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600 Hours of Edward
600 Hours of Edward
600 Hours of Edward
Audiobook7 hours

600 Hours of Edward

Written by Craig Lancaster

Narrated by Luke Daniels

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

4.5/5

()

About this audiobook

A thirty-nine-year-old with Asperger’s syndrome and obsessive-compulsive disorder, Edward Stanton lives alone on a rigid schedule in the Montana town where he grew up. His carefully constructed routine includes tracking his most common waking time (7:38 a.m.), refusing to start his therapy sessions even a minute before the appointed hour (10:00 a.m.), and watching one episode of the 1960s cop show Dragnet each night (10:00 p.m.).

But when a single mother and her nine-year-old son move in across the street, Edward’s timetable comes undone. Over the course of a momentous 600 hours, he opens up to his new neighbors and confronts old grievances with his estranged parents. Exposed to both the joys and heartaches of friendship, Edward must ultimately decide whether to embrace the world outside his door or retreat to his solitary ways.

Heartfelt and hilarious, this moving novel will appeal to fans of Daniel Keyes’s classic Flowers for Algernon and to any reader who loves an underdog.

LanguageEnglish
Release dateAug 14, 2012
ISBN9781469228228
600 Hours of Edward
Author

Craig Lancaster

Craig Lancaster is a journalist who has worked at newspapers all over the country, including the San Jose Mercury News, where he served as lead editor for the paper’s coverage of the BALCO steroids scandal. He wrote 600 Hours of Edward—winner of a Montana Book Award honorable mention and a High Plains Book Award—in less than 600 hours during National Novel Writing Month in 2008. His other books include the novel The Summer Son and the short story collection Quantum Physics and the Art of Departure. Lancaster lives in Billings, Montana.

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Reviews for 600 Hours of Edward

