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Book Critiques 

Outside the Box
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Outside the Box: Rethinking ADD in Children and Adults— A Practical Guide
  • Outside the Box is arguably the best practical book ever written on ADHD. Laden with compelling case examples that humanize this condition, the writing is both authoritative and readable. Overall, the book masterfully blends the underlying science related to ADHD with extremely helpful guidance for assessment and treatment. It is a “must-read” for anyone dealing with ADHD.

    • Stephen P. Hinshaw, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley

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  • This book is another example of Dr. Brown’s exceptional ability to convey complex information about ADHD to a broad audience in easily understandable terms yet based on the scientific evidence. It provides not only a fine understanding of ADHD, its complexity and its causes, but also a number of insightful cases and evidence-based recommendations for its management.

    • Russell A. Barkley, Ph.D., Clinical Professor of Psychiatry,  Medical University of South Carolina

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  • This brilliant book by a superb clinician-researcher compresses a wealth of vital, practical information into a marvelously user-friendly and engaging format.  It’s chock-full of everything anyone interested in ADHD wants to know, arranged in such a way that you can find what you want and will never be bored.

    • Edward Hallowell, M.D., author of Driven to Distraction and other books

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  • This down-to-earth book shows what ADHD really is and what it isn’t.  Brown gives us a true “feel” for ADHD and the impact of symptoms on people’s lives. He defines executive functions in clear examples  just as his patients described to him.  For those want an in-depth understanding of ADHD as it occurs in children, youth and adults, this book is a must read.

    • Michael J. Manos, PhD, Head of Pediatric Behavioral Health. Cleveland Clinic   

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  • Professor Brown translates complex science into everyday language. This is THE guide for everyone having questions or doubts about ADHD. Case descriptions are delivered in an empathic tone that only one who has dedicated a lifetime to caring for patients and families with ADHD could provide. Highly recommended for patients, their families and professionals interested in ADHD.

    • Luis Augusto Rohde., M.D. Professor of Psychiatry, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil & President of the World Federation of ADHD

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  • This book is essential reading for anyone who wants to better understand ADHD across the life span. Brown gathers together some of the best thinking and research from a variety of fields to answer some of the most crucial questions about this still vexing and all-too-common condition. He has delivered a clear, comprehensive work that is both engaging and original. A rewarding, useful and accessible read.

    • F. Xavier Castellanos, M.D., Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Professor of Professor of Radiology, and Physiology and Neuroscience, and Director, Center for Neurodevelopmental Disorders. New York University, Langone Medical Center Child Study Center

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  •  Outside the Box offers an accessible update on the latest research about ADHD and answers questions and doubts that many struggle with about this disorder which is very prevalent in children and adults all over the world.

    • Sandra Kooij, M.D., Ph.D., Chair, European Network Adult ADHD

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  • Tom Brown’s clearly written, evidence-based update on Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder is a must-read for professionals working with people struggling with ADHD and for adolescents and adults with ADHD seeking a deeper understanding of the disorder. The many clinical vignettes add interest and remind us of the person behind the diagnosis. Sections debunking common misunderstandings and summarizing important facts about ADHD are gems!

    • Mina K. Dulcan, M.D. Head, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Pediatrics  Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine

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  • Comprehensive, compassionate, and clear, Brown’s authoritative survey on attention deficit disorders integrates rich clinical experience with cutting-edge neuroscience and epidemiology. The book provides a textured overview of ADD/ADHD symptoms and comorbidities. Brown’s views on such topics as measurement bias and non-pharmaceutical adjunctive treatment are compelling. This rigorous yet approachable text is ideal for clinicians, academic researchers, parents and patients alike.

    • Ronald C. Kessler, Ph.D., McNeil Family Professor, Department of Health Care Policy,  Harvard Medical School

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  • Well written, clear and concise, Dr. Brown’s Outside the Box explodes many of the myths and misunderstandings surrounding ADHD. In his calm, reassuring style, he provides the information families and young adults with ADHD need to not only to understand this disorder, but also to seek out proper treatment This is a much needed book amidst all the confusion that abounds today.

    • Patricia O. Quinn, MD, Developmental Pediatrician, Washington DC and author of 100 Questions and Answers about ADHD in Women and Girls

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  • Professor Brown has written with his usual insightful understanding and communicates in an understandable way that will be a most valuable asset for professionals, patients, and parents alike. A brilliant read and one I will come back to many times. As a patient advocate, this is an invaluable resource for me.

    • Andrea Bilbow, OBE, Founder of  Attention Deficit Information and Support Service (ADDISS) in U.K.

Smart bu Stuck
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Smart but Stuck: Emotions in Teens and Adults
  • “No matter where you are in your journey to success, if you have ADHD, this book will help to speed you on your way. I could not recommend it more highly.”

