What book do we all reach for before the holidays?  No, silly– not Martha Stewart, the DSM-IV,  (Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders) .

Do you get stressed just thinking about seeing your smarty-pants brother-in-law, your know-it-all sister with her great job in the capital, your annoying parents, the second and third spouses, politically incorrect in-laws, horrible children, maybe even their dogs. I could go on, but the important part of the holidays is to enjoy your extended family, and I’ve found the DSM-IV is a big help.  You’ll feel better quietly diagnosing their neurosis masquerading as snobbery. Awful table manners could be caused by a personality disorder.  Unpleasantness may be a result of many serious mental conditions…

We have lots of more traditional books for the holidays of course, but I like to get ready by going through the mental health section. It’s amazingly interesting…. hmmm…. maybe I’ll just glance through  some of those books on “how to calm down and enjoy life”.  “Unstuck” by James S. Gordon looks really good….

Filed under: Books, Movies, Music, Research, Staff Picks
Tags: books, holidays, thanksgiving
by Lisa on November 5, 2009