Rating: 4.372146155251142 out of 5 stars
4.5/5

219 ratings38 reviews

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  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I really liked this book. I felt a lot of sympathy for Edward as he tried to keep his world in order the best way he could. He is a memorable character and I am looking forward to following him a little longer in the sequel, EDWARD ADRIFT.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Sweet story. The main character is funny and gentle. We need more of those kind souls these days.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    It’s ok ,predictable but ok, I guess. Ok , you can read it:)
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    (Reprinted from the Chicago Center for Literature and Photography [cclapcenter.com]. I am the original author of this essay, as well as the owner of CCLaP; it is not being reprinted illegally.)As I've said here before, although I'm a big fan and champion of small-press, basement-press and self-published books, after reviewing hundreds of them now I've discovered that such designations are largely a self-regulating system, and that 95 percent of these titles were published under the circumstances they were because they really don't merit mainstream national attention. So it's always worth celebrating, then, when coming across a book from that five percent that legitimately do deserve a lot more acclaim than they're getting; and the latest of these is the remarkable 600 Hours of Edward by veteran journalist but first-time novelist Craig Lancaster, and put out by the tiny Montana-based Riverbend Publishing, a book which could easily be an NYT bestseller right now if put out by HarperCollins and given a million-dollar marketing budget. And that's because Lancaster puts together here a nearly perfect combination of traditional literary elements, mixing crowd-pleasing sappiness with indie-friendly subversion, a masterful blend of character and action that takes advantage of traditional framing devices in just about the best way possible; and all this is even more astounding when you realize that the first draft of this book was the result of Lancaster participating in Nanowrimo, the popular literary challenge held every November where as many people as possible try to write an entire novel from start to finish over the course of exactly one month.As the title indicates, the book is essentially a deep character study regarding 25 days in the life of one Edward Stanton, obsessive letter-writer and sufferer of Asperger Syndrome, the so-called "genius disease" that in the last ten years has gone from almost complete obscurity to nearly every nerd on the planet now claiming to be a victim of it, and which I'm convinced that future citizens will one day count as a major historical touchstone of the early 2000s, right up there with Facebook and Prozac. But as Lancaster deftly shows us, when legitimately manifested Asperger's can actually be quite the crippling condition, basically a combination of obsessive-compulsive disorder (or OCD) with a high-functioning version of autism, making its socially challenged victims essentially just a few steps away from being one of those sullen hospital patients who sit in the corner of a room for 16 hours a day muttering to themselves and rocking back and forth. I mean, certainly this is the state that we find the middle-aged Edward in as the novel opens, as Lancaster takes the time at the beginning to show his highly regulated, OCD-dominated life of rituals -- awake at exactly 7:37 every morning, grocery shopping every Thursday at 2 pm, where he buys the exact same list of goods each time, videotaped episodes of "Dragnet" at precisely 10:00 every night, but only the color episodes from 1967 to 1970, and which absolutely must be watched in the order they originally aired.Like all good traditional three-act stories, then, the bulk of 600 Hours concerns what happens when a series of special events start disrupting this all-important routine more and more, and the various ways that Edward both successfully and unsuccessfully handles them -- like the arrival of a new neighbor, for example, a harried single mom whose rambunctious nine-year-old son starts hanging out around Edward's place more and more, and whose abusive ex eventually drags Edward into the middle of a court battle that almost puts him into an apoplectic state; or his rapidly deteriorating relationship with his aging father, an infamously curmudgeonly local politician and former oil-industry executive, who has always suspected half of Edward's mentally imbalanced behavior to be a deliberate put-on, and who has started resorting more and more to official missives from his lawyer whenever needing to communicate with him. And indeed, it's in these elements where Lancaster really shines, and is the main point of reading this novel, because of him quickly pushing past all the easy stereotypes of such characters to show us the much deeper, much more complex human beings who lie underneath. But then again, as mentioned, Lancaster also employs a series of traditional framing devices in order to hold the story together, well-known ones to be sure (for example, Edward's weekly visits to his psychiatrist, which occur four times in the book and serve as nice recaps to everything we've just learned), but that never wear out their welcome because of Lancaster always using them with a light touch (or, well, almost always using them with a light touch, which is why this book isn't receiving a perfect score today -- for example, Edward's obsessive recaps of that night's "Dragnet" episode at the end of each chapter wear thin by the end, and the whole mini-essay in the middle about the ten greatest Dallas Cowboys