    • Edward (Ned) Hallowell, MD, author, Driven to Distraction and Delivered from Distraction

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  • “Clearly written, rich in detail, and full of helpful advice, this book will be beneficial to anyone with ADHD and to those who struggle to live with, understand, and help them.”

    • Russell A. Barkley, PhD, clinical professor, Psychiatry and Pediatrics, Medical University of South Carolina; author, Taking Charge of ADHD and Taking Charge of Adult ADHD

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  • “This book, reflecting Dr. Brown’s 35 years of clinical practice combined with the latest findings from affective neuroscience, is a must-read for anyone who is interested in ADHD.”​

    • James J. Gross, PhD, professor, psychology, Stanford University; editor, Handbook of Emotion Regulation

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  • “Dr. Brown introduces a forgotten piece in the life of those suffering from ADHD—the role of emotions.”

    • Luis Augusto Rohde, MD, PhD, president, World Federation of ADHD; professor,psychiatry, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.

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  • “These engaging vignettes vividly bring to life emotional difficulties that, even for very intelligent teens and adults, can lead to frustration and failure in efforts to overcome their deficits in attention, organization, and motivation.”

    • Mina K. Dulcan, MD, professor, Psychiatry, Behavioral Sciences and Pediatrics,Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago and Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

A New Understanding of ADHD
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A New Understanding of ADHD in Children and Adults
  • “Dr. Brown more than fulfills his promise to provide an accessible summary that describes and integrates new facts and perspectives on ADHD.  The book is comprehensive, current, and engagingly written.  It will be a terrific resource for parents, educators, and clinicians as well as for patients themselves.”​​​​​​

    • F. Xavier Castellanos, M.D., Brooke and Daniel Neidich Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Professor of Radiology and Physiology and Neuroscience, and Director, Center for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, New York University Langone Medical Center Child Study Center

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  • “Brown presents a comprehensive case for comprehending this disorder in terms of a wide range of executive functions, rather than on the basis of behavior and attention alone.  Loaded with up-to-date research findings and synthetic in scope, this work is bound to challenge assumptions and pave the way toward new paradigms.”​

    • Stephen P. Hinshaw, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley, and Editor, Psychological Bulletin

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  • “Tom Brown’s book is placing cognitive changes at the heart of ADHD and drawing out the implications for clinicians and researchers.  It is a welcome corrective to the overemphasis on disruptive behavior and it is written so clearly that it can be recommended to everyone who wants to understand the nature of this serious problem for adults and children.”

    • Eric Taylor, FRCP, FRCPsych, Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, University of London

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  • “A very intriguing read.  Dr. Brown skillfully examines the diverse nature of executive functions, ADHD, and their overlap.”

    • Timothy E. Wilens, M.D., Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, and Director of Substance Abuse Services, Massachusetts General Hospital

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  • “Professionals and lay people looking for a synthesis of our current understanding of this condition will find Dr. Brown’s latest book a sensible, understandable, and very readable contribution.”

    • Gabrielle A. Carlson, M.D., Professor of Psychiatry and Pediatrics, and Director, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Stony Brook University School of Medicine.

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  • “Dr. Brown presents a science-driven and cohesive way of re-conceptualizing the disorder, revitalizing the central role of executive functioning impairment in ADHD.  This book translates recent advance in ADHD science into understandable words not only for mental health professionals, but for all those interest in this very prevalent disorder affecting individuals across the whole life cycle.”

    • Luis Augusto Rohde, M.D., Ph.D., President of the World Federation of ADHD, and Professor of Psychiatry, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

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  • “Tom Brown’s newest book pulls from the latest research in ADHD to present anew explanatory paradigm.  Research results are distilled to debunk myths and offer sound guidance on evaluation and effective treatment.  This book is a must-read for any education, health, or mental health professional who encounters children or adults with ADHD.  Its direct and clear language makes the explanations and conclusions accessible to parents and adult patients, too.”

    • Mina K. Dulcan, M.D., Osterman Professor of Child Psychiatry and Head, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago; Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Pediatrics, and Director, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

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  • “This book presents a highly useful and current summation of the major findings concerning ADHD and the role of executive functioning in it.  Clinicians, students, and laypeople will find here much valuable information on the disorder, its assessment and diagnosis, and its management.”

    • Russell A. Barkley, Ph.D., Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Pediatrics, Medical University of South Carolina.

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  • “Thomas E. Brown has produced a comprehensive reference.  It extends our understanding of the impact of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder as that diagnosis assumes new borders in DSM 5.”

    • Martha Bridge Denckla, M.D., Professor of Neurology, Pediatrics, and Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, and Director, Developmental Cognitive Neurology, Kennedy Krieger Institute.

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  • “Tom Brown is one of the true pioneers in our growing understanding of ADHD.  Both a clinician and a researcher, he continues to deepen and enlarge our knowledge of ADHD.  Dr. Brown is a dedicated doctor who’s written yet another brilliant book.”

    • Edward Hallowell, M.D., author of Delivered from Distraction and The Childhood Roots of Adult Happiness

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ADD: The Unfocused Mind
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Attention Deficit Disorder: The Unfocused Mind in Children and Adults
  • “This fine book, is rich with clinical anecdotes that provide great insight into ADD/ADHD. It demonstrates why ADHD is a far more profound disorder of cognitive development than many people believe. Dispelling many myths, this book provides scientifically based recommendations for the management of the disorder. Well done and well worth reading.”

    • Russell A. Barkley, Ph.D. SUNY Upstate Medical School

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  •  “Authoritative and ground-breaking. This is a superb book. I recommend it highly!”

    • Edward Hallowell, M.D., author of Delivered from Distraction: Getting the Most Out of Life with ADD

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  •  “A timely, practical and much needed text on a medical problem of enormous importance. A lucid discussion, exquisitely attuned to both the critical assessment of empirical fact and the unique human situation of each patient.”

    • Joaquin M. Fuster, M.D., Ph.D. University of California, Los Angeles, author of The Prefrontal Cortex

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  •  “Dr. Brown provides compassionate understanding and a fresh perspective on how manifestations of ADHD change across childhood, adolescence and adulthood.”

    • Rosemary Tannock, Ph.D., The Hospital for Sick Children & University of Toronto, Canada

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  •  “While rooted in science, this book goes far beyond typical clinical explanations to get to the heart of the matter. People living with ADHD will identify themselves and their loved ones on every page.”

    • Evelyn Polk Green, Attention Deficit Disorder Association

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  •  “Dr. Brown has combined neuroscience information with very good clinical examples in a way that will be of great benefit for patients, for students and clinicians.”

    • Professor Joseph Sergeant, Ph.D. Free University of Amsterdam

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  •  “People struggling with problems organizing themselves and concentrating will find much here to help them know and overcome their difficulties.”

    • Professor Eric Taylor, FRCP, FRCPsych. Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College, University of London

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  •  “Readers will come away with new insights and a treasure trove of essential strategies to effectively manage ADHD and related conditions.”

    • Harvey C. Parker, Ph.D., Co-founder of Children and Adults with Attention Deficit Disorder (CHADD)

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  •  “This book provides a vivid and lucid description of ADHD across the lifespan; as a clinical resource, it will be useful to professionals and lay readers.”

    • Martha Bridge Denckla, M.D. The Kennedy Krieger Institute, Johns Hopkins University

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  • “Attention Deficit Disorders documents Dr. Brown’s thirty years of listening to patients of all ages who tried, but could not ‘pay attention.’ Patients will recognize the deficits that have hampered them, and meet others with similar difficulties.”

    • Margaret Weiss, M.D., Ph.D. Children and Women’s Health Centre in British Columbia. Author of ADHD in Adulthood.

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  • “Dr. Brown’s book clearly describes Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and its treatment. Through many examples, it clarifies what is known and what are myths and misinformation.”

    • Mark Wolraich, M.D., University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center

ADHD Comorbidities Handbook
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ADHD Comorbidities: Handbook for ADHD Complications in Children and Adults
  • “This book offers a rich compendium of information about what is currently known about ADHD and how it can be most effectively treated in all its complexities.”

    • From the Forword. F. Xavier Castellanos, M.D. , New York University Child Study Center and Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, New York, New York.

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  • This is the most up-to-date book on this topic currently available and richly rewards the reader, whether clinician, scientist, or student, with its substantial breadth of coverage and detail.

    • Russell A. Barkley, Ph.D., Clinical Professor, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, and Research Professor, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, New York.

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  • Every conceivable psychiatric comorbidity is covered, by experts in each. Specific chapters are devoted to assessment of ADHD and comorbid disorders and the variety of treatments: pharmacotherapy, psychosocial interventions, cognitive therapy for adults, and tailoring treatment to best fit each person and family. Given the high prevalence of ADHD, this volume should be on every clinician’s shelf.

    • Mina Dulcan, M.D., Osterman Professor of Child Psychiatry, Children’s Memorial Hospital; Head, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Children’s Memorial Hospital and Northwestern Memorial Hospital; Head, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Pediatrics, Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois

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  • “It is a comprehensive and exhaustive volume, with ample references, suggestions for further readings, and even useful web sites. While the information can be overwhelming, the variety of therapeutic responses to the syndrome—from cognitive and behavioral therapy to appropriate medication—offer a glimmer of hope for concerned teachers and beleaguered family members.”

    • From “Review of ADHD Comorbidities: Handbook for ADHD Complications in Children and Adults.” Merri Rosenberg, Education Update (www.EducationUpdate.com). To read the rest of the review, download the pdf.

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