Customer Reviews

One Boy's Struggle: A Memoir: Surviving Life with Undiagnosed ADD

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Being diagnosed around 15 years ago I have read many great books on ADD. I have to say this one is different. Bryan tells a easy to follow story, of what it was like to live with ADD and not know why he couldn't make himself a "normal" kid and later adult. Many books talk about the symptoms, and the things we fail at, Bryan talks about how those symptoms are played out and the feelings that are left behind in your soul. I had to wipe my eyes many times while reading this book, yet he never fails to bring hope to the reader, of a brighter future, no matter how deep the failures. His positive attitude, toward a so called disorder, which is normally thought of as a negative, is inspiring and leads the reader to think about how much more, they too, can be and accomplish. This should be required reading for any parent with a ADD/ADHD child, I feel it would help so much to assisting in understanding them.

Even is someone isn't directly affected by ADD/ADHD this still is a beautiful book to read and no one can walk away from it the same. I highly recommend it!!!

Bryan Hutchinson's life is inspiring and his message is one of hope, forgiveness, and of moving forward. In his book, One Boy's Struggle: A Memoir - Surviving Life with Undiagnosed ADD, Bryan takes us through the struggles he experienced as a child and adult living life with undiagnosed ADD. His story is raw and painful at times, yet it is also heartwarming and optimistic.

Bryan spent a great deal of his life feeling less-than. He turned his frustrations inward - not understanding why he felt things differently, why so many aspects of his life seemed harder than those around him, why relationships were difficult, why he felt so isolated and self-critical. Once he was finally diagnosed and in treatment for his ADD, his life took a tremendous turn for the better.

Finally, he began to understand and appreciate the way his mind worked. He became more aware of and grew to value his great strengths. He was able to evaluate his experiences in more realistic ways, understand his feelings and frustrations, and overcome the self-defeating aspects of his life that had plagued him.

Bryan's story reiterates the importance of increased awareness and education about the impact ADD/ADHD can have in our lives. It emphasizes the dramatic improvement treatment can bring to a person's quality of life. Many will relate to his experiences and be moved by his positive approach. A great book!

Bryan's book is an enlightening story about an overwhelmed boy growing up with more than the normal share of confusion and hardships. His story also brings forth the ways he overcame his problem with ADD and achieved his goals. This inspiring book helped me understand the struggles someone with ADD lives through before they even realize they have a special problem and few books provide the real-life information from the perspective Bryan gives us. This book is invaluable to any parent with a child and not just those with ADD. Too often children withdraw from family and friends and we don't take the time to understand why. Bryan gives insight into his ordeal as a child and how he took hold of his situation and opened up all the possibilities life has to offer.

As an adult diagnosed with adhd a year ago, I've been doing a lot of reading and searching to learn more about it. Out of a huge stack of books I've read, only a handful give genuine insight into the mind of an adder. Most of what I've found is either too clinical to keep my attention, or too trite to be taken seriously.

Well ... thank God! Bryan is neither a psychiatrist, nor a professional copywriter. He's just some dude with adhd.

His is an amazing, yet disturbing story. What makes it amazing is how similar his story is to mine. At times I felt I was reading a story about myself, just with different scenery. What makes it so disturbing ... well ... is how similar his story is to mine.

The most helpful thing the diagnosis has done for me, is provide a new window from which I can review my past. Some of the mistakes I've agonized over for so long, were nothing but the symptoms of adhd. Communication issues, scheduling issues, work issues ... the list goes on and on ...

Reading about Bryan going through the same things in life I have, has helped me realize I'm not alone. There ARE actually people out there who DO know what I'm talking about!

I can't possibly recommend this book more. Put it at the very top of your list! Buy it now! It's that important.

Just one more thing ... after I was done reading the book, and took a few days to absorb it all, something hit me ... it's why I'm here recommending the book to you right now, and it's gonna hit you the same way too ...

I can't help but feel that I know Bryan, like he's a personal friend of mine.

That's the style of book he wrote, it's that personal. And that should tell you just how genuine "One Boy's Struggle" truly is.

Thanks Bryan!