games in history was something the book could've done completely without).And yes, as so far described, it'd be easy to dismiss 600 Hours as yet another afterschool special regarding an adorably quirky handicapped hero overcoming the odds and teaching all the people around him a little more about life; and indeed, arts history (especially the history of Oscar-bait Hollywood tearjerkers) is littered with such cutesy, pandering trash, and I'm usually as much of a hater of such crap as you are. (And seriously, Sean Penn, if you play even one more plucky but lovable mentally-challenged person, I may just possibly kill myself out of sheer disgust.) But what saves this book is that Lancaster takes the time and energy to show us the dark sides as well of dealing with someone who suffers from Asperger's, to show us the various ways that such a person will simply fail the people around them in certain situations, no matter how hard they try not to (and in fact, since a notorious trait of Asperger victims is an almost complete lack of social skills, such people many times fail to even understand why they should put in an effort in such situations in the first place); see as a fantastic example Edward's truly cringe-inducing attempt at internet dating, and the poor, poor woman who is subjected to an evening with him without realizing that he is in fact mentally imbalanced. But then again, Lancaster also manages to mine a lot of humor out of such situations too, which helps keep the darkness not too overwhelmingly dark; to stay with this example, see Edward's hilarious complaint letter to the CEO of dating site eHarmony, on how the happy smiling couples seen in their commercials could technically be considered a form of false advertising.Ultimately I can give the book no higher compliment than this -- that it was one of only a handful of titles each year that made me cry in public while reading it (and by "cry," I mean literally weeping, big fat tears running down my cheeks at the coffeehouse like literally a little girl watching freakin' Bambi), an event I always take as a good sign, when a book can emotionally move a cynical bastard like me that much without making me disgusted at myself afterwards. For all you editors and agents who trawl the CCLaP website looking for obscure but proven winners ripe for turning into bigger hits, this is one of those winners, and there's no doubt in my mind that it will remain by the end of the year one of my top-ten favorite reads in the entirety of 2010. It's the very definition of an unknown book you should take a chance on, and I highly encourage you today to do just that.Out of 10: 9.7
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This is a feel good book about a lovely man and I feel good! On to the next Edward book
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Engaging from the get-go! Edward has been hobbled by OCD and mild Asperger's for so long, he doesn't know what's become of his carefully organized world when suddenly, he finds himself connecting with neighbors, communicating on a dating website, and (gulp!) standing up to his overbearing, foul-mouthed father. Love the writer's style, which has beautifully captured the language and habits of someone like Edward.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I absolutely loved this book! It's quirky, but quirky seems to be my favorite recently. Edward is has Asperger's and OCD. Without exploiting the conditions, the author uses their symptoms to great effect; things that are socially incorrect to say are often hilarious because they are so true. This, and its sequel, Edward Adrift, might be good reads for teenagers who lack empathy (presuming you can get them to read).
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Another great book by Craig Lancaster. This author does a great job of letting us "see" into the mind of a person with Asperger Syndrome. I laughed and cried and really didn't want the book to end. I highly recommend this book. I will be reading the next book which is a follow up very soon!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    A well told story of a man with Asperger's Syndrome. The condition is presented in a way that is both enlightening and sympathetic. You will find yourself rooting for Edward and being impressed with his ability to understand and manage his situation.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I thoroughly enjoyed this book about a 30-something-year-old man on the autistic spectrum with OCD who gradually manages to associate with other people and give up some of his quirks. Lots of humor and character development. Plus it's set in Billings, MT, so I could relate to the weather.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I liked this one. This book was a bit different from what I would normally pick up. I heard a few good things about it so I took a closer look once I noticed that it was available to borrow from Amazon through Prime Reading. I loved the idea of a main character who is living with Asperger's syndrome and obsessive-compulsive disorder, so I decided to give it a try and I am really glad that I did.Edward was a great character. I liked him from the start and as the story progressed, I liked him more and more. Edward's life revolves around routines. With few exceptions, each day looks largely like the previous one. Things do shake up his life quite a bit by the end of the book and there is definitely some character growth for Edward during the course of the story. I thought that his character felt very authentic in the way that he dealt with other people and handled his emotions.This book is repetitive because Edward's life is repetitive. There are certain events and phrases that happen over and over throughout the book. Each day of Edward's life would bring a new cycle of the book. I think that the decision to take the reader through each day with Edward helped to really show how much the events in the story changed his life. Edward's life at the end of the book looks very different than it does at the start and it was great to take the journey with him.Luke Daniels does a fantastic job with the narration of this book. One of the reasons that I decided to listen to this book was because I have enjoyed his work in the past. I thought that he was able to bring Edward to life in way that really added to the story. He did a great job with all of the character voices and adding emotion to the reading. I listened to this book for hours at a time and finished it within a few days and thought that he was a perfect match for the story. I would recommend this book to others. I really enjoyed going along with Edward as he navigated the changes and his life and made new connections. I did notice that this book is listed as the first in a series but it tells a very complete story so I am not sure if I will read the other installments. I would not hesitate to read more from Craig Lancaster in the future.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This could have been a very difficult book to read. It's written first person, with a protagonist with Asperger's, OCD - high functioning but with some fairly severe social issues. His wealthy politician father has bought him a house to live in, and for the past 8 years that's what he's done, lived alone, and fairly happily, going to therapy, keeping to his routines. His father communicates with him primarily through threatening letters from his lawyer, although once a month he goes to dinner with his mother and father, an uncomfortable experience for all.Edward has a fixation on Dragnet (he watches exactly one episode, every night, at exactly 10 p.m., but only the colour episodes, and strictly in order.) He has another fixation on the weather - he's been recording the daily highs and lows for ten years in a notebook, and although he checks the forecast every day, he doesn't really believe them. Edward prefers facts.Edward goes to therapy, and writes letters of complaint - one every day. He doesn't send them anymore though, since the "Garth Brooks incident" which resulted in a restraining order. The not sending them is on the advice of his therapist, who he considers a very wise and logical woman.And into this quietly ordered life, a new neighbour arrives and suddenly Edward's world is tipped upside down. The neighbour's 9 year old son inserts himself into Edward's life and suddenly he has friends - the boy and after a while, his mother. And from there, he begins to reevaluate all his choices, how important to him his routines and orderliness really are, and things begin to change.This could so easily have been handled very wrongly, and to be honest, even by the end of it, I had a niggling worry that it was... inaccurate, at least, although I found Edward charming and somehow relateable and his issues handled sensitively and with compassion, but not covered up. I don't know anyone with Aspergers and/or this degree of social anxiety well enough to really judge for sure. That said, I took a troll around the internet looking for SJW posts of outrage about how awful it was, and found actually the exact opposite - several online reviews and blog posts praising it. So there you go.The writing is rather charming and I think deceptively clever. The initial chapters are, like Edward, very repetitive and orderly. Edward wakes up (and we get a little dissertation on the time, etc), goes about his day, watches his dragnet, writes his letter of complaint about something that happened during the day and goes to bed. Over a few days, the repetitive rythym and routine of Edward's life settles in, and then as Edward's order begins to be upset, so does the rythym of the chapters.It's very funny. Edward's obliviousness about other people's priorities and social niceties obviously sets up some quite hilarious situations, but since they are always told from Edward's point of view and he simply doesn't care who he upsets or what anyone else thinks about him for the most part, there is never a sense he is the butt of the joke. Edward himself, I found utterly endearing.If you like books that are heavy on plot and action, this one probably isn't for you. It's rather literary in that sense, but it's a fast and easy read - once I settled down to actually start it, I read it more or less in a day.Really the only thing that wasn't a total winner for me was there's possibly a little too much about the Dallas Cowboys (I used to live in Texas. I once got politely asked to leave the Dallas Cowboys merchandise store in Dallas because I asked "Who is this Troy Aiken dude" and the staff were worried a fight might break out :) but it's actually plot relevant, and I dealt with it. Every month my phone gives me a free kindle book, but I only get to pick from a selection of four, and I rarely remember to even go get one, or read it. I should read them more though, because most of the ones I have read, have been gems. This was no exception, it's probably the best book I've read in months.Review also posted on Booklikes
