Gene, a psychology professor, has asked Don to fill in for him and give a lecture on Asperger's syndrome. Don agreed, but he would have to focus on the genetic aspects of the syndrome, which probably would be unfamiliar to the audience. There were children between the ages of 8-13 along with their parents in the audience. After the lecture, the parents didn't quite understand, but the children seemed to. Don informed them that Asperger's syndrome is something you are born with. The children stood on their chairs, punching the air and chanting "Aspies Rule." Don felt he had made his point effectively.

    Don has learned that married men were much happier and lived longer. So Don put together a 16 page questionnaire to help him find the right woman. He named it The Wife Project. Claudia, a clinical psychologist and Gene's wife introduced him to a few women. The first was Elizabeth. She had very firm ideas, which Don would soon come to find out. They went to a Thai restaurant. Elizabeth arrived on time which was a plus. When it came to dessert, she wanted apricot ice-cream. She would not accept another flavour. Don took her to an ice-cream parlour across the road. The flavour had to be apricot or she would pass. They had every flavour but apricot. Don named it The Apricot Ice-Cream Disaster.
    Date #2 was named Olivia, a Hindu woman, who was an anthropologist. She arrived 28 minutes late. She was named The Late Woman. When Don asked her if she was a vegan, she said she wasn't. He asked her if she eats ice-cream. Her reply was "as long as it was not made with eggs." Despite this, Olivia was excellent company. They talked and talked until they were the last people to leave. They exchanged contact information and then went their separate ways.

    Don was slowly finding out that the questionnaire wasn't working out too well.

    Don lived a very structured life filled with routines, timetables and everything he did had a Project title to it. He was awkward in social situations. Perhaps he has Asperger's syndrome. His pantry was organized by the day. The ingredients he will use were prepared for that day.

    Gene decided to change things and not stick to the questionnaire. Gene introduces Don to Rosie Jarman. Don planned on taking Rosie to an exclusive restaurant named Le Gavroche. He made reservations online under the name of the Dean so that he could have a VIP table. When he arrived, he was told that they have a dress code and he wouldn't be allowed to wear his Gore-Tex jacket. Don couldn't understand why and a fight ensued between Don and the doormen. Rosie arrived and ended the fight. She knew the men, since she once worked there. They still had to leave. Rosie was hungry, so she decided that Don would make dinner for both at his home. Rosie was a bundle of joy and so full of life. Rosie moved things outdoors and dinner was eaten there. She wasn't anything like the questionnaire Don had prepared. so he had no intention of considering her as a prospective wife, but opposites attract they say. Into the conversation, Rosie told Don her mother had died when she was only ten years old and she was now looking for her biological father. Don was a geneticist and he could certainly help her. They spoke for hours and now he would put his Wife Project on hold for the time being. He would begin by The Father Project followed by The Rosie Project and so The Rosie Project began.

    The Rosie Project is the first book that Graeme Simsion has written. It's an unusual story with a character you will come to love. Don Tillman is quirky, hilarious and logical. You will be transported to a world full of laughs, so cozy up in your favorite chair and enjoy this delightful book.