Rating:  Summary: Best book about ocd I have read! Review: Emily Colas does a great job of explaining the thoughts of a person who suffers from ocd, and what exactly is going through their head at all times. I found it to be remarkably true and easy to relate to. A lot of the thoughts that run through her head are being thought by me everyday, and I was relieved to know that i'm not alone. This book tought me a lot about my disease while still making me laugh out loud at the stories that I relate to. A great book for someone who has ocd to learn more about yourself, or a parent or spouse to understand exactly what goes through the mind of an ocd sufferer. I recommend this book to everyone of all ages!
Rating:  Summary: A hysterically funny, dark, moving OCD memoir Review: Emily Colas is an amazing writer. I loved JUST CHECKING and read it in one sitting. Colas reminds me of David Sedaris--her humor is biting, her perceptions keen, and the events she recounts are eminently memorable. This isn't a book only for obsessive-compulsives--it's for everyone who recognizes that type of behavior in themselves. From AS GOOD AS IT GETS to Howard Stern, to our own personal obsessions about gas leaks or catching a disease from a public phone, this book is about a topic to which we can all relate.
Rating:  Summary: I don't know . . . Review: Emily Colas' memoir, Just Checking, is like an uncomfortable stand-up comedy routine. Broken into small chunks of conversational writing with sometimes interesting, sometimes bewildering headings (for example, "Mussolini Ate His Penie"), Colas' account jumps frantically from past to present, her childhood events to her typical day-to-day life as a wife and mother. It's sometimes hard to follow where exactly we are at any given time--and if that's intentional, I'm not sure it really works.There are some terribly intense, disturbing moments (such as when Colas' apartment fills with garbage and dirt because she becomes wary of cleaning supplies, and she refuses to take a shower for fear of harming her unborn child), but overall the book floats glibly from event to event, nearly discounting Colas' painful descent into the illness. I know that this is was an extremely uncomfortable story to tell, and I like the approach of bringing humor to a subject that normally isn't very funny, but there are times when the writing backs away when it should have really delved deeper.
Rating:  Summary: A heartbreaking, terrific read. Review: Emily's dry humor allows the reader to finish this appalling and heartrending account of OCD without getting too depressed over the author's bizarre behavior. One is left simply amazed that her husband stuck around for as long as he did. Even Emily's picture on the book jacket transmits a sense that profound psychological distress lies just underneath her quite comely exterior. The reader can only hope the author has been permitted, through therapy, a more serene existence.
Rating:  Summary: Entertainment Lite Review: I also suffer from OCD, albeit a much milder form than what Emily Colas endured. I check the stove and perform some of the same rituals as the author, but I don't constantly ruminate on catching diseases from bodily fluids. So, naturally, I thought I could relate to this book. And I did. I related to a lot of it, in fact. Much of the book is funny, though not "terribly" so, as David Sedaris writes on the back cover of the hardback edition. (Honestly, why do some writers have to exaggerate the merits of a particular book? Are they getting paid for their fulsome praise? Sheesh.) But Emily seems to be a likable person, and I'm glad she managed to get her life back on track; not to mention get a book published! This book is a quick read. Save it for a rainy afternoon!
Rating:  Summary: A quick, enjoyable book Review: I found myself laughing out loud when reading "Just Checking." The author is a terrific writer and has a sharp, sarcastic sense of humor. She's terrific with details. I just finished a long, seriously haunting novel and found "Just Checking" to be a refreshing respite. It's smart and sassy.
Rating:  Summary: Quick Read Review: I found this book to be a very quick read, it's good because there's little stories and they're quick and easy to read. Very interesting.
Rating:  Summary: Horrible book. Review: I have never read such a terrible composition. As a book lover, I own hundreds of books and JUST CHECKING caught my attention on a bargain book list at an online bookstore. I purchased it and anticipated its arrival. The small price was too much. I have never actually put a book down and placed it into a trash can. Please do not read this! Colas uses unneccessary flith and disgusting anecdotes to shock the reader. You may be interested in reading this only to discover the horrid features for yourself: refrain from this adventure. There are other bad books to read that can fufill your guilty pleasure. This is most definately the worst book I have ever read.
Rating:  Summary: Grateful She's Not My Neighbor... Review: I just finished reading her book the other night. Colas, in my opinion, has much more to work through than merely the OCD. She doesn't offer much in her book about the relationship(s) she had with each of her parents other than to infuse the OCD "link" here and there. Not enough insight; on her part by choice?---or by denial? In either case, Emily needs to do a lot more than having written this book to truly "get better". I hope she does it. Especially for her kids.
Rating:  Summary: It's surprising she's still alive Review: I read this book and cringed for Emily Colas. The type of obsessive-compulsive disorder she possesses is so pulverizing, it will make you think twice about some of your own little quirks and foibles. She exhibits great courage and little self-consciousness about her disease. This level of OCD can be unusually difficult to treat, so they tell me, and the fact that Colas is still with us, hasn't mutilated herself beyond recognition, can still laugh, understands how far she can go (and has gone)...well, it's nothing short of amazing. The writing style leaves a little to be desired, but the book's short length is about all anyone could stand to read about OCD. My hat is off to the author. I also promise I will NEVER check to see if the glass rim has a chip on it ever again.
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