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    A thirty-nine year old with Asperger's and obsessive compulsive disorder lives alone in Billings, Montana. Much of the story is told through his letters of complaint, a coping technique he was taught by his counselor. Told through Edward's eyes, it's a realistic look at his condition and the life he lives and the trials of forming friendships and confronting old grievances with his father.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Six-word review: If Edward can change, anyone can.Extended review:The main character and first-person narrator is Edward Stanton, a 39-year-old man who has Asperger's syndrome and OCD. His daily existence is governed by a system of rigid, interlocking rules and rituals. How and why he begins to break their hold on his life, without ever setting out to do so as a matter of intent, is the substance of this novel.Change, when it comes to him, is gradual but real. We see how important his habits are to him, how they comfort and protect him, and yet we also see how they enslave him. Without ever explicitly saying so, Edward appears to begin to see it too.Despite initial appearances, the most important word in this book is not "data," nor is it "facts." The most important word in this book is "yes." "Yes" occurs one hundred times, most of them spoken by Edward. The "yes" is his salvation.This was a selection in my husband's and my weekly read-aloud series, and it worked very well for that. At a pace of an hour and a half a week, we live with a book, even a short book, for a long while. In this instance it was a measured, sustainable getting-to-know, and I was happy to spend that sort of time with Edward.It's not a perfect novel. There is, as I find in far too many contemporary novels even in the absence of compulsive characters, a little too much showing; we could stand a bit more telling. The amount of repetition, however faithful it may be to Edward's character, becomes grating. (Partway through, I joked that it reminded me of a NaNoWriMo novel whose author is padding to make a daily word count--and yes, it turns out that NaNoWriMo is where it got its start!) In places, the quantity of detail is maddening, especially when it comes to football games. It's rare for me to skip any words in any book, but I had to.And I was surprised to see that Edward received what I consider a very bad piece of advice from his therapist at the end; I don't believe that any real mental health practitioner would have said what she said.However, I enjoyed Edward's story, and I liked the way it ended. Our data are incomplete. But they are sufficient.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Where I got the book: purchased on Kindle. An IRL book club read.Edward is in his late thirties and has Asperger’s and OCD. He has no job, which is fairly common in his population—it’s hard to stay employed when you have a tendency to freak out about changes or having too many choices. So he’s supported by his father, who’s bought him a place to live and communicates with him mostly through his lawyer. He has regular dinners with his parents but relations are strained—his mother treats him like a child and his father just can’t stand his behaviors. He eats the same meals every week, notes down the outside temperature daily, and paints either his garage or his house every year. And one day the new neighbor’s kid stops by to help.I started reading this when standing in line at the airport with family members, including an adult with cognitive disabilities and OCD. Within minutes I was saying “Hey, listen to this! It’s you!” The reliance on fluoxetine to keep the brain chemistry balanced (many people don’t know that this drug, better known as Prozac, ratchets OCD down to a level where we can all cope with it—my adult child says it’s a good med for her), the difficulty coping with a change in plans because every item on the schedule looks disproportionately important to you, the preference for “safe,” familiar foods, watching the same TV show or movie over and over and over and they’re ALL your favorite—this novel totally nailed it, from the viewpoint of a man who is fully aware of his issues.In addition, there’s a deep understanding of how you can love an adult child with brain chemistry issues and be driven totally insane by them at the same time. Edward’s father is portrayed as a man with a short fuse and an inability to express positive feelings except through the “normal” male outlets of sport or that back-slapping, teasing joviality that someone like Edward—who takes every word others say literally, another trait I know only too well—simply can’t connect with. I think his practice of communicating through his lawyer, rather than visiting his son and verbally expressing his views, is a strategy to avoid losing his temper—but seen from Edward’s viewpoint it is, of course, cold and isolating, and it makes him angry. Added to that, Edward’s mother copes, essentially, through withdrawal, leaving her husband to deal with their son—the decision she makes later in the novel bears out my feeling that she acts primarily in her own interests. So even though in the novel she comes across as the “nice” parent, I’d argue that the father is the better parent of the two, because he’s shouldering the burden of care in the best way he can.It turns out that having Edward live on his own was a good move, as he thrives on setting his own routines and making his own choices. He has the huge advantage of being able to drive (many people with cognitive disabilities can’t, for one reason or the other) and his father is paying for a therapist who has helped him immensely, another luxury available only to a fortunate few. But he’s isolated and lonely, in need of normal human relationships—including a girlfriend. If you read the summary in the first paragraph and get to the point where the kid shows up, you’d be expecting a heartwarming resolution to this problem—well, yes and no. Mostly no. And Edward has started experimenting with online dating services, which gets interesting in ways I hadn’t entirely expected.I found myself wondering why the heck nobody had set Edward up with disability benefits, especially as he’d worked in the past, to give him some measure of independence from his father. And why, since he wanted a job, nobody had arranged for him to work with a job coach or disability advocacy service to train potential employers in how to work with Asperger’s and OCD. Even in Illinois, which is one of the worst states in the US for adult disability services, such things exist. And neither of his parents seem to have made any effort to stay informed about disability issues—although that’s realistic enough. Some parents I know are very involved and knowledgeable, others surprisingly uninformed—I’m kind of in the middle. And then there’s that whole business of spurning government help because you believe in standing on your own two feet, which has its merits but puts you in a very controlling position vis-à-vis your family member and leaves them at a loss when you die. The author solves that particular problem in a way that’s just not going to happen to the majority of people with disabilities. Of course, if you really tried to write a novel that laid out all the complications and paperwork involved in being a disabled adult, your readers’ eyes would glaze over within moments.Other aspects of the book that bogged down the narrative for book club members were Edward’s compulsion to record the temperature every day, describe each episode of Dragnet that he watches in detail, and painstakingly qualify every non-factual detail he records in identical terms. Personally I didn’t mind those elements, but then I’m used to such behaviors!Overall, I liked this novel, although not enough to want to dive into the sequel. It was a pretty good story, not sugar-coated and with an upbeat, but not overly upbeat, ending. It had some poignant scenes and plenty of humor to leaven the tragic moments. I’d recommend it.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Just a few hours in the life of a 39 year-old man dealing with Asperger’s syndrome and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Lancaster should be applauded for letting us into the mind of Edward. Simple, Creative, and a few laugh out loud moments that will leave you gasping for air (especially date night).
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Edward's life is narrow and constricted, yet unfocused and complicated, mostly by his estrangement from his father and alienation from his mother. Further complications arise when a young mother and son move into a house across the street and insist in including themselves in his life.This changes everything, and Edward's controlling ritualistic behavior spins out of his control, especially after he tries Internet dating and ventures into his first experience with friendship.Lancaster has written an easy but not facile read that can be read in a single sitting. Edward's psychological disabilities dominate the book and Lancaster handles them so well that readers become intimate, if not comfortable with Edward's internal self. The story is well plotted, events unfold naturally, and Edward's epiphany rewards the reader without descending into sentimentality.Edward's continued progress and self-actualization is followed up in a sequel. I'm curious about what will happen to him next, and look forward to getting to know Edward better.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I loved this book! I just bought the sequel & can't wait to start it!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I read this in one sitting. Another one for my favorites list. Featuring a protagonist that sees the world differently from the majority, this is a tale that shifts from heart-warming to gut-wrenching and back again, remaining insightful all along the way. If you have read and enjoyed Ellzabeth Moon's The Speed of Dark, or Kathryn Erskine's Mockingbird, or Mark Haddon's The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, then there is a good chance that this story will also appeal to you. For myself, I am immediately picking up the sequel, Edward Adrift.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Loved this book. Enjoyed seeing the world through Edward's eyes as he navigates the social norm minefields and battles with his father.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Edward is a thirty nine year old man with Aspergers and OCD who lives quietly alone in a small home in Billings Montana. Edward has lived alone since "the Garth Brooks" incident drove his father to move him out of the family home.By following Edward through the 600 hours you begin to understand and admire how he deals with his controlling father, his lonliness and his illnesses. And,when a mother and son move across the street, we see the caring side of Edward where he worries over the problems of others more than himself.It is a warm, loving novel which I recommend and look forward to reading the sequel Edward Adrift.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Loved reading about Edward and his interactions with the world. Intentionally or unintentionally funny, it's interesting to see how his actions make perfect sense to him, but make no sense to others. Unfortunately he's unable to communicate his thoughts or needs to others. Knowing his point of view, he's an endearing character that I enjoyed spending time with.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Lovely book, narrated by Edward, a 39 y/o man with Asperger's and OCD
