I even liked the Hunter/Farmer model/theory/metaphor/mythology of ADDers just being another type of person, rather than a defective one. He makes some convincing arguments for the plausibility of this theory, yet doesn't hit you over the head with it. I don't personally need the ego boost of saying I'm a Hunter, versus those slow Farmers. :-) But it is somewhat comforting to think you're just wired differently, instead of wired defectively.
Anyway, the best part is the tips from his previous readers. I've read through them and highlighted a lot. Now I have to go back and write summaries, and try to apply one idea a week, rather than trying to do everything at once.
So read about how ADD'ers make it, how they succeed, and start feeling not only hopeful, but perhaps even a bit cocky about being an ADD'er or knowing one.
Specifically, this book is full of "tips" from folks with ADD themselves (mostly adults, with a few high school and college students mixed in) about how they manage various aspects of ADD in their lives. The book presupposes that you know what ADD is and accept that you will have to manage it or it will manage you (if you haven't gotten that far yet, read Driven to Distraction first). It does not expound his hunter/farmer theory in great detail (that's in ADD- A Different Perception) but gives you enough of this theory that you can "get it" without reading his other books. (In my opinion, you can skip his other books and go straight to this one.) Hartman does not suggest (as I thought he would) that folks with ADD don't ever need to consider medication, nor does he gloss over the fact that life with ADD presents many challenges, difficulty, and pain for "hunters" and their families, teachers, and friends. (Note: this book is oriented more toward teens and adults than young children in terms of the "tips" but I also think it is valuable for folks with young children who can benefit from the "long view" of life with ADD.)
So many books out there are about theory, and this one is about real life management without elaborate point systems and IEPs. The message is to understand yourself, find out what you're good at and what you're not, and then try to find a path through life where you use your talents. Understand that you're not good at everything, and get help with things you need help with, but basically, get out there and channel that energy and enthusiasm and locate what someone called "right livelihood."
