katiehixson 's review for:

ADHD: A Hunter in a Farmer's World by Thom Hartmann

slow-paced

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I was so excited about this book. The theory was an excellent one, and I have been fascinated by the idea for quite a while. I was immensely let down after just the prologue - this is just his theory, as simple as that, without much science or research to back it up. The second half of the book wasn’t much better, which was aimed more toward practical application and assistance for living with adhd. It was the most surface level dribble I’ve heard the almost 40 years I’ve been living with an adhd diagnosis. I said “well duh!” Out loud several times. An example - put your phone away so it’s not a distraction. Groundbreaking idea (sarcasm).

One of my biggest critiques is the very one dimensional way he discusses adhd vs neurotypicals. He gives no nuance for personality types, or even different cultures across the world. In chapter 4 he mentioned that in Japan, there is a very low population diagnosed with adhd because they have been farmers there for millennia. However, there could be many explanations for this, including cultural expectations, as well as an underdianosis of adhd.  

He makes blanket statement after blanket statement, scraping the top-top of the surface of these issues while never fleshing the topics out with the nuance they deserve. An example of this is in chapter 8, when he attributes the desire to mug, to be an ER nurse, have “wild, unprotected sex,” and even immigrating to America in the 1600s to wanting to feel alive and are therefore seeking adrenaline. WHAT?? No accounting for privilege, necessity, conviction, other comorbid mental issues, nothing. All just lumped together, which is insane. There are a profuse amount of variables and possible motives for each of these, and to boil it down to one thing to fit his narrative was disingenuous. Not to mention, a person doesn’t have to have adhd to fit any of those descriptions, which makes his point entirely invalid. 

This book made me want to pull my hair out the entire time I read it.