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    For a first novel this was a really good book. There is a lot of repetition throughout but eventually it becomes so much a part of the unique character of Edward that we get to know and love that it just begins to flow along with the story. The first few pages are the toughest to get through , the repetition at its heaviest. It does lessen and I believe the author did this so we could really get a feel for what Edward goes through on a daily basis. I found the first half of the book quite humorous and the second half more serious. What I didn't like was how rushed the second half of the book was. I believe this was written for some sort of contest so this may be why. As humorous as Edward's life appears to be he is still dealing with Aspergers as well as some pretty heavy emotional baggage regarding family. These, especially the family issues were wrapped up pretty quickly. I don't think the author showed how serious and devastating setbacks can be with mental illness and how long of a recovery. Again to rushed. Still a very worthwhile read and I will probably pick up the second book at some point. Hopefully it wasn't written in a time crunch.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Edward Stanton is 38, has OCD and Asberger's syndrome and he copes with his life by having order and routine. Until, over the 600 hours in the title, his life changes in many ways, not least of which he makes friends with the lady across the street and her son.This is a charming read, and I found Edward to be an excellent narrator of his story. I thought his conditions were portrayed very well and, with a touch of OCD myself, I could understand and empathise with his character. It was nice to see, throughout the course of the story, how Edward blossomed and developed and was able to make friends, probably for the first time in his life.A very good read, and a quick and easy one too.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Edward is approaching forty, he is single and lives alone in Billings, Montana, he has Asperger's syndrome and obsessive compulsive disorder. He likes routine and order, he likes facts and not suppositions. He leads a life regulated by his needs for a schedule, by his weekly visits to Dr Buckley and his nightly 10.00pm viewing of a recording of a Dragnet episode, strictly in the correct order. The appearance of Kyle, a nine year old boy who has moved in across the street starts in motion a series of events that could lead to a dramatic change on Edwards life.Edward would like two things, a girlfriend and the approval of his father. He tries his own way to solve the former, the latter seems out of his hands. His father, a County Commissioner, communicates with Edward by letter through his attorney; he has only a few memories of happy times with his father. As the opportunities for friendship open up, Edward finds that such things are not plain sailing, but he is making progress. Covering 600 hours, or twenty five days, this is an engaging and touching novel, well and correctly written (just as well, for Edward is a stickler for correct grammar!), one is quickly drawn into Edwards life and routine, and soon hoping that he will break away from the regulating factors in his life achieve his goals. Recommended.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I was totally charmed by 600 Hours of Edward, even though I wasn't quite sure what to expect. It's well-written and entertaining, and really enjoyable. (Disclosure bit: I received this book from the author on Member Giveaways.)Edward is an adult dealing with Asperger's syndrome and obsessive-compulsive tendencies, focused on data and routines. Lancaster has chosen to make these foci part of the narrative structure itself, which - despite leading to a fair amount of repetition - works beautifully, with the result that subtle changes have a big impact without Lancaster's having to hit anyone over the head.Lancaster's narrative also handles Edward's problems skillfully, without mocking him or judging his actions. Even though the book is very funny, it's never laughing at Edward, and although he's very much challenged by the events in the book, the narrative is never mean to him. It's very well done, and well worth reading.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Wow, this book really moved me in so many ways. What a great introduction to learning about how this disease works and how people affected with it live out their lives. I have to say it took a bit of getting used to but so well worth the effort. Edward was such a great character that it makes one wonder how the author could so expertly get inside his head. I would totally recommend this book to anyone having any interest in mental health. This is just a good read that will make you laugh, cry and most importantly - think about how others are making through their lives one hour at a time.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I loved this book. The author articulately describes a man who suffers from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and Asperger's Syndrome. He is a slave to his rituals and isolates himself from others as much as possible.Through Edward's eyes, the complicated relationship between father and son is explored, compounded by mental illness. Edward's eventual adjustment to developing relationships with others is shared with the reader through Edward's perspective.Written with humor and clarity, author has an incredibly well developed understanding of both disorders. I started wondering if Craig Lancaster had been reading my diary...
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    Edward Stanton, a young man living with OCD/Autism, on his own since a little problem with Garth Brooks. Life comes to his front door and he has to decide to partake or not. I had a hard time getting into this story until the "Blue Blaster" was unveiled. I may have read this story with too literal a mind set, had trouble getting past the repetition. I enjoyed Edward(lover of "Dragnet" and adjectives). There was humor,and bewilderment. Not every book is for everyone and as well written as it was it was not my favorite.