Are you still reading this? Stop. Go buy the book! :-)

Not a fabulously well written book, but it provides invaluable insight into the heart and mind of a child/young man suffering from ADD. If I were president for a day I'd make it mandatory reading for all elementary teachers and parents of boys with or without ADD. The author clearly has extensive knowledge of ADD as well as first person experience -- a powerful combination that really helps the reader understand some of the many nuances of ADD. This book opened up very enlightening dialogue between my spouse and I and then my immediate family. We were able to confirm what we have long suspected; that in my family most of us have varying degrees of ADD but as adults have learned to compensate in interesting ways. We are productive and happy adults, but felt validated at the similarities we found with the author. Thank you so much for being so generous with your life experiences!

I can understand why some readers are very enthusiastic when recommending Bryan's book. His type of book is very rare and touches the readers deeply and emotionally. I personally could relate to many of Bryan's struggles in my life and now have a better insight and am more mindful for what my child could be going through in her own mind. As a parent sometimes we forget that our children have their own thoughts, cocnerns and beliefs... fears and emotions...

This is possibly the most emotional book I have ever read and cannot recommend it enough. I can not express enough gratitude to Bryan for taking the risks of publishing such an open account of his life. God Bless.

Ann Marie

I read Bryan's book because it was recommended on a blog i read. Did not know what to expect. I knew it was about ADHD. Oh my God - I have never been so amazed by a story I did not expect to read. I want to recommend this book to everyone who has ADHD. Anyone who has had a turmulous childhood and identity crises will relate. Be prepared for Bryan's very personal story to pull you in and not let you go. I feel as if I am now somehow connected to Bryan.

Best book I have read in a long time......

I could not put Bryans beautifully writen account on living with ADD down. Finally someone has walked in my shoes. I felt like I was reading a book that I had writen about my life. I have been living with ADD for 42 years. I related to Bryans struggles with his father and to his time in school. I always wanted to be like the other kids in school. I would tell myself today you are going to listen and pay attention in class. I would find myself immediatly staring off into my dream world. I was put into phase 1 classes with children with disorders that were much more severe than my own. I new I was different and not understood. I was ridiculed made fun of and called a dummy. I thought that I was dumb for years. I would tell people when I made mistakes "Oh I'm sorry I am so stupid" My self esteem was shot! I have a 13 year old daughter that was diagnosed 8 years ago. I have read many books trying to make sure that I help her adjust and live a happier life. I just finished One Boy's Struggle. I would have to say it has changed my life and helped me understand why I think the way I do. It has helped me understand why I do the things I do. Bryan is going to help so many people understand who they are. I think his book is amazing and I can't wait to share his book with my daughter and others that need help understanding ADD.I have taught my daughter that living with ADD is a gift. Bryan's struggles with trying to self define bring that home in the end. Thank you Bryan for sharing your life with others and proving that life with ADD is an incredible gift.

Although I received this book as a gift and I know relatively little about the clinical diagnosis of ADD, I've found it quite readable and interesting. His organization of the text into sixteen different concerns facing those who have ADD symptoms (whether they may or may not have ADD), offers a memorable and varied approach that many with motivational disorders can relate to. His approach is obviously genuine, which underscores the role of this memoir as both in-depth case study as well as a general contribution to the broad field of learning disability literature. With stories and recollections, this genuine approach reveals more than most of us would want to admit about our early lives. What is particularly useful is to find ways in which the natural consequences of ADD manifest themselves in different areas of one's early life, especially at times of memorable breakthroughs. The book is, it seems to me, about these breakthroughs, brought about by positive thinking, with the help of an honest retrospective account, with the ability to stay focused on present circumstances at times, and with the ability to value those honest relationships in one's life that make all of this possible.

Bryan's memoirs are poignant, honest, and, at times, painful. He gives us a glimpse into his troubled childhood, the result largely of undiagnosed ADHD. We see, through his eyes, how children with ADHD struggle just to feel as though they fit in, how they yearn for nothing more than the approval of their parents and other adults - and yet, how everything they do (or don't do) makes that approval even harder to garner.

What I love about this book though, is how Bryan also shows us how he has overcome many of the obstacles that held him back as a child. He acknowledges the people in his life who helped him to realize his potential, and he gives hope to people with ADHD everywhere, that you really CAN succeed with ADHD - in the workplace, in relationships, in life. I came away from reading this book with a profound sense of hope and inspiration for my own future.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who has been diagnosed with ADHD, and to parents, spouses, and teachers of those with ADHD. Those with ADHD will instantly be able to relate to everything that Bryan writes... and those without ADHD will have a new insight into the struggles that ADDers face every day. Both will come away with hope for the future. Thank you, Bryan, for sharing your life with us in this way.