Book Recommendation – Joe Nuthin’s Guide to Life

Awhile back I bought some books from Thrift Books. I earned some free books by doing so. I had a couple that I had to use before they expired and I went to my “To Read” list. One that I had not been able to get on the Libby or Hoopla Apps was Joe Nuthin’s Guide To Life by Helen Fisher.

You may recall that I recently read The Sideways Life of Denny Voss. The two books are similar because the main character is on the autism spectrum. That’s where the similarities between the books ends. It was a good story that took some twists that I didn’t see coming, and really kept me interested. Here is the Amazon synopsis:

A thoroughly uplifting novel about a neurodivergent young man who unexpectedly builds a community and saves a friend in need by following—in a way only he can—his mother’s words of wisdom.

Joe-Nathan likes the two parts of his name separate, just like dinner and dessert. Mean Charlie at work sometimes calls him Joe-Nuthin. But Joe is far from nothing. Joe is a good friend, good at his job, good at making things and at following rules, and he is learning how to do lots of things by himself.

Joe’s mother knows there are a million things he isn’t yet prepared for. While she helps to guide him every day, she is also writing notebooks of advice for Joe, of all the things she hasn’t yet told him about life and things he might forget.

By following her advice, Joe’s life is about to be more of a surprise than he expects. Because he’s about to learn that remarkable things can happen when you leave your comfort zone, and that you can do even the hardest things with a little help from your friends.

When I read this book, I was taken back to when my oldest son was diagnosed as being on the autism spectrum. We naturally wondered what might happen if something happened to us. How could we assure that he could get through life without direction, etc. Therapies and intervention helped him out tremendously and we never had to worry about that situation. However, that is not the case for Joe.

What I did love about this book was that most of the characters he interacts with understand him and his routine. They are very accommodating at his place of employment and do whatever they can for him when he needs it. Naturally, there are those people in the story who find it fun to pick on Joe. Many know what upsets him and they put him in that situation purposely to get under his skin. It was a very believeable story.

Without offering any spoilers, I will tell you that out of all of that, a very real and hot button topic is raised and addressed. Among other things, this is one of the things that Joe turns to his mom’s notebooks to try to find an answer.

The notebooks are often quoted directly in the book, and honestly could be something one would print out and follow. Many times, Joe’s mother’s writings were things that (in one way or another) were things I raised my kids to believe. I found myself loving reading those parts of the book.

Joe Nuthin’s Guide to Life was indeed heartwarming. It is definitely one I will recommend to others.

4.5 out of 5 stars