What do you think?
Rate this book
One Boy's Struggle: A Memoir: Surviving Life with Undiagnosed ADD
As an educator and mother of a child with ADHD, I have gained a lot of medical information about this condition. Bryans book however, helped me understand my daughters disorder in a new, insightful way. I never considered her point of view before, with concern to ADHD, and how it must be affecting her. Bryan coming forward like this and bravely revealing his struggles with ADD has benefited me and my family beyond measure. Thank you, Bryan - Jennifer Williams, an ADHD mother with BA in Early Childhood Education.
- GenresEducation
180 pages, Paperback
First published January 11, 2008
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
February 17, 2013
This is the second book I've read in as many months that have revealed so much about myself, even though the book may not apply to me.
Let me explain. I do not necessarily have Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD). I do, though, identify with many of the symptoms of the disorder, though I also realize I do not exhibit all of the symptoms. The trouble with focusing is partly me, partly not. On the other hand, I can see some of the traits that do not apply to me in family members, though again they don't all match. That's OK. This is not a book about diagnosing or treating ADD or ADHD. It's about seeing inside someone with ADD/ADHD and understanding them.
At first blush the book may seem to be the "whining" of a "victim." If you're the type who believes that telling one's own story in anything but a positive way is whining victimhood, then please don't read this book, or at least don't review it. If you have found yourself frustrated by being misunderstood by others, by being "different" and not knowing why or how to fix it, this book is for you. The author is open and frank, admitting that he puts himself at risk of being misunderstood. It is in that transparency, though, that truth is revealed.
His chapter on his father stung me, because I didn't have a good relationship with my own father. The dynamics were different, but they still touch me.
Truth is truth, no matter what you believe. One Boy's Struggle shows the truth behind the misbelief and misunderstandings inherent in any relationship with someone with ADD or ADHD. It's definitely worth reading.
Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book through Story Cartel, in exchange for a review. The review was not required to be a good one, simply an honest one.
Let me explain. I do not necessarily have Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD). I do, though, identify with many of the symptoms of the disorder, though I also realize I do not exhibit all of the symptoms. The trouble with focusing is partly me, partly not. On the other hand, I can see some of the traits that do not apply to me in family members, though again they don't all match. That's OK. This is not a book about diagnosing or treating ADD or ADHD. It's about seeing inside someone with ADD/ADHD and understanding them.
At first blush the book may seem to be the "whining" of a "victim." If you're the type who believes that telling one's own story in anything but a positive way is whining victimhood, then please don't read this book, or at least don't review it. If you have found yourself frustrated by being misunderstood by others, by being "different" and not knowing why or how to fix it, this book is for you. The author is open and frank, admitting that he puts himself at risk of being misunderstood. It is in that transparency, though, that truth is revealed.
His chapter on his father stung me, because I didn't have a good relationship with my own father. The dynamics were different, but they still touch me.
Truth is truth, no matter what you believe. One Boy's Struggle shows the truth behind the misbelief and misunderstandings inherent in any relationship with someone with ADD or ADHD. It's definitely worth reading.
Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book through Story Cartel, in exchange for a review. The review was not required to be a good one, simply an honest one.
February 11, 2013
This was a very eye opening book. I never understood ADD before and always looked on it as an excuse for hyper kids. This book has opened my eyes to see that it is not an excuse but a reason for why some people think differently from others. This book has gotten me to look into my own and my children's behavior patterns more.
November 3, 2022
⭐️2.5
February 21, 2013
Bryan L. Hutchinson has written a book for all parents, teachers, physicians and counselors as well as any adult diagnosed with attention deficit disorder ("ADD") to read. Hutchinson spent his entire youth and young adult life wondering what made him different, unacceptable in some settings, and caused his difficult relationship with his father.
In One Boy's Struggle: A Memoir, Hutchinson shares his highs and lows, ups and downs, successes and failures, and how he finally came to understand himself and the world around him.
What this book is not:
A manual of technical terminology explaining ADD in detail
A scientific explanation by a physician, psychologist, psychiatrist or other clinician
A medical textbook
An immediate fix for your loved one who suffers from ADD
What this book is:
An honest look at one individual's life spent coping with an undiagnosed condition, ADD
A sharing from the heart so that the reader might understand why a child behaves as he or she does, or why a spouse is behaving as she or he is, or why a co-worker is behaving as he or she is
A book detailing how one person finally found out what was causing his life struggles
A helpful look for parents, teachers and counselors in our schools at the ADD personality and behaviors in simple terms from someone who knows
And so much more!
As a grandmother of an 18-year old soon-to-be-graduate from high school, I found so much of my grandson in the pages of this book. Not to mention a better understanding of his mother, my stepdaughter, who remains an undiagnosed ADD victim. Fortunately, her son had the attention of teachers and his other grandmother in early grade school and has received some help along the way.
Hutchinson has offered a gift to the world of ADD patients, their families, teachers, physicians, and employers. A handbook written by someone who knows firsthand what ADD is and how it feels to be the person living with it.
If you are in any way interacting with someone you know has ADD or you suspect may have it, you must read this book.
One cautionary statement: Hutchinson's writing style mirrors the speech patterns of our grandson. This is not to say that he isn't a good writer -- it is to say that he writes as he thinks, or as an ADDer thinks. Rapidly, in long thoughts, and this can cause his writing to be disconcerting at first. For some this may make reading the book seem difficult at first. Be patient and give Hutchinson a chance to help you understand him and many others.
* * *
I received a free copy of One Boy's Struggle in exchange for an honest review.
In One Boy's Struggle: A Memoir, Hutchinson shares his highs and lows, ups and downs, successes and failures, and how he finally came to understand himself and the world around him.
What this book is not:
A manual of technical terminology explaining ADD in detail
A scientific explanation by a physician, psychologist, psychiatrist or other clinician
A medical textbook
An immediate fix for your loved one who suffers from ADD
What this book is:
An honest look at one individual's life spent coping with an undiagnosed condition, ADD
A sharing from the heart so that the reader might understand why a child behaves as he or she does, or why a spouse is behaving as she or he is, or why a co-worker is behaving as he or she is
A book detailing how one person finally found out what was causing his life struggles
A helpful look for parents, teachers and counselors in our schools at the ADD personality and behaviors in simple terms from someone who knows
And so much more!
As a grandmother of an 18-year old soon-to-be-graduate from high school, I found so much of my grandson in the pages of this book. Not to mention a better understanding of his mother, my stepdaughter, who remains an undiagnosed ADD victim. Fortunately, her son had the attention of teachers and his other grandmother in early grade school and has received some help along the way.
Hutchinson has offered a gift to the world of ADD patients, their families, teachers, physicians, and employers. A handbook written by someone who knows firsthand what ADD is and how it feels to be the person living with it.
If you are in any way interacting with someone you know has ADD or you suspect may have it, you must read this book.
One cautionary statement: Hutchinson's writing style mirrors the speech patterns of our grandson. This is not to say that he isn't a good writer -- it is to say that he writes as he thinks, or as an ADDer thinks. Rapidly, in long thoughts, and this can cause his writing to be disconcerting at first. For some this may make reading the book seem difficult at first. Be patient and give Hutchinson a chance to help you understand him and many others.
* * *
I received a free copy of One Boy's Struggle in exchange for an honest review.
February 20, 2013
Tragic account of a boy growing up without being understood, without understanding himself, and yet slowly discovering his identity in the midst of the pain. Everyone with ADD will be encouraged, and every parent of a child with ADD should be required to read this.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews