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A review by shansometimes
I'll Just Be Five More Minutes: And Other Tales from My ADHD Brain by Emily Farris
funny
lighthearted
reflective
4.0
I'll Just Be Five More Minutes is a memoir in essays about the author's journey to learning she has ADHD at age 35. As someone who got this diagnosis at the similarly big age of 33, I had a good time with this book primarily because it made me feel so seen.
As with most essay collections, some were better (more substantial, profound, and meaningful) than others. Something about the author's tone could be annoying to me at times—I think because she seemed too flippant about the impact of her actions. And while mostly relatable, Farris' frank admissions about how she's coped with the way her brain works, managed (and mismanaged) relationships and finances, and navigated her writing career sometimes read as simply immature, inconsiderate, and lacking accountability. I don't like even the subtle suggestion that ADHD is to blame for that.
Nonetheless, I get it. I see how that can be part of the journey. With ADHD, we feel misunderstood by others until we get the diagnosis that helps us understand ourselves. We drop many balls in life until we find the systems that teach us how to juggle. Farris communicates the frustration, shame, and consequences of living like this very well. She's also funny and brings her points home in a way that I, as a fellow woman, writer, and person with an ADHD brain, find admirable.
This collection is solid. I'd recommend it to those—especially 30+ women who enjoy essays—who have felt misunderstood and have gone through the wringer to figure out why.
As with most essay collections, some were better (more substantial, profound, and meaningful) than others. Something about the author's tone could be annoying to me at times—I think because she seemed too flippant about the impact of her actions. And while mostly relatable, Farris' frank admissions about how she's coped with the way her brain works, managed (and mismanaged) relationships and finances, and navigated her writing career sometimes read as simply immature, inconsiderate, and lacking accountability. I don't like even the subtle suggestion that ADHD is to blame for that.
Nonetheless, I get it. I see how that can be part of the journey. With ADHD, we feel misunderstood by others until we get the diagnosis that helps us understand ourselves. We drop many balls in life until we find the systems that teach us how to juggle. Farris communicates the frustration, shame, and consequences of living like this very well. She's also funny and brings her points home in a way that I, as a fellow woman, writer, and person with an ADHD brain, find admirable.
This collection is solid. I'd recommend it to those—especially 30+ women who enjoy essays—who have felt misunderstood and have gone through the wringer to figure out why.