Chasing Kites: A Memoir About Growing Up with ADHD

by Tom Nardone, Alan Brown (Foreword)

Chasing Kites is unflinching look at growing up with ADHD at a time in which there was little to no awareness. If you want to know and feel what someone with ADHD goes through, there is not a better way to understand than Chasing Kites. Tom Nardone shares his personal stories in the most honest and genuine fashion. Some of which are hysterically funny, while others are quite moving and touching. Through these stories, Tom connects with his readers by actually explaining what was going through his mind, and/or his thought process at the time which they occurred. Tom, for more than half of his life, was not accepted by the majority of his peers.He did not fit into any of society’s norms. This was evident in the fact he was bullied and picked on daily for his first 10 years of school, and the fact he was fired from more jobs than he can recount. Chasing Kites is not an ADHD manual. It is a true story that spans from kindergarten through high school and well into adulthood. It’s a story of victory and defeat. It’s a story of love and hate. Chasing Kites is the story of Tom Nardone going from being a troubled young boy to being a hero to so many others like him. This is what others have said about Chasing Kites “Tom writes with passion, sincerity, and honesty. I was moved to tears.” Rick Green of "TotallyADD©“

“There are a handful of people in the ADHD universe who can successfully combine biting humor with heart-wrenching truth to yield provocative prose that entertain while enlightening. Tom Nardone is one of the few.” Alan Brown of "ADDCrusher©" and "CrusherTV©"

“I have never read anything so vulnerable, so honest, so inspiring or funny. I highly recommend it.” Laurie Dupar of "The International ADHD Coach Training Center©"

Gripping and compelling! I did not put it down until the end.” Jennie Friedman of the "See in ADHD©" Podcast" Tom Nardone is widely known in the ADHD community from his writing, interaction, and most notably "The Tom Nardone Show" which can be heard on iTunes© and iHeartRadio©. Tom is an unapologetic fresh voice in the ADHD community, and is respected and loved for the entertaining attitude he takes toward his own ADHD. While for a long time it has been Tom Nardone’s primary purpose to entertain his audience, this book is something very different. Tom loves ADHD people. It is primarily for them and their family and friends for whom he wrote Chasing Kites however, anyone who reads this will get something from it.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Adhd

182 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 11, 2017

Reviews

[Alex Mitchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about a guy who grew ADHD and didn't know it until he was an adult, but if you've ever felt lonely because you never quite fit in, you will experience some degree of catharsis from Toms words, I know I did.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have ADHD and know quite enough people who has the same disorder.

I started reading this because of the mental health book club but didn't finish it because I already have heard or knew all the things it said till the page I've read.

[Zak Hazlett · Rating 5 out of 5]

While this is not a literary classic, it is exactly what Tom intended it to be--a real, raw, in depth view into his life and what is the life of many people who have ADHD. I read it in one sitting and felt several different emotions. His story telling is authentic and hilarious. For anyone who has ever felt like an outcast, felt different, or struggled with finding their place in life--this book will definitely help to alleviate some of the pain that is felt from any of those things.

[Jennifer Henriquez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chasing Kites

This book made me a little sad. One of my children suffers from adhd and I saw so much of his struggles and similarities in young Toms stories. What bothered me the most was the constant abuse he had to endure in elementary and middle school from students and teachers. I liked the book and was glad I got to read it. I’m also glad that he figured everything out.

[Anik · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well written captivating account of the author's experiences. Eventhough, this is not an in-depth study of ADHD, I found it to be much more valuable in understanding the disorder than all the clinical expert books on the subject. And I would say, it's a great read for anyone even without any special interest in ADHD.

[Justyna Scheck · Rating 5 out of 5]

I initially “read” this book for a college class right after I had been diagnosed with adhd myself. It was for a project and I put it off until the night before it was due, then had someone read the book to me aloud while I panic wrote an essay about it. I gave it 1 star and hated it. I don’t think I was ready to read/hear this raw of an explanation of adhd. I thought the author was an ass and was using his adhd as an excuse. After re reading it (actually reading it this time lol) and after being diagnosed/treating my adhd now for 8 years, I loved this book. It was really helpful to read and hear his own experiences with adhd, and how similar my own have been. I always tell people I hate having adhd, and a part of me always will, but this author made me feel less alone with it and more confident with my adhd. Definitely a must read for anyone with adhd or for anyone that loves someone with adhd.

[Emily Remaklus · Rating 2 out of 5]

As a teacher I was really hoping to better understand my students with ADHD through this book. While some stories did help me understand what my students go through, I did find a lot of the book to unfortunately be the author simply blaming others for struggles in his life. He hated his peers in school, hated his teachers, hated his bosses, hated his ex-wife, and just seemed to have a lot of hatred. A lot of the book was simply complaints about the people he felt did him wrong during his life. It would have been interesting to see the author speak with some of these people later on and get their side of the stories as well.

[Susan Ballain · Rating 5 out of 5]

I felt that this was a very moving and helpful and honest book! In the truest eyes of someone who lives with mental illness that for so long was not recognized as anything but being “lazy”!
I’m truly glad I chose to read this book!

[Frankie DeRosa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy read that provided a very interesting take on ADHD. Very helpful to build an understanding of how it impacts people who have it and provides that perspective

[Sabrina M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Each chapter works through a part of his life to help paint the picture of ADHD. It helped me understand this disorder better especially since a loved one has ADHD. Brought a new perspective and more empathy for me.

[Kriss · Rating 5 out of 5]

This bittersweet memoir is for anyone who struggled through childhood not quite understanding the world around them. In Tom's case it was ADHD. What's it like to grow up with ADHD and not know it? A lot of trying, a lot of fixing the wrong thing, a lot of ineffective discipline, a lot of not "getting" how to do the basic things everyone else seems born with, a lot of being laughed at, and a lot of failure. Tom tells the story of how he dealt with being out of step in a childhood world that held as many perils for him as the old witches' gingerbread house held for Handel and Gretel.