Book Review of Are You Crazy

For insight into the crazy world around us, and into your own pysche, you will want to read this book.

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Review of Are You Crazy?, by Andrew N. Williams.

Reviewer: Mark Lamendola, author of over 5,000 articles.

Having read and reviewed Williams' previous book, How Do You Compare?, I was excited to discover this author had written another self-examination guide. While the world is just seething with insanity, our natural tendency is to have a "I'm OK, you are crazy" view of things. Some people are not as crazy as we think they are, we are not necessarily as sane as we think we are, and some of the quirks we are embarrassed about are not as whacky as we think.

An honest reader of Are You Crazy? will get a helpful reality check. For most of us, reading the text and doing the self-tests will help us affirm that we are OK after all. Probably for many more of us, this book will help us be more accepting of other people and their behavior. And for some, this book will be a lifeline--by identifying that something is wrong after all. Of course, the value of the tests rests squarely on the honesty of the person taking them. Those who are in denial probably need more help than this book can provide. But for most folks, it will prove to be a very good use of their time.

Are You Crazy? does include some Anglo-Saxon vernacular, which some folks may find offensive. But for those who "venture outside the monastery," the language is descriptive and appropriate.

Now, what is in Are You Crazy?? This book consists of eight chapters. The first chapter focuses on the reader--with tests on narcissism, negativity, and shyness. The second chapter focuses on the reader's relationships with others--with tests on security, jealousy, and manipulative behavior.

The third chapter focuses on eating and drinking disorders. Interestingly, eating and drinking disorders are "normal" in the USA (which is why we have an obesity epidemic and a diabetes epidemic). People without these disorders are actually oddballs! The drinking disorder part is referring to alcohol only, not to other beverages. So, for example, if you drink "osteoporosis in a can," this book won't identify that as crazy behavior--even though it is. Nor does it go to the very core of the dieting vs. eating right "debate." But it does touch on that.

The next four chapters delve into darker areas. These include se*ual peccadilloes, phobias, weird stuff, and really weird stuff.

The book closes by wrapping all of this up in Chapter Eight. Now that you've looked at all of these things, what do they mean? What is the big picture, and how does it relate to you?

If you want to break out of self-defeating delusion--what I think of as being perpetually asleep--(you may not even be aware you are in it) add this book to your collection. The movie "The Matrix" was a big hit, primarily because it reflected the fact our world as we perceive it is not at all our world as it is. And that is very dangerous. I think most people are actually scared of the truth, because with truth comes responsibility. But no ostrich has ever escaped the hunter by sticking its head in the sand.

You may have heard the expression, "The truth shall set you free." If you believe that expression has any validity, then this book is a must read for you. If, on the other hand, you don't mind sand in your ears--then you should probably buy this book only as a gift to someone else.

A note on style and composition: Form is important, as it dictates readability. Fortunately, this book actually uses Standard Written English (SWE)--with only a few grammatical gaffes here and there. In an age where most "authors" seem oblivious to basic writing, this book stands out as one where the author actually cares about communicating to the reader. Given the subject matter, Williams' consideration for the reader is a crucial plus.