Official Review: Fused by Dr James Manning

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LivreAmour217
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Official Review: Fused by Dr James Manning

Post by LivreAmour217 »

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Fused" by Dr James Manning.]
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4 out of 4 stars
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Fused: A Memoir of Childhood OCD and Adult Obsession is a biographical account written by Dr. James Manning. Within this book, Dr. Manning offers both professional (he is a psychologist) and very personal insights into a form of anxiety known as Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). This book chronicles Dr. Manning's journey with OCD, from his first brush with the disorder at the age of ten, to his eventual mastery of the compulsions and intrusive thoughts that come standard with this condition.

I decided to read this book for personal reasons. I have mentioned in other posts that I am mildly autistic, but I don't think that I've disclosed that I also carry the diagnosis of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. I picked up this book thinking that Dr. Manning's expertise, both personal and professional, would be helpful for me. I am happy to say to say that I was not disappointed by this book. Fused is an excellent resource, not only for those who have OCD, but for their friends and loved ones as well.

Dr. Manning does a stupendous job of giving a voice to OCD. He delves into great detail within his own personal life, and leaves nothing out as he explains the motives and thought processes that fueled his obsessions. As someone who has OCD, I found his personal account to be reassuring. Countless times throughout the book, I found myself uttering phrases like "I've done that!" or "I'm so glad that I'm not the only one!" The reminder that I am not alone with these tendencies was comforting, and I believe that others with OCD would feel similarly after reading this book. For those who don't live with OCD, Dr. Manning's story provides easy-to-understand insights into the aspects of OCD that can be especially frustrating to observers.

In addition to sharing the author's personal story, Fused also includes some resources for sufferers of OCD. There are practical exercises, a glossary of the technical terms used throughout the book, and a list of potentially helpful psychotropic medications. Dr. Manning also does an excellent job of recapping the book's main points in the final chapter, which I thought was a nice touch due to the sheer volume of information within.

Other than a few grammatical oversights, I found no flaws with this book, and I award it 4 out of 4 stars. I recommend Fused not only to those afflicted with OCD, but also to anyone who knows someone with this condition. I would also suggest that psychology students read this book, as it places emphasis one the person behind the symptoms (something that academia often overlooks).

******
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Post by kandscreeley »

I think we all struggle with our own issues to some extent or another, just not all of us are willing to admit it. I also find benefit from reading books such as these, and this sounds like a good one. I applaud you for being willing to be open about your struggles as well. Thanks for the review.
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Post by Elaine5 »

Books that are readable, educational and helpful are hard to come by. Sounds like you have found a real gem. Thanks for this review and for sharing personally. Congratulations to the author.
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Post by LivreAmour217 »

kandscreeley wrote:I think we all struggle with our own issues to some extent or another, just not all of us are willing to admit it. I also find benefit from reading books such as these, and this sounds like a good one. I applaud you for being willing to be open about your struggles as well. Thanks for the review.
Thank you! I agree that we all have our issues, and that some people are less likely than others to face that fact. I enjoyed this book because the author had the courage to open up about his struggles.

-- 20 Feb 2017, 20:51 --
Elaine5 wrote:Books that are readable, educational and helpful are hard to come by. Sounds like you have found a real gem. Thanks for this review and for sharing personally. Congratulations to the author.
Thank you very much! You are correct--this book is a gem!
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Post by Heidi M Simone »

What a wonderful review, LivreAmour217! First of all, thank you for sharing such personal information. Secondly, this book sounds fascinating. I love a good non-fiction text, but with one that speaks about OCD, my interest piques a bit more. I have known some people (mainly previous students) with OCD and I am always up for learning more about what others experience.

Congratulations to the author for writing such a compelling book and for receiving such a positive review!
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Post by LivreAmour217 »

hsimone wrote:What a wonderful review, LivreAmour217! First of all, thank you for sharing such personal information. Secondly, this book sounds fascinating. I love a good non-fiction text, but with one that speaks about OCD, my interest piques a bit more. I have known some people (mainly previous students) with OCD and I am always up for learning more about what others experience.

Congratulations to the author for writing such a compelling book and for receiving such a positive review!
Thank you, Hsimone! This is a great book for those who are interested in learning more about OCD
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Post by kimmyschemy06 »

Sounds like a great book. I don't have OCD but I know of a lot who have and this sounds like a very informative and helpful book. Great job on the review. Congratulations to Dr James Manning on such an obviously well written book.
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Post by LivreAmour217 »

kimmyschemy06 wrote:Sounds like a great book. I don't have OCD but I know of a lot who have and this sounds like a very informative and helpful book. Great job on the review. Congratulations to Dr James Manning on such an obviously well written book.
Thank you! Informative and helpful are two very good words to describe this book!
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Post by bookowlie »

Great review as always. :) The book sounds very informative with an added personal touch by the author sharing his own experiences. I love it when a reviewer is a good fit for a particular book!
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bookowlie wrote:Great review as always. :) The book sounds very informative with an added personal touch by the author sharing his own experiences. I love it when a reviewer is a good fit for a particular book!
Thank you so much! :) Yes, this book was a very good fit for me, and I am grateful that I had the opportunity to read it!
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Post by Cee-Jay Aurinko »

It sounds like the author of this book did a wonderful job writing this book. Excellent reviewing from you LivreAmour217!
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Post by Taralovesbooks1 »

This article of Fused by Dr James Manning,I really enjoyed your article!It was very inspring!
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Post by LivreAmour217 »

Cee-Jay Aurinko wrote:It sounds like the author of this book did a wonderful job writing this book. Excellent reviewing from you LivreAmour217!
Thank you! And yes, he did!

-- 25 Feb 2017, 10:47 --
Taralovesbooks1 wrote:This article of Fused by Dr James Manning,I really enjoyed your article!It was very inspring!
I'm glad that you enjoyed it!
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Post by gali »

Thank you for sharing. I am glad you found the book helpful. It does sound like an excellent resource for sufferers of OCD. Great job on the review!
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Post by LivreAmour217 »

gali wrote:Thank you for sharing. I am glad you found the book helpful. It does sound like an excellent resource for sufferers of OCD. Great job on the review!
Thank you, Gali